As long as people depend only upon the physical senses for an understanding of man's existence they will remain confused, and their lives will lack direction. For these senses cannot tell us the whole of human life, with its unseen forces of justice and mercy, let alone the perfect existence of man in divine Science as God's spiritual likeness.

Mary Baker Eddy describes the confusion of mortals in this passage from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 371): "By those uninstructed in Christian Science, nothing is really understood of material existence. Mortals are believed to be here without their consent and to be removed as involuntarily, not knowing why nor when."

This statement describes somewhat the quandary of the existentialist, who feels that he has been brought into a world he was not responsible for, a world without a divine plan and hostile to humanity. Hence he believes he must make his own plan, live his own life as an individual—alone. He will be what he makes himself—what he chooses to be—but his choice will determine the fate of mankind. Hence his deep concern for human conditions.

Beliefs of human life unrelated to God cause people to be self-centered, and they are then likely to be trapped into states of moral uncertainty and then of disgust with human life. Existence seems meaningless, painful, threatening, inexplicable, absurd.

Christian Science inspires a different attitude. It declares that instead of being only what he makes himself, one has a spiritual selfhood which is exactly what God makes it to be, and this knowledge gives one direction in life. It inspires and impels one to work out his Godlikeness in actual practice. He becomes God-centered and refuses to respond to the demands of the mortal senses in his interest in and love of spiritual living. He does not shun human conditions but faces them, and mercifully solves problems of sin and suffering.

In Science there is a plan, God's infinite plan of good, and each individual has a place in it. The Christian Scientist bends his efforts toward proving his place or particular activity in God's spiritually planned universe. Proving that place is always possible because it already exists; it is outlined by the one Principle, which unifies individuals in the universal, divine plan of fulfilling the highest good for all.

Even humanly we are undeniably close to the unseen universe of Spirit, for we can be conscious now of the atmosphere of integrity and wisdom and intelligence that surrounds us. When we reflect these God-derived qualities and others, such as love and purity and peaceableness, we find constantly unfolding direction and meaning in our existence, for whatever is good is purposeful.

Mrs. Eddy says in "Pulpit and Press" (p. 4): "Who lives in good, lives also in God,—lives in all Life, through all space. His is an individual kingdom, his diadem a crown of crowns. His existence is deathless, forever unfolding its eternal Principle." This passage may be said to describe the spiritual opposite of existentialism, the truth of man's existence and purpose.

Even as meagerly as it has been understood, Christianity has purified human thought and lifted it to the recognition of the unseen good around us all. No individual can disassociate himself from the context of human consciousness as Christianity has developed it through past centuries. Scientific Christianity accepts the good that has appeared, but it rejects the whole materialistic concept of man as well as the physical senses, which create and persist in holding this concept. Christian Science reveals the incorporeal man, who reflects his Maker, Spirit, and this revelation heals the sick and sinful by destroying the false concept of man, which includes these inharmonies.

Before his magnificent triumph over the mortal sense of man and his complete repudiation of a fleshly self in his resurrection and ascension, Jesus had taught mankind the way of salvation from mortal confusion. He had declared that perfection is the goal of humanity and that this perfect state of existence is reached through the honest purification of the human self. The Master's precepts and his demonstrations of the divine will for man have always given direction and purpose to those who have accepted him as their example.

John described the mission of the Saviour when he wrote (John 1:12, 13), "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God... which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Jesus knew his origin and destiny, and so he could say (John 8:14), "I know whence I came, and whither I go." To Pilate he said (John 18:37), "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." And he added words which concern all mankind, "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

One who disregards the Master's voice is resisting the truth of being. He is certain to have an uneasy and unsatisfying time of it, because he is going against the law of God, which gives meaning to existence and perfection to man. Mrs. Eddy asks in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 206), "What but divine Science can interpret man's eternal existence, God's allness, and the scientific indestructibility of the universe?"

Helen Wood Bauman