A Leak may be small, even insignificant in the beginning, but if it is not stopped it may become dangerous. This is the case with material leaks. Mental leaks must be guarded against with even greater alertness. Mary Baker Eddy, the wise Leader of the Christian Science movement, gave evidence of her understanding of this when she wrote (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 392): "Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously," a statement which indicates that one's experiences for good or ill are the result of one's thinking.

A single wrong thought seeking to enter our consciousness, therefore, should not be disregarded. If such a thought should enter and not be expelled, it may attract to itself other wrong thoughts; and an erroneous thought, being an error, cannot lead to anything but more error. Who has not heard someone complain, Everything seems to go wrong today! Why? Possibly because that one allowed an erroneous thought to find a lodgment early in the day and took no steps to dismiss it. It may have been fear, or worry, or irritation. Irritation is a common error. If indulged, it lets in allied thoughts, such as unreasonableness, anger, faultfinding, discouragement, and even despair. And then instead of having to make only a trifling correction one is confronted with the need to make a big correction.

To illustrate, one may take the experience of a student of Christian Science who arose one morning later than usual, and who at once let in a sense of annoyance and did nothing to destroy it. That is, he did not heed Mrs. Eddy's sound advice in regard to the duties of portering. His thought was unguarded and, consequently, the annoyance soon gathered to itself a sense of hurry. At breakfast he read an unfavorable business item and instead of handling this as suggestion, he entertained it, and the sense of annoyance and hurry developed into irritation. He climbed into his car, and in this frame of mind joined the city-bound stream of traffic. To him all other drivers seemed obnoxious, but one driver especially annoyed him. At the next stop light he decided to show this fellow motorist what good driving should be! As it happened, a pedestrian had started to cross the street, and in hurrying around the front of the obnoxious fellow motorist, stepped right in the path of the car of the student of Christian Science. A sudden stop just in time, due to a prompt use of good brakes, avoided an accident. It did more; it awakened the student to perceive how he had been used by suggestion, how erroneous thinking had almost led him into disaster. He threw out all the wrong thinking he had been indulging, was grateful for the lesson, and resolved to begin no more days in a similar fashion.

Someone may say, How can one recognize these tiny mental leaks? The answer is that one must learn to distinguish between right and wrong thoughts. One must be able to detect and also avoid all false thinking by thinking correctly, that is, scientifically. The inspired Scriptures and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy are the great guides to true thinking, and these guides are available to all who will use them. In fact, could one fully grasp the significance of the truth in the declaration of Jesus with regard to the two great first commandments, what further guidance would he need: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"? Simple and profound directions, these!

It is startling to realize that although nineteen centuries have passed since these words were spoken, great so-called Christian nations still diverge from pure Christianity. Crime, costly wars, with their aftermath of bitterness, hatred, suspicion, and depression, are incontrovertible evidence that Christianity, as Jesus established it, has not been properly understood. The world has never truly lived the Master's religion. But there is hope for all. Although heretofore we have not learned Jesus' teachings aright, we now can do so, profiting from our past mistakes and their consequences. Mrs. Eddy has written on page 296 of Science and Health, "Either here or hereafter, suffering or Science must destroy all illusions regarding life and mind, and regenerate material sense and self." She recognizes the weakness of mortals, but does not leave them to continue to be victimized by that weakness. She has revived the precepts laid down by Jesus, has explained them and amplified them, so that all can understand them. In the revelation of Christian Science she has brought to humanity the promised Comforter or "Spirit of truth." Therefore, Christian Science comes to one's rescue today and saves one from needless suffering. By teaching how to "Stand porter at the door of thought" the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science has made the Christianity of Jesus practical.

Study of the Scriptures and of our Leader's writings reveals true thoughts, Godlike thoughts, and thus makes apparent that opposite thoughts are unchristian, and should be cast out. "Does this thought come from God?" should be the test of the quality of a thought. Even a casual reading of the Bible and Christian Science literature shows that a loving thought is a God-given, divinely natural thought. Consequently, an angry and hateful thought is not of God. If people want to live harmonious lives, they cannot entertain thoughts that endanger health and happiness. All thoughts should be measured by the Christian standard. This standard was given to mankind by Christ Jesus and proved practical by him. It is here today and is just as practical—to "them that believe"—understand. Only through its use, however, can one truly be a successful demonstrator of the Christ.