Christian Science teaches the fallacy of material beliefs and turns thought to the contemplation of perfect God and His perfect creation. Through Christianly scientific reasoning, it teaches one how to choose between so-called material sense and spiritual sense. The message of this Science educates one's thought with divine logic. In Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 349): "Speaking of the things of Spirit while dwelling on a material plane, material terms must be generally employed. Mortal thought does not at once catch the higher meaning, and can do so only as thought is educated up to spiritual apprehension."

This Science awakens one from ignorance and shows him his true state of existence as God's reflection. In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul wrote (4:22-24), "Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ... put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

The individual must abandon —surrender completely—the old man, or the mortal concept, and put on the new man, or the perfect concept. This seems rather difficult to do until, through the teachings of Christian Science, one gains an understanding of the perfection of God and man and the unreality of evil.

In her book "No and Yes," Mrs. Eddy states (p. 31): "Jesus cast out evils, mediating between what is and is not, until a perfect consciousness is attained. He healed disease as he healed sin; but he treated them both, not as in or of matter, but as mortal beliefs to be exterminated." Through discernment between "what is and is not," one begins to realize that there can be no partial state of perfection for the man of God's creating. God's man has never been a mortal who must regain his perfection; he is perfect now.

A searching of one's thought to find "what is and is not" in accordance with the teachings of Christian Science enables one to ascertain the degree of his willingness to take a more radical stand for spiritual expression. As thought is stirred in this manner, one may exclaim, "I am not ready for that step yet!" Usually this exclamation is the result of a sense of inadequacy or of fear, such as that expressed by the servant in Jesus' parable. When given the one talent by his master, the servant hid it in the ground —hid it in a limited material concept.

Again, there is the sense of procrastination, which would wait for a more convenient time, as did Jonah. Moreover, upon occasion there is a rebellious state of thought, such as that which so boldly challenged Jesus. While he was in Capernaum, teaching the people in the synagogues and in the byways round about the city, many were greatly stirred. We read in Luke (4:33,34), "In the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone: what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us?"

Just as Jesus, in answer to the above challenge, rebuked the rebellious spirit of an unclean devil and healed the man, so Christian Science comes to the rescue of those who are suffering from discordant conditions. Through the divine logic of Science, one learns that the real issue is not that of mortals exchanging human opinions; it is the need for evil to quail before the presence of Truth and to be finally destroyed.

The aforesaid illustrations give a hint of the pattern of the false beliefs of materialism. However, there are times when, like the chameleon, evil's arguments change in an attempt to avoid detection and destruction by Truth. But Christian Science is ever equal to the demand to provide a sign a proof—of the supremacy of Truth over error.

In a specific instance some years ago a student of this healing truth earned a blessed reward through her devout persistence in claiming her oneness, or unity, with God. She had been experiencing frequent attacks of heart palpitation. During the attacks the student made declarations of truth and claimed that this was not a material condition, but was entirely a mental fallacy. The evil spirit of material sense cried out before these profound statements and, in an effort to maintain its hold upon the student's thought, sought to hide behind century-old beliefs about therapeutics. Many and varied were the suggestions.

Finally, upon one occasion, this student perceived more clearly that there was no material condition involved; it was simply a choice between "what is and is not." With this inspiring realization, this passage from Science and Health flooded her thought with a peaceful sense of dominion (pp. 384, 385): "Sickness, sin, and death must at length quail before the divine rights of intelligence, and then the power of Mind over the entire functions and organs of the human system will be acknowledged." A complete healing was humbly accepted and has remained permanent.

The above experience brings out the practical application of the teachings of Christian Science to meet the individual need for spiritual awakening. This illustrates true mental activity and demonstrates, no matter how small the results at first, the healing message of perfect God and perfect creation.

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.... Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.—Romans 12:9-14, 21.