Don't Tolerate the Spoilers

ELEANOR OWERS SMITH

Are you tolerating little foxes on your mental premises? Are they spoiling your vines? The Bible says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."^{S. of Sol. 2:15;}

What are these little foxes? Aren't they the petty irritations, secret fears, frustrations, small aches and pains? What about unhappy memories, unfulfilled desires, the tendency to be adversely critical of others? All are false suggestions that would dominate our thought and rob us of our peace and joy.

Do we submit when such a suggestion slips into our consciousness? Are we alert to the aggressive nature of recurring suggestions? Mrs. Eddy was keenly aware of the nature of evil suggestions. In the Manual of The Mother Church under the heading "Alertness to Duty" she writes, "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."^{Man., Art. VIII, Sect. 6;}