Overcoming the Error of Fear

Duncan Sinclair

Mrs. Eddy indicates the seeming cause of fear when she writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 532), "Fear was the first manifestation of the error of material sense." Material sense, then, that archenemy of the human race, is the source of fear, fear which holds mankind in thralldom. In exposing erroneous material sense and showing that its first manifestation was fear, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science has done inestimable service to mankind; for thus is the way opened up for the overcoming of material sense and its resultant, fear.

How important it is that fear should be destroyed becomes evident when the fact is recognized that it is responsible for an immense amount of human suffering, many a case of acute distress being directly traceable to it. Our Leader goes the length of saying on pages 391 and 392 of Science and Health that "fear is the fountain of sickness;" but she proceeds forthwith to state how it may be mastered and disease overcome, in the words, "and you master fear and sin through divine Mind; hence it is through divine Mind that you overcome disease."

It is "through divine Mind," then, that fear and its progeny must be destroyed. What, more particularly, does this mean? Those who know nothing about Christian Science may ask the question; but the veriest beginner in this Science already has more than an inkling of its meaning, especially if he has experienced a healing through its teachings. For the moment one commences the study of Christian Science he begins to know something of the truth about God—the truth that God is divine Mind. So that the destruction of fear takes place through the gaining of an understanding of God, or through spiritual understanding, material sense (so called) being overcome by this understanding. This has happened time and again in the experience of the Christian Scientist. And when one has had it proved to him, not once but possibly many times, that as he brings his understanding of God, divine Mind, to bear on the material beliefs which are responsible for his fear, exposing the unreality of these beliefs, and finds the sickness vanishing which had resulted from his erroneous thinking, he no longer doubts, but rejoices exceedingly in the truth which Christian Science has brought to him as a great revelation.

How essential that men should understand God! More than any other thing, spiritual understanding is necessary to their well-being. The hope of the human race, the salvation of the human race, depends upon it. Nothing else can weigh for an instant in the balance against it. And to think that we in our day are in possession of a fuller knowledge of God than was ever before presented to men! For Christian Science, based wholly on the teachings of the Bible, spiritually interpreted, gives to all who will study it this wonderful, accurate knowledge of God. Why does any one refuse to begin this study which secures entrance to the kingdom of heaven? It were well to cast prejudice aside and make approach to God through the Science which reveals His nature and the laws which govern His creation.

There is a definition of God in Science and Health (p. 465) which is of the greatest value. It reads, "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." This definition shows that there is not a trace of materiality about God; therefore, that there cannot be a trace of fear about Him! And since God is infinite, and fear is not to be found in Him,—the All-in-all,—fear must be unreal. Here surely is something worth pondering—the fact that fear is unreal! Fear, once more, is a false belief invariably associated with material sense, which in its turn is entirely erroneous or illusory. To perceive the allness of God, and in consequence to realize the unreality of material sense and fear, is to destroy the seeming effects of fear.

In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul writes, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Christian Science enables us to prove the truth of Paul's words. Just as we understand the true nature of God, just as we know Him to be infinite Mind or Spirit, perfect Love, we are freed from "the spirit of fear," and become endowed with love, right-mindedness, and spiritual power. What a blessing it is to possess, even in a small degree, an accurate knowledge of God! Can anything possibly surpass, for example, the understanding which declares Him to be Love—infinite Love? And because God is infinite Love, are we justified any longer in clinging to our fears? God is Love; God's universe is Love's universe, perfect and eternal. It was John, the beloved apostle, who declared, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear. . . . He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Duncan Sinclair

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