A coin presented for change at a railway booth was quickly returned by the agent, who exclaimed, "That is lead or aluminum." It was evident that it was because of his acquaintance with the coin of the realm that he could detect the spurious nature of the counterfeit so quickly and reject it. The writer then examined the coin, which proved to be lead, and subsequently destroyed it.

If in the human realm, whether in art, in factory, shop, office, or in field, the counterfeit is subject to detection and destruction, how necessary it is for us to become acquainted with the spiritual, the eternal, the real, in order to recognize the material falsity, the temporal, the unreal! This has been made possible through the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, as revealed in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and her other writings.

For a long time mankind had largely lost sight of the true God. Men worshiped they knew not what. God was supposed by many to reside in a far-away place called heaven, being invested with a form like that of a mortal; and all this, in spite of the saying of our Way-shower, Jesus of Nazareth, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." But when our beloved Leader, through her persistent study of the Scriptures, gained a larger understanding of God and presented her revelation to the world, God again became known to men as Spirit. Through her teachings it may be clearly seen that the spiritual creation, as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis, is the real creation, in which man is found to be the image and likeness of God, spiritual, perfect, and complete. It is plainly evident, therefore, that the record in the second chapter of Genesis sets forth a counterfeit or unreal concept of creation. This knowledge helps to lift one above the mists of materiality and enables him to work out his problem in a correct manner.

The student of Christian Science understands God to be divine Mind and knows that all true thoughts emanate from Him; that evil thoughts are the opposite of God, good, in other words, are counterfeits of the true. He therefore endeavors to have good thinking occupy his attention. He thus learns to know how, when, where, and why to do that which it is necessary for him to do; and those with whom he comes in contact recognize in him a better friend, citizen, neighbor, and man of business.

Writing in her textbook (p. 276), Mrs. Eddy says, "Man and his Maker are correlated in divine Science, and real consciousness is cognizant only of the things of God." The prophet Nehemiah caught a glimpse of this grand truth; and it is recorded in the Bible that when his adversaries, through deception, cunning, craftiness, and feigned words, tried to prevent him from building the wall at Jerusalem, they were unable to deter him from this righteous task. He stood alone with God. He remained unafraid in spite of all opposition. He knew that God alone has power; and he completed his task apparently against heavy odds, thus compelling even his enemies to say that his work was wrought of God.

Every student of Christian Science is a builder. He is building for eternity; and in this pursuit he is engaged in a warfare against evil. He is met by the selfsame suggestions that confronted the prophet Nehemiah; and he too is unafraid, because he also is on the side of God, good. When suggestions of anger, malice, hate, revenge, resentment, lust, covetousness, lack, want, and limitation urge their claims upon him, he is alert and awake to reject these intruding beliefs; he recognizes them as counterfeits, unreal, because they are not of God's creating.

Let us assume that one is confronted with the temptation to entertain hate for his neighbor. Does he accept the intruding belief? Not if he is awake, and alert to defend himself against this evil suggestion! Instantly he rejects it as a lie, without power, entity, or existence. He does not even permit the lie to pass the portals of his consciousness; but he reverses it, allowing only love toward his neighbor to occupy his thought. The result is that he progresses a step farther in his journey from sense to Soul. This not alone benefits him, but blesses his neighbor and all mankind. As quickly as the agent pushed back the counterfeit coin, even more quickly can one acquainted with the truth as revealed in Christian Science detect a wrong thought because of his alertness to right thinking. The process is a simple one. True, it requires much practice; but it is all worth while, because it results in greater freedom and spiritual growth.

Let us suppose that an innocent person were accused of having committed a crime. What would he do about it? Would he submit to the accusation? Certainly not. He would unflinchingly take his stand for his rights, irrespective of what was said to the contrary. Then, when evil suggestions knock at the door of our consciousness for admission, whether as a temptation to do wrong or to think evil about ourselves or our neighbor, let us stand with our loins girt and with armor, on, refusing to admit the intruding belief. Let us reject it as a false accusation, however often it may try to fool us. If we are persistent in our efforts we shall win. The Bible says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We may not be responsible for the temptations which beset us, but we are for those which we accept. Let us be alert and awake, and resolutely refuse to be chained by a lie.

In "Christian Science versus Pantheism" (pp. 10, 11) our Leader writes: "Whatever promotes statuesque being, health, and holiness does not degrade man's personality. Sin, sickness, appetites, and passions, constitute no part of man, but obscure man. Therefore it required the divinity of our Master to perceive the real man, and to cast out the unreal or counterfeit."