The only genuine influence is the influence of God, infinite divine Mind. Our response to this one and only real influence measures our spiritual growth and our dominion.

Paul said, "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels." When spiritual purity rules in our consciousness, no beguilement from without finds entrance. Mortal mind's suggestions of moral vacillation, false attraction, and undestroyed fear of sin are to be denied presence and power. The "worshipping of angels" requires and enables us to prove more and more of our spiritual individuality.

Whoever turns to Christian Science for release from sickness is expected to put his entire trust in this spiritual method of healing. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 168), "Whatever influence you cast on the side of matter, you take away from Mind, which would otherwise outweigh all else." Undivided spiritual trust is natural, for there is in reality no fictitious influence to divert one's faith from Life, Truth, and Love to drugs and other material remedies. The one supreme attraction is that of Spirit, God, and through wholehearted response to the one divine influence we shake off the belief in material faith and fear.

"If therefore thine eye be single," Jesus said, "thy whole body shall be full of light." Spiritual perception is of necessity "single," undivided, for spiritual creation is the only creation that is present for one to behold. In this one creation there is no mixture of Spirit and matter, health and sickness, righteousness and sin, harmony and discord, life and death. So the Christian Scientist trains himself to acknowledge but one divine influence, and to respond to it unhesitatingly and with full expectancy of reward.

It is written of Christ Jesus that he was "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." There is no sin in being aware of temptation, but only in yielding to it voluntarily or through being off guard. Victory lies in understanding that the omnipotence of good includes no sin or sinner, no tempter or tempted, no imperfect God, no fallen man. The omnipresence of good finds expression in spiritual uprightness, dominion, invariable health and harmony. The divinely influential ideas of divine Mind alone are present. The "worshipping of angels"—the entertaining of right thoughts—is not interfered with when we promptly and permanently respond to the one divine influence, neither fearing nor favoring the supposition of any counterinfluence. The Christian Scientist who stands with God triumphantly withstands temptation, for God's witness is not the devil's dupe.

Our Leader writes (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 113), "He who refuses to be influenced by any but the divine Mind, commits his way to God, and rises superior to suggestions from an evil source." When the aggressive mental suggestion comes to one that his desire to be loyal and fearless might be too frail to stand the strain of temptation, he instantly "refuses to be influenced by any but the divine Mind." A suggestion of moral weakness or lapse from harmony is not the influence of divine Mind. At the slightest hint that he might, under provocation, yield to arguments of inability to be faithful and victorious, when apparently faced with some severe problem, the alert Christian Scientist maintains his stand for the one Mind and for his oneness with its purity, harmony, supremacy. His consciousness being aglow with spiritual confidence and courage, he acknowledges with rejoicing the divine influence which alone is present, which alone is calling to him, and to which alone he responds. In his reflection of the purity of divine Mind he himself is pure. In his reflection of the strength of Spirit he himself is strong.

As Christian Scientists we rely implicitly on the power of the true ideas which we have made our own through our study of Christian Science, the Science of being. The one divine influence which has thus far illumined and blessed us in the measure of our obedience to it continues to enlighten, control, and direct us as we resolutely respond to this enlightenment, control, and divine direction. Our Leader writes (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 223), "May divine Love so permeate the affections of all those who have named the name of Christ in its fullest sense, that no counteracting influence can hinder their growth or taint their examples."

He who names the name of Christ understandingly finds his own name "written in heaven"—in everlasting harmony and security. To him who has fully overcome all belief in any influence but the divine shall be given "a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."

Christian Science stands for pure monotheism, the worshiping of one God, one divine Principle, one righteousness, one divine influence eternally supreme in the consciousness of man.

Violet Ker Seymer