One of the best-known parables of our Master is the parable of the sower recorded in Chapter 8 of Luke and in two other Gospels. Christ Jesus not only related this parable, but carefully explained it that there might be no mistaking his meaning.

"A sower went out to sow his seed," Jesus said, and then he enumerated some types of environment in which a seed might come to rest. Some seed "fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it"; some seed landed upon a rock where it withered away for lack of moisture; and some fell among thorns which choked it. But other seed, he assured his listeners, "fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold."

His disciples asked him to explain his meaning. "The seed is the word of God," Jesus said, and then he proceeded to describe four states of thought that receive the Word. These four states of thought may well describe mental choices confronting the young Christian Scientist.

Jesus said that seed falling by the wayside represented those who hear, but "then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." How often does the carnal mind and its "fowls of the air" arouse a sense of rebellion which leads one perhaps to say, "Now's my chance to do what I want to— not what my parents or Sunday School teachers have said."

Jesus described the state of thought represented as seed falling on the rock as they that "receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away." Is not this the apathetic thought which argues: "Christian Science is all right, and I'll come back to it; but now I want to live it up"; or, "I'm too busy to bother studying the Lesson-Sermon or attending Sunday School."

A third state of thought described by Jesus as seed falling among thorns "are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." How well this describes the worldly thought which argues for conformity, "Everybody's doing it; I don't want to be different"!

The fourth state of thought Jesus represented as seed falling "on the good ground." These are those who "in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." There is no question but that this is the state of thought Jesus commended. This consecrated thought is that of the young person who responds, "I am a Christian Scientist and proud of it; and I will do my best to live up to my highest understanding of its teachings."

Whether a young Christian Scientist is facing service in the Armed Forces or entry into a college or a university, embarking on a career or establishing a marriage and a home, he must himself decide what his state of thought is to be. He must determine whether the seed which is the Word of God will find the soil of rebellion, apathy, conformity, or consecration.

The young person may be a Christian Scientist because either one or both of his parents are or perhaps because he was encouraged early to join the church or perhaps because he has admired a practitioner or a Sunday School teacher. But Christian Science cannot be gained by inheritance, by mere membership, or by proxy. Each individual must make Christian Science his own through prayer, study, and proof.

As each young student takes his place in the world, his faith is tested numerous times. He needs to resolve many problems with respect to daily living. Never is consecration more important than when a young person is confronted with questions of smoking, drinking, dishonesty, cheating, sexual immorality, and so on. In fact, all young men and women must detect and remove from thought any tendency toward rebellion or apathy or conformity; otherwise the devil indeed cometh "and taketh away the word out of their hearts."

Take the matter of the use of tobacco or alcohol. "Everybody's doing it," says mortal mind, arguing conformity. "It's really not so bad in moderation," it insists, defending apathy. "I can do what I want to," it storms in rebellion. But the Christ, Truth, bids us look at the claims with an attitude of consecration.

The use of either tobacco or alcohol is not in harmony with Christian Science. Why? Because each counterfeits the spiritual hunger and thirst after righteousness, which is our birthright. Aggressive suggestion would have us thus reach out for momentary pleasure and satisfaction in self rather than turn to God. As one college student expressed it, "You have to reach for the cigarette or the cocktail; they can't reach for you." To be caught in the web of bondage and servitude to a cigarette or a glass of beer or a cocktail is to surrender one's God-given heritage of purity and freedom and to find oneself reaching in the opposite direction.

Or look at the matter of dishonesty. In these days of compromise, honesty sometimes seems old-fashioned. Cheating in school examinations or on income taxes, coasting through an arterial stop, or signing in for another who is absent are often considered clever acts as long as one is successful in getting away with them. To be honest or dishonest is a question that must be faced squarely.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 453): "Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help." Surely no one, even for momentary advantage, would choose to forfeit God's help. The greatest ally a young person can find in his studies or exams, in his human relationships, and in all the minutiae of human experience is the Science that is God's law, giving assuring evidence that man is the expression of infinite Mind.

Consider the question of sexual immorality. From all sides what purports to be a new kind of morality is paraded before youth. Sex and love are equated. And youth is bombarded with the argument that times are different. But are they?

More than three thousand years ago the young Joseph was faced with a decision sometimes facing young people today. When Potiphar's wife endeavored to entice him into an illicit relationship, Joseph unhesitatingly stood his ground. He said (Gen. 39:9), "How ... can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" This can be the reply of the consecrated Christian Scientist.

It is foolish to think that because we are Scientists we shall not be tempted. The writer of Hebrews assures us that Jesus "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (4:15). So we have the moral right and obligation to be a law unto ourselves and to exercise the control that is the mark of true manhood and womanhood.

Pressures and decisions confront every young Christian Scientist. He will need to face and meet the challenges of false appetites, immorality, dishonesty— see through their specious arguments. The individual consciousness in which the seed of Truth is planted will surely be tested. And one answer or another will come.

If the ground, his consciousness, is one of rebellion, he will indeed, as Jesus said, have the Word of God taken out of his heart, If the ground, his consciousness, is one of apathy, he will find he has no root, and in time of temptation he will fall away. If the ground, his consciousness, is one of conformity, he will find the Word "choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life" and will feel a sense of fruitlessness.

But if the ground, his consciousness, is good—one of consecration—then he will have heard the Word of Christian Science with an honest and good heart and will keep it and bring forth fruit an hundredfold to bless himself, his community, his world, and the Cause of Christian Science.