There is much talk today of the self-indulgent, pleasure-seeking individual. And to counteract this image, stress is laid on the high moral and spiritual values that every person should have. Some people are puzzled and wonder if it is wrong to have a good time. Mrs. Eddy gives us the answer to this question in "Miscellaneous Writings." On pages 362 and 363 she says: "And pleasure is no crime except when it strengthens the influence of bad inclinations or lessens the activities of virtue. The more nearly an erring so-called mind approaches purity, the more conscious it becomes of its own unreality, and of the great reality of divine Mind and true happiness."

In deciding, then, whether or not to participate in some form of pleasurable activity, we have to look to infinite Mind, God, for our answer. In all kinds of pleasure what we are really seeking is joy, or happiness. So let us see what Christian Science, the Science that makes available the divine Truth upon which the life and teachings of Christ Jesus were based, tells us about true happiness.

In this Science, we learn that man is spiritual and perfect because he is the reflection of God; therefore man expresses only good because God is infinite good. Man, then, expresses the integrity of Truth, the purity of Spirit, the wisdom and health of Mind, the order of Principle, the continuous activity of Life, the harmony of Love, and the joy, happiness, and peace of Soul.

As a key to demonstrating these truths, we can take these words of Mrs. Eddy's in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902 (p. 17): "Happiness consists in being and in doing good; only what God gives, and what we give ourselves and others through His tenure, confers happiness."

During the writer's university days, he began to see what this statement means. There was a Christian Science organization on campus, formed and conducted in accord with Article XXIII, Section 8, of the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy. The meetings of such organizations are similar to the Wednesday testimony meetings, which are held in all Christian Science churches, in that students and faculty alike may give testimonies of gratitude for Christian Science.

While attending one of these organization meetings, the writer heard a member of the senior class talk of the joy she had had when she actively participated in the organization. The writer had known of Christian Science all his life; he had seen it work in all kinds of situations and had known many happy Christian Scientists, but he had never thought about a young Christian Scientist finding joy in organization work.

He could see that being a member of such an organization could be helpful to one's progress in Christian Science, but how could being a member bring joy to a young person like himself?

As time went by, and the writer's problems seemed to increase, he began to turn more and more to God. As he faithfully and daily studied the Lesson-Sermon, given in the Christian Science Quarterly, and as he became an active member of the college organization and of his branch church, he found increasing joy and happiness in all his activities. In fact, instead of being deprived of any good times, he found himself surrounded socially by the jolliest and most congenial young people he had ever known; and, for the first time in his life, most of them were Christian Scientists.

Naturally, he began to see that happiness really is a quality of God, which we express when we are doing what is our highest concept of good. Did not the Psalmist say (Ps. 144:15), "Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord"?

As the writer went from college to the Army and from the Army to civilian jobs, this sense of true joy continued to unfold. Many times he has handled a distressing physical problem or a disturbing business, family, or church problem by expressing joy, calmness, gratitude, and friendliness right where he was.

The conscious claiming and expressing of God's qualities have opened the door to the specific truth which was needed to correct some specific problem. Moreover, whether the healing was immediate or delayed, joy was no longer the result of mere human effort, but a peaceful, inner awareness that all is well in God's kingdom.

We may surely prove that when we turn to God for guidance "pleasure is no crime," and that doing God's will is a pleasure.