Article January 8, 1916 Issue

Reflection

LOUISE KNIGHT WHEATLEY

The subject of reflection, as understood in Christian Science, is of such tremendous import that one will indeed be grateful if he may but touch the hem of its garment. Yet it may well be given earnest consideration, because it is one of the fundamental teachings upon which the whole superstructure of Christian Science rests. Our conscious capacity to do and to be is in exact proportion to our understanding of man's true identity as the perfect likeness of God.

This great verity the world in general, however, seems indisposed to admit. It agrees with Christian Science that God is perfect, but it decidedly objects to maintaining the same thing about man. It readily agrees that God is beyond the reach of the thousand and one ills "that flesh is heir to,"—indeed to affirm otherwise about a Supreme Being would be practically unthinkable,—yet it believes that man is subject to all these things, and it thinks this with apparently no effort whatever. This is, perhaps, largely because it has failed to distinguish between the real man of God's creating and the frail, erring concept of the human mind called a mortal. Christian Science, however, makes this distinction very plain, for it teaches that man, being the reflection of Spirit, cannot be material but must be wholly spiritual; hence man can never be seen in, through, or by means of matter. In Science and Health (p. 305) Mrs. Eddy says, "As there is no corporeality in the mirrored form, which is but a reflection, so man, like all things real, reflects God, his divine Principle, not in a mortal body."

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If we would give ourselves a simple object-lesson along this line, let us study the reflection of a rose in a mirror. Probably the first thing which will impress us is the fact that it has no corporeality whatever. Although in shape, size, form, and color it is the exact counterpart of the rose before the mirror, it possesses all these qualities without a single material accompaniment; in other words it is self-evident that its true substance is not in matter. All the substance it has is what it possesses as reflection. It is not the rose in the crystal vase, but it is the image and likeness of that rose. And is this not also true of man, of whom God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness"?

Continuing our study, we see that there can be in the reflected rose nothing unlike its original. Does it not, indeed, owe its very being to the other rose? If that were taken away could the reflection last for an instant? Has it the slightest power inherent in itself? Is it self-creative? Has it ever for an instant preserved its own identity? While it includes everything which is in the other rose, can it possibly include anything else? Has it the capacity to disintegrate, to crumble, fade, decay, or be destroyed? Since it never at any time maintained its own existence, has it the freedom to end that over which it never had any control? Yet can it be deprived of anything? Can it be the victim of accident, chance, or change, so long as these come not to the other rose? Could a single leaf fall, unless one fell first from the rose before the mirror? And last, best, and most wonderful of all, are there in reality two roses or one? In answer, we are taught in Science and Health (p. 361) that "as a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father and son, are one in being."

Let us then take courage even though to human sense the storm sometimes seems to come raging down upon us. At such times, as at all other times, we need only to remember who we are. Let us turn resolutely away from the terrifying pictures which sense-testimony presents to our affrighted vision, to contemplate instead the beauty, the perfection, the majesty, might, power, and presence of Him who holds "the waters in the hollow of his hand." Let the storm beat as it will, it can only dash itself in empty fury against the mirror in which as in some impregnable fortress the divine reflection stands serene and undismayed.

And what is this mirror which affords such complete protection? In referring to the subject of reflection Mrs. Eddy writes, "Call the mirror divine Science" (Science and Health, p. 515). Divine Science is the truth concerning God and man, and is not the truth about man the thing which protects him? As in some flawless mirror one sees his own reflection, so in divine Science one learns to behold himself as he really is, a reflection of the one perfect Mind, upheld by Life, governed by Truth, and controlled by Love. Did not our great Teacher, Christ Jesus, well understand this unity of good, and try to tell it twenty centuries ago to a dull and doubting world? "The Son can do nothing of himself," he said, "but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."

Let us then stand as faithful witnesses for God, for all that is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and "of good report." It is right that we should express beauty and joy. It is right that the world should be happier because of us. But in the midst of it all, let us be sure that as our reflected radiance thus shines before men, they may be led to remember whence it comes, and turn instinctively to glorify, not us, but the Father which is in heaven.

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