For many years newspaper and magazine advertisements have encouraged masculine readers to gain proficiency in the arts of boxing and wrestling so that they may ward off the attacks of bullies. "Learn the manly art of self-defense!" is the recommendation. Today, as the popularity of other defensive sports increases, even the womenfolk are invited to learn so that they too may be protected from those who may seek to harm them.

No doubt these methods have some value in safeguarding a mortal. But they fall far short of affording any lasting defense against the myriad attacks of evil that seem to beleaguer mankind. To gain effectual, permanent protection, an individual must learn to see himself as he really is—the man of God's creating, the spiritual idea of Mind. Christian Science elucidates the status of God's man. God preserves his being.

We must realize, of course, that there are not two kinds of man: one mortal and material who requires physical protection, the other immortal and spiritual. In her writings, Mrs. Eddy makes perfectly clear that there is in reality only one kind of man. Describing man on page 591 of Science and Health she says that he is "the compound idea of infinite Spirit; the spiritual image and likeness of God; the full representation of Mind."

Understanding this, we may also correctly reason that there are not two kinds of existence: one material and one spiritual. The only creation there can be is that which God has made. We may expect that the concomitants of this creation are harmony, peace, spirituality, eternality. We do not need to defend ourselves from these.

What we seem to see is the lie about creation, the false claim of mortal mind which states that it is a creator, insists that it has made all, attempts to credit itself with the fashioning of man, forces the unspiritualized human consciousness to acquiesce in its terms, and demands obedience to material laws.

The individual who turns to God, however, and prayerfully acknowledges His all-presence, and all-power fends off mortal mind's attack. As the truth of being fills his spiritualized consciousness, he is able to see the nothingness, impossibility, and il-logic of error's claim. He is thereby shielded from all that threatens to harm him.

The Apostle Paul saw clearly the necessity of one's forsaking a material concept of one's own being. Paul wrote, "If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself (Gal. 6:3). Referring to this statement, Mrs. Eddy explains (Science and Health, p. 345), "This thought of human, material nothingness, which Science inculcates, enrages the carnal mind and is the main cause of the carnal mind's antagonism."

Throughout the Biblical record of men's achievements are found many instances of those who gained from God the inspiration for properly safeguarding their positions. As Nehemiah and his group sought to repair the walls and gates of Jerusalem, they were beset by many who desired that the work be stopped. But Nehemiah stated. "Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them" (4: 9). The workers were then led to arrange themselves in such a way that half of them worked while the other half stood watch; and the wall was built.

Centuries later, Christ Jesus had to defend himself against devilish suggestions. With three simple statements of truth he vanquished his adversary, the devil, when that opponent cunningly presented to him the temptations to which the unspiritualized human thought generally yields readily. Jesus calmly met and mastered the claims of appetite, vanity, and ambition and went forward to an unparalleled career.

Later, through understanding his inseparability from divine Love, Jesus was shielded from the stones of an angry multitude "and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by" (John 8:59). Finally, he conquered the claims of death with his knowledge of God as Life, and by his resurrection he proved for all mankind the absolute nothingness of error's most demanding lie.

The Christ, Truth, that inspired and guarded Jesus is immediately available to everyone today, for God's gift of knowledge of Himself is boundless and timeless. Christian Science presents the Christ in its proper light to mankind for eternity. The Christ appears to each one who marshals his spiritual defenses to meet the foe, for it is the saving activity of the spiritual idea of God, that which comes to liberate from every condition of evil. It is the one true influence in every consciousness and is always available to us.

Mrs. Eddy has given many instructions in her writings that students of Christian Science find essential in preparing their defenses. All find security in obedience to her injunction given in the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. VIII, Sect. 6), "It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind."

Through Christian Science everyone may learn to defend himself properly. All evil is but suggestion, and when we remember that as such it has no intelligence, power, or reality, it disappears in our daily experiences. Knowing God as the only cause and creator, seeing our brother as he really is, the image and likeness of God, and being faithful to what our Leader has provided for us through Christian Science provide sure defenses against error of every kind.

No one need be without the knowledge that there is in Truth no error; so there can be no source of evil. No one can be deprived of the peace which comes from knowing that God, Mind, unfolds His purpose continuously. All may learn that there is no real way for a lie to communicate itself. All may prove that the man of God's creating has only the good which the Father bestows on him. Mankind, cognizant of these and similar truths, are free from mortality's limitations and attacks and cannot forget their proper duty.

It has been stated that the best defense is a good offense— a plan of action to defeat the foe. Our plan can be to challenge mortality's every bluff and go forth to battle, working eternally to know error's utter nothingness and knowing forever the allness of God.