Editorial August 18, 1923 Issue

"Perfect models"

Ella W. Hoag

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 248) Mrs. Eddy writes, "We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives." And then she goes on to define these models: "Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love—the kingdom of heaven—reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear." Herein she has furnished us with both a rule and its method of application. She has stated a law and the way to obey it,—"We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually;" and then she proceeds to define the models. The rule is plain, and the method is simple. Yet what Christian Scientist is satisfied with his demonstration of them?

If one were intending to carve a statue, he would first consider the qualities he desired to express. His efforts would be to gain constantly a better, truer, clearer concept of what he would portray. The Christian Scientist knows that the uninstructed concept of good, as the so-called human mind presents it, can never be the perfect model which will lift him into Christlikeness. He is quite aware that the human belief of even such qualities as "unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love," must be exalted before he can find them dissipating the beliefs of sin, disease, and death. In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 352) our beloved Leader tells us, "There is not sufficient spiritual power in the human thought to heal the sick or the sinful;" and all her instructions point plainly to the necessity of winning the perfect concept of every sense of good, if we are to gain perfect results in our demonstration of Christian Science.

In the Christian Science textbooks,—the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings,—we have these qualities fully defined. Not only do we find them letterly explained, but example after example in the application of them is presented for our contemplation. And we are to hold such models in thought until we "carve them out in grand and noble lives"! How simple the process! And how joyous should be the use of it! One certainly could not imagine a more bliss-giving occupation than to dwell with such qualities until the kingdom of heaven reigns within us. All men desire to have sin, disease, and death disappear; and here we are told the invariable way to bring this desideratum to pass,—to dwell with these heavenly characteristics until all unlike them shall have been proved unreal!

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