The Safeguard of Our Children

GWEN M. CASTLE

The mother who is a student of Christian Science realizes in some measure the import of Mrs. Eddy's words in our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 62), "The entire education of children should be such as to form habits of obedience to the moral and spiritual law, with which the child can meet and master the belief in so-called physical laws, a belief which breeds disease." She knows that as the child learns to be obedient to God, good, he will learn to abhor the evil which brings about suffering in one form or another. She knows that this spiritual education must start with the child's earliest days. She is also aware that in teaching the child "the moral and spiritual law" she must give him some understanding of the Principle from which law emanates.

Children are ready to be taught the truth. The simplicity of their faith and the natural purity of their thought make it easy for them to accept the fundamental facts about God. Even a baby can be taught to recognize the presence of divine Love. The young child readily understands that God is everywhere; that Love is ever with him. In the loving explanations he receives he will see a reflection of the One who is altogether wise. The comprehension of his difficulties, the pitiful patience with his failures, and the helping hand that lifts him over these rough places will do more to give him an understanding of the nature of God as Love than long discourses, which may cause mental confusion.

The elimination of fear from the mother's thought will bring to the consciousness of the child a sense of security. As her confidence in God becomes apparent, the child will turn naturally to the same source. The ever-presence of the one Mind will be grasped as an actual fact, something which may be borne out in experience.

There was an occasion when a mother believed herself to be losing consciousness. With the exception of her little four-year-old son she was alone in the house, far removed from neighbors, isolated, it seemed, from all human aid. The little child stood beside her, and in her extremity she asked him to help her. Immediately he began to sing at the top of his voice, singing of God's presence over and over again, until the clear, penetrating treble of the child's voice pierced the dark cloud which seemed to the mother to be closing around her. The insistent repetition of the truth broke the mesmerism, and in a short time she had entirely recovered.

When the time arrives for the child to go to school the benefit of these early lessons will continue to manifest itself. The spiritual instruction he has already received has revealed to him the demonstrable divine Principle upon which to base his thoughts and actions. The habits of obedience to "the moral and spiritual law" are in process of formation.

Outside the home contacts must be made and conditions faced that have never before entered the child's experience. It would be well for us to take every opportunity to prepare his thought for these contingencies. This does not mean that we must present a picture of every difficulty he is likely to encounter. It is plain that such a procedure would do more harm than good. Even if we desired to do so, it would be impossible to point out every specific danger. The concern of parents and Sunday school teachers is to bring before the child the necessity for constant communion with God. He should be taught to study the Bible in such a way that it assumes the aspect of a familiar friend. This Book, in conjunction with the textbook of Christian Science, will provide him with the wisdom and understanding that will arm him against every danger.

No material system of protection is infallible, for God alone is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Only by leading our children into the ways of Truth can we be assured of their security from all evil. As they assimilate the teachings of Christian Science, they will turn more and more to divine Love for protection. As they begin to prove for themselves by demonstration the availability of divine Principle, they will learn to rely upon their Father-Mother God in every need. As they look toward the infinite divine Mind for guidance, we can rest in assurance that they cannot be led astray; for evil thoughts cannot harm those who in their own thinking have let "virtue and truth build a strong defence" (Science and Health, p. 235). Dwelling "in the secret place of the most High," they will find protection and redemption from all that is unlike good.

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Influence of the Sunday School

July 30, 1932

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