There is a story told of a lady who, beginning the study of Christian Science, went to a practitioner. He asked her about her previous religious experience. In answering this question she said that she was saved. He then asked her if she was immune to sickness. The lady replied that she had not been saved from sickness, for she had been ill many times. When asked whether she was immune to sin, unhappiness, lack, she replied that she had not been saved from them. He then asked her from what she had been saved, and she had to admit that she had not been saved from any of these things, the proof of this being that she was compelled to turn to Christian Science for help.

Christ Jesus said, "The Son of man is come to save that which was lost." He pointed out the way of salvation in his words, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." For himself and others he demonstrated salvation as defined by Mrs. Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 593): "Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; sin, sickness, and death destroyed." A definition of "save" is to "rescue, as from injury or evil." Rescue from a situation brought about by a lie is to know the truth about it. Sin, sickness—in fact, all discordant conditions—are the result of a lie, a false belief. The material body and material conditions generally are the expression of thought; and sickness and other inharmonious conditions are due to wrong thinking, occasioned by false beliefs about God and man. The truth about God, man, and man's relationship to God, understood, is what will save us from discord of every kind.

The Christ, the spiritual idea—the savior of the world—was fully demonstrated by the Master, for he destroyed all manner of discord, including death. But those of his time were not ready to be taught the truth of being in all its fullness. To his disciples he said: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." Through the consecrated, unselfish thought of Mary Baker Eddy has been revealed "the Spirit of truth," the Comforter promised by the Master. She called this revelation "Christian Science;" and in Christian Science we can learn the spiritual fact with which to deny and cast out every intruding material belief.

In speaking of how Truth saves from sickness, Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 233): "When numbers have been divided according to a fixed rule, the quotient is not more unquestionable than the scientific tests I have made of the effects of truth upon the sick. The counter fact relative to any disease is required to cure it." One who understands mathematics has dominion in the realm of numbers. In like manner, one who understands the truth of being, and can discern and hold to the spiritual fact when a false belief presents itself, demonstrates spiritual dominion here and now. The spiritual fact, the truth of being, reflects God's omnipotence; and when we realize the truth, false beliefs of sin, sickness, and lack disappear, even as darkness retreats before the coming of light. Truth is all-powerful; but false belief, error, has no reality, no power.

On page 519 of Science and Health our Leader writes, "Human capacity is slow to discern and to grasp God's creation and the divine power and presence which go with it, demonstrating its spiritual origin." As we see the one real creation, namely, divine Love's creation of spiritual ideas, wherein are "beauty, grandeur, order," we bring God's law of perpetual harmony to bear upon our human experience; and the results will be health, joy, abundant supply, and spiritual growth. When a situation arises in which a decision must be reached, instead of believing that there are many minds involved, we need to know the spiritual fact, the truth that there is but one Mind, God. This truth, realized, enables all concerned to reach the right decision.

Should one believe that he lacks the intelligence to carry out a right project, there is at hand to aid him the spiritual fact that the real man, the perfect expression of the all-knowing Mind, reflects unlimited intelligence. The realization of this fact enables one to express the intelligence necessary to go successfully through with the project. If, because of the belief of business depression or any other false belief, our supply seems limited, we may know the spiritual fact that God is the source of all good, and that good is therefore unlimited. Through the realization of this truth our every human need is abundantly met, for the fact of the inexhaustible, ever available nature of good, when understood, rules out all limiting beliefs, and thus enables one confidently and joyously to expect and enjoy good.

We can never be grateful enough for the glorious fact that, over and above each material belief, there is the spiritual truth which, when realized, is made manifest in harmony. Our ability to know the spiritual fact with reference to any situation is unfolded through our earnest study of Christian Science, and our fidelity to its teaching.

Salvation consists, then, of seeing as divine Mind sees: it is for all, and each one is saved from inharmony as he realizes the truth of being. Purity, gentleness, unselfishness, gratitude, humility, love, are the qualities that enable us to understand the truth of being, and thus to see as Mind, divine Love, sees.

Copyright, 1931, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, Falmouth and St. Paul Streets, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918.