Those who accept what Christian Science reveals—the allness and goodness of God, Spirit, and the perfection of His man—should protect their knowledge of these transforming ideas and never let the insidious suggestions of the carnal mind betray them. If people are alert to this danger, they will not be caught off guard. With great wisdom Christ Jesus warned his followers, "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." ^{Mark 13:37;}

But what of those who forget the warning and find themselves shocked into remembrance of the standard they have denied? Backsliding often leaves the Scientist with an aftermath of remorse and morbid self-condemnation, whereas he should be quick to repent and reform and start again to prove man's sinless perfection in Science, or reality.

Christian Science makes it clear that sin is not pardoned without repentance and regeneration. But no one should wallow in the belief that he has been a mortal sinner. This great Science shows that God is the only creator and that the carnal, or mortal, mind is fundamental sin, the supposed maker of sinners. Mary Baker Eddy says, "The sinner created neither himself nor sin, but sin created the sinner; that is, error made its man mortal, and this mortal was the image and likeness of evil, not of good." ^{Retrospection and Introspection, p. 67;}

The abandonment of the belief in an evil mind or creator is the first step the Scientist who has erred takes in starting again. This step makes impossible the recurrence of a sinful impulsion. Repentance must be genuine and strong enough to bring regeneration. Then God's forgiveness is recognized, and the erring individual is free to go forward in his gradual proof of sonship with God. He has won his own pardon, and God's forgiveness has sealed his achievement. He will not be lured by evil again.

To dwell on a reckless past is foolishness. The reformed individual can start again, reborn in the higher knowledge of Love's mercy. He can progress Spiritward on the basis of one creator, one creation, one law, one true selfhood. He can reject the mesmeric dream of mortal existence and know that the man he really is has never been touched by evil.

A firm stand for this truth and the proof of it in daily actions will help silence any condemnation by those who have known of his former behavior and will eventually renew their respect.

Christian Science reveals one Truth in which every identity abides in sinless freedom. It is a scientific fact that only the truth of anyone is actually known; that there is no mortal mind, or evil sense, no consciousness of error to remember anyone's sins or to harp on them. These are lines of thought to be followed.

Meekness, the state of mind that acknowledges God's allness regardless of what the one evil claims, must characterize the person who would gain his own pardon and God's forgiveness. Meekness takes the sting out of the memory of an evil past. All of Truth and of real existence in the Christ lies before the regenerated human being. His incentive is to start again and never deviate from what he knows of God's will for him.

Peter knew better than to deny the Master, but he let the intense opposition which was attacking the Christ he had acknowledged sway his loyalty. His repentance was as strong as his aberration had been, and his three protests of love for the Saviour recorded in John 21 canceled his three denials of the Christ. He was ready to follow his risen Lord, the Way-shower of Christian life.

We find Peter later carrying Christianity to the Gentiles, healing the sick, raising the dead. Eventually he suffered martyrdom for his loyalty to Truth. He had made a new start, and the story of his exoneration enlightens the ages.

The remembrance of an evil record lingers only in the false mentality, the consciousness that is neither God nor man. One who holds such a remembrance of himself or of another should expunge the false record with the truth of being and never again let his thought rest upon it, never again believe in it, never again make it real. The realization that Spirit and spiritual man alone exist or have reality is like a fresh breeze from the sea that disperses a smog, and leaves the individual free to breathe the atmosphere of heaven. Truth understood so destroys falsity that it can find lodgment in no one's consciousness.

Paul, who knew the agony of remorse and the joy of reformation, wrote, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." ^{Rom. 8:1.} The God-forgiven individual can start over and never again be influenced to leave the true path of Christian character.

Helen Wood Bauman