"THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH."

M. ETHEL WHITCOMB.

Christian Science is proclaiming anew to the world the truth that if it would ever know freedom from disease and bondage, from weight and woe, it must obey the command of Scripture, "Be ye holy in all manner of conversation." Health and joy, peace and prosperity, are unobtainable without it. "But," says one, "what relation does my conversation bear to my happiness and health?" A most important one, for our conversation is an expression of our thought, and our thought governs our bodies and circumstances. Moses declared to the children of Israel: "Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else." Because God is All, and has made all good like Himself, nothing really exists to talk about apart from His all-perfect creation, the joy, health, and holiness which He has ordained.

To talk of the supposititious opposite of God, good, expressed as disease and sin, discord and horror, is to dishonor Him and break the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Therefore it is a part of the Christian Scientist's religious duty to talk of that which is helpful and spiritual, immortal and true, and he knows that he is breaking a divine command when judging, criticizing, condemning, or talking of the imperfections expressed through the mortal sense of personality. Paul's injunction, "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity," becomes his watchword.

Through all the writings of Mrs. Eddy we find the thought expressed that it is inadmissible to repeat error of any kind, unless it becomes absolutely necessary to uncover and destroy wrong. In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 346) she says, "It is a rule in Christian Science never to repeat error unless it becomes requisite to bring out Truth." How seldom is it really necessary to voice error in order to bring out the truth! It is helpful, before naming any discord, to remember this rule and ask one's self if one's only thought in speaking is to lessen the trouble that should be overcome. The real Christian Scientist has but one desire, to decrease all forms of evil; he is always obedient to the command, "Thou shalt not bear false witness."

Paul writes, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Conversation about disease and sin surely does not edify, nor "minister grace unto the hearers." When we realize that error has no origin in God,—the only creator,—we see that all its supposed operation is false and fleeting, and not worthy of conversation. Without strict obedience to the apostle's injunction, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things," we can never hope to be "holy in all manner of conversation."

We find in Scripture this startling statement, "To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." The dictionary defines salvation as preservation, deliverance. He, then, who orders his conversation aright shall be delivered from evil. We might turn this about and say, He that does not order his conversation aright, but talks of a supposed power apart from good, of disease and error, shall be led into captivity because of it. The wise man said, "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health." And not only is it health, but life, for we read again, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life."

Many who seek healing through Christian Science are being deprived of the blessings they so much desire because they continue to talk of the imperfect. In Christian Science patient after patient has been delivered from deepest affliction when he has ordered his conversation aright by absolutely refusing to sigh over his sorrows, or talk of his symptoms or any discord, and by faithfully declaring God's allness,—talking only of that which is beautiful, brave, and fair. Jesus was our example in this as in all other things. He said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Again he said, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Jesus had nothing in common with the conversation of the world. At all times he spoke the word of Life which banished the diseased mind-pictures, and thus he lifted the multitude into health and holiness. As we think of how the word of God restored the withered arm and caused the blind to see in the days of Jesus, and remember that Truth is the same throughout all time, we may see the possibilities of holy conversation, and affirm with joy, "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary."

On no one point is humanity more tempted than on this matter of voicing imperfection. To keep our "conversation in heaven," as Paul expresses it, requires thought to abide in heaven; it requires constant striving and constant prayer; the striving of yesterday is not sufficient for the temptations of today. When one thinks of the burdens that would be lifted, and the joy and peace that would be known on earth if men never spake but to voice the truth of God's goodness, the brotherhood of man, the power and reality of justice, the joy and health of holiness, he can but resolve anew to be obedient to the command, "Be ye holy in all manner of conversation," and with repentance for past failures, pray with David, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

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