Thought Testing

HORTENSE W. LEWIS

The study of qualitative and quantitative analysis in chemistry requires much time and thought on the part of the would-be chemist. He must become proficient in these branches of this science if he is ever to know the quality and amount of the various ingredients forming any material substance. In chemistry all analysis is based on the belief that matter has existence, form, action, law, power, attraction, and force,—that there is material causation.

The Christian Scientist, having learned that all is Mind and the expression or revelation of Mind, concludes that Mind, God, and His ideas are all that have reality and existence. He finds that cause being Mind, the effect must be mental; he also learns that it is thinking which counts, and so forthwith he begins to watch, to test his thinking. Then the important questions are no longer, What have I eaten or drunk? How long have I slept? but, What am I thinking? Am I thinking in accord with that which is divine, spiritual, and eternal, or am I believing that which is mortal, material, and temporal? To watch one's thinking, to test his thinking, then, becomes the first duty of the Christian Scientists.

If we are to test our thinking, there must be a fixed, unchanging, unvarying, perfect standard of thinking. That standard is to think in accordance with God's thought, to express the qualities and attributes of divine Mind. The reproach given through the prophet Isaiah, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord," should no longer characterize our thinking and doing. Rather should we one and all heed the command, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts." We shall thus maintain man's likeness to and inseparability from Spirit, Soul, express that which is correct, true, intelligent, and thereby represent aright the divine consciousness.

Through the study of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings we acquaint ourselves with the truth about divine Mind and its manifestation, and learn to recognize the qualities of all that is godlike and spiritual. We are taught that man as God's likeness is the expression of Life, the manifestation of Love, which is ever impartial and just; that he expresses the intelligence of the all-knowing Mind, which is never deluded or deceived; and that he utilizes the power and dominion of omnipotent Mind.

Since true thinking, righteousness, divine thinking, is our standard and aim, let us note some of the characteristics of Truth. Truth never has changed, never can change, never will change, for Truth is eternal. Truth can be explained and understood by humanity; but error, the opposite of Truth,—a lie,—can never be understood or demonstrated. Truth is always beneficial and harmless. Truth is universal, impartial, just, unprejudiced; is no respecter of time, place, person, nation, sex, or creed. Truth always liberates, enlightens, and frees from bondage. To use the words of St. Paul, Truth casts down "imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God," and brings "into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." In Science and Health (p. 130) Mrs. Eddy says, "Truth should not seem so surprising and unnatural as error, and error should not seem so real as truth." Truth is omnipotent, and always annuls the so-called material laws and conditions.

The Bible records proof after proof of the supremacy of the spiritual fact over material fiction. For our reassurance and for encouragement in thought testing, testing, we can read in the Bible many instances of the overcoming of the so-called law of gravitation; likewise of the so-called law of combustion; also of the so-called law of molecular attraction; and of the asserted laws of materia medica. Innumerable instances of the extinction of error by Truth could be given from the Bible, and to these could be added the testimonies in our Wednesday evening meetings and those published in our periodicals. In the recognition of the fact that Spirit is divine substance, and that matter is the lie about substance; that law is the will of divine Mind made manifest, and that so-called material laws counterfeit God's laws, we have the true basis for our thinking, and we are accepting the standard of the patriarchs and prophets, of Jesus, of Paul, and of Christian Science.

These words by our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, found on page 3 of "Pulpit and Press," are full of inspiration and encouragement to us all in our thought testing: "Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit