Article March 1, 1969 Issue

Shutting and Opening Thought

EVELYN M. S. DUCKETT

In any context shutting and opening are very decisive actions. When applied to the door of spiritual understanding, they signify a prayerful mental attitude that is definite and positive, not tentative or uncommitted. This demands not only clear discrimination between what we should admit and what we should refuse but also a firm implementation of this selection.

Christ Jesus once said to his disciples, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matt. 6:6;

Mrs. Eddy writes of this passage: "The closet typifies the sanctuary of Spirit, the door of which shuts out sinful sense but lets in Truth, Life, and Love. Closed to error, it is open to Truth, and vice versa." Science and Health, p. 15; In the same paragraph she continues: "To enter into the heart of prayer, the door of the erring senses must be closed. Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error."

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