We are assured in Christian Science that divine Principle is applicable to all the minutiae of human affairs; that nothing is too commonplace to respond to its power. In the way analogous to that by which the laws of liquids govern alike the drop of dew and the waters of the wide ocean, so divine Principle knows no changeableness, "neither shadow of turning," let the problem be ever so small or ever so great.

Sometimes it puzzles a beginner in the demonstration of Christian Science to understand how spiritual truth can reach and heal a seemingly material difficulty. Perhaps the following experience will throw light on the point, as it deals with the very common occurrence of automobile trouble.

Our car had been very carefully overhauled by an expert, and no expense had been spared to insure a perfect result. A test trip of some three hundred miles seemed to prove the wisdom of the outlay, and we felt happy confidence in planning a more extensive journey for an approaching holiday. We invited friends to share the pleasure with us; and in order that we might look our best for the occasion, we sent the car to a professional, to be washed and polished, several days before the intended start. On attempting to run the car home, what was our dismay to find that it refused to start. Again and again the self-starter was coaxed to respond, the only result being an alarming explosive noise, but no action. The expert mechanic was called on the telephone. He failed to understand the difficulty then, but said he would get around before night and try to locate the trouble for us, even though he might have to send us elsewhere to have it remedied. All day we waited for him, but he failed to appear. The next morning we again tried to start the car, and again it baffled us, as did our mechanic also, although he apologized over the telephone for being unable to come the previous day, promising to get to us before noon. The forenoon, however, passed with no sign of him. By this time we thought we saw our holiday trip vanishing. The anxiety was accentuated by the fear of disappointing our friends, who might have used the holiday to advantage in some other way; in fact, we were "all on edge," the owner of the car going the length of rehearsing the severe telephone message he meant to send to the mechanic. Fear and its confederates—resentment, irritation, condemnation, and the like—were all "in the saddle"!

The writer was the only professed Christian Scientist involved, and she suddenly realized how far and wide had been the straying from the "secret place of the most High." She therefore sought the seclusion of her room to work out the problem in Truth. She saw that error was using the very thing designed to give us joy as a means of introducing confusion. Error was tempting us to forget that joy is spiritual, not at the mercy of material accompaniments. It was causing us to fail to see man as the image and likeness of God, perfect and unfallen. It was claiming that the kindly intent to give pleasure to others could be turned into an occasion for blame. It was pretending that the kingdom of heaven was elsewhere than within. She began to think sympathetically of the young mechanic, who was working overtime to make it possible for others to enjoy their holiday. She remembered with gratitude the cheerful, skillful work he had done in the past. She recalled the numerous journeys already enjoyed; and she felt that it would indeed be but a "light affliction" to forego one holiday trip. In short, she became so filled with the consciousness of God's goodness to His children that it became quite clear to her that no evil could befall, because His love is everywhere, and that nothing could obscure its manifestation. She was content to refrain from outlining the avenue through which a happy holiday was to be enjoyed, and simply to know, beyond all doubting, that "this is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Returning to the family circle, she was rejoiced to hear the owner of the car remark: "I suppose our mechanic is really under pressure of work, everybody wanting attention at once, repairs taking longer than anticipated, and unsuspected troubles occurring. It is hardly fair to add to his worries by rough talk." How natural to reply: "Why take his time by calling him to the telephone? Why not wait for him to ring us?" At three o'clock he did ring us, to say that he had lost track of time, had not yet gone to lunch, and that he would drop in on his way back to the shop and do his very best to help us out of trouble. The owner of the car was touched by this proof of loyalty, and glad that he had refrained from the criticism he had threatened to make. He reviewed past favors; and by the time the mechanic arrived was full of appreciation and gratitude toward him. They decided, laughingly, to hope for the best instead of fearing the worst. When they reached the car and seated themselves, it started off at the first touch. No amount of starting and stopping brought anything but perfect action. The mystery of two days' unsuccessful trial was explained on the theory that during the washing process, which had been particularly thorough, some water must have reached a point where it should not have been allowed to go; but during the forty-eight-hour interval it had evaporated, and the trouble had consequently vanished.

One may ask if the Scientist believed that her mental work dried up the water, and thus allowed the car to start, and what would have happened if she had done similar mental work the previous day, when the water had not yet evaporated. We who rejoice in these healing experiences have learned, as Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 468), that "all is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation," and that when we dwell in divine Mind, our need is met, whatever it may be. The real demonstration consisted in the change of thought toward the whole situation. No attempt was made to "treat" the car, or to insure the trip. Thought was directed solely to the conquest of error's claims, to the pulling down of the strongholds of fear, impatience, self-will, pride, condemnation, belief in matter as having dominion over the fruits of the Spirit, such as joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, and seeking first the kingdom of heaven. Sincere seeking thus brings us under the law of harmony, which law is acting unceasingly and universally; and unto this law every material belief must be subject.