Article February 19, 1977 Issue

A Universe with Zero Defects

REGINALD HAYES

Conserve, Economize, Recycle, are some of the methods being used by industry to counteract wastefulness. Manufacturing organizations are challenging the so-called "margin for error. They are becoming increasingly aware that there is no longer any justification for piles of scrapped parts at assembly lines just because, in the past, mistakes have been regarded as inevitable. Through a campaign called "Zero Defects," much progress is being made in avoiding costly errors by a very simple method: alerting workers to the feasibility of doing their jobs right the first time.

One of my assignments as an engineer was to design a machine capable of automatically spreading glue on the flaps of detergent boxes. When I gave the detailed drawings to the machine-shop foreman to fabricate the machine, he followed them without the need to consult me at all. Commenting on this when the machine was installed and working satisfactorily, he confided he had enjoyed working with my drawings because everything was so well thought out. He said this was in contrast to methods used by some engineers—try this, try that, scrap this, scrap that, until they got it right.

I had relied upon an understanding of Christian Science in my work, and this made the difference. Science explains that there is only one Mind, called God. This ever-present, infinite intelligence has made man as its perfect spiritual image. As we come to understand this and apply it to our work, we express the ability to accomplish faultlessly the task in hand. When we realize that there is only one supreme intelligence and that we express this intelligence, our thoughts and abilities surpass those emanating from locked-in human capacities. Christ Jesus, as ever, provides our example here. He never relied upon mere human ability, but always on reflecting divine power.

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February 19, 1977
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