The Christian Scientist knows that only as he allows himself to be governed by divine Mind can he express truth and life in his experience. He therefore strives to bring his every act into harmony with the law of God. He sees that he alone is faithful, in a scientific sense, who is constantly watchful, who untiringly examines his undertakings and decisions to determine whether they are based on the spiritual understanding of true being or on the belief that life and substance are in matter.

This watchfulness will naturally lead to the rejection of all that comes under the category of material sense illusion. It opens wide the door of thought, however, to all that is good, wholesome, and righteous. Thus consciousness is purified until it becomes a perfect transparency for divine Mind.

This renewing of thought is not so difficult as mortal mind would have us believe. We must persistently affirm the reality of being. What is this reality? It is the indissoluble relationship of man to his Maker. When we accept this spiritual fact, we understand that God is not only our Father, but also our preserver and guide, our intelligence, our strength, our Life.

He who holds steadfastly to the truth of being will be able to prove it in his experience. He will remain calm under every circumstance. When error tries to make him believe in its reality, he will be able to distinguish clearly between the real and the unreal. Clearly to differentiate between the seeming and the real is demanded of Christian Scientists. It is indispensable to our success and progress. It means perseverance in the right—standing firmly with God. Could this entail hardship or loss, since God, good, is all-powerful and over all? "Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

Thus, even our tribulations may be turned into blessings. Indeed, we should view them much less as tribulations than as opportunities to prove our loyalty and love to our Father. In this way we shall constantly widen and deepen the understanding of our at-one-ment with Him, and be able to apply this understanding joyfully in our lives. That which the world holds before our gaze as disturbing and false will frighten us less and less. Even if obstructions seem to bar our way, we shall not make a reality of them by asking, "How can such a thing happen?" but we shall immediately realize the truth, thus casting out the obstruction.

Mary Baker Eddy tells us on page 92 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," that error is "merely the absence of truth." Error is therefore nothing. Every question as to the why or wherefore of error would separate us from our Father. How the tempter would like to accomplish this! We should be strong in the consciousness of our unity with God.

Christ Jesus was always conscious of his oneness with the Father. His entire earthly experience was an exemplification of the divine unity of Father and Son. Nothing could dim this consciousness, not even the bitter experiences that closed his earthly career. Had he asked at Golgotha, "Why must I suffer all this?" he would not have been able to prove the eternal nature of life. Jesus' loyalty prepared the way for us, that we might become conscious of our relationship to God and prove ourselves immortal.

Whoever has watched the building of a road through a mountain pass knows that such an enterprise may seem almost impossible of accomplishment. Great rocks hinder progress; chasms yawn below. But ultimately all hindrances are overcome, and a safe mountain road links the valleys and their inhabitants.

Does not such a road remind us of that which Christ Jesus has built for us? By means of this road he united men with their Father, from whom they had believed themselves separated. How tirelessly, and with what love and patience, did he remove obstructions! Through his understanding of divine omnipotence, the rocks of error crumbled into their native nothingness. The chasms of erroneous human thinking, which had drawn so many down to destruction, were made harmless by his divine logic. In this way, and aided by deeds of selfless love, he built this road.

It is well known that a mountain road needs special care, since it is usually exposed to many destructive elements. The spiritual mountain road also requires specially careful supervision. Has this always been given to it? During the earlier centuries of the Christian era it was carefully tended, but soon the rubbish of false human knowledge seemed to cover it.

The human longing for Truth, however, found this road once more. The untiring search of Mary Baker Eddy led to its discovery. We owe it to her unflinching courage and obedience to divine direction that we now know it and can travel along it. All who are sincerely desirous of recognizing true being, their real Father and real selfhood, can find the way in Christian Science. Our Leader has made known her discovery. The textbook of Christian Science contains her revelation. On page 361 of this book she gives a glorious explanation of man's oneness with his creator when she says, "As a drop of water is one with the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God and man, Father and son, are one in being."

What is true of the nature of God is also true of the nature of the real man, His reflection or expression. This understanding will surely bring us richest blessings. It will bring us freedom from evil, and lead us into harmony, the atmosphere of Spirit, God, good. These wonderful treasures are available to all now. We can take possession of them at once.

What bliss is ours! Are we conscious of it? If so, we shall never tire of giving thanks for limitless Love and grace—not by words alone, but by dwelling in the consciousness of our unity with God, good, always and under all circumstances.

The way that Christ Jesus prepared and our Leader makes clear will remain open for all who seek it. When we discern our unity with the Father, then God, Life, Truth, and Love, will work through us. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 325 of Science and Health, "He who has the true idea of good loses all sense of evil, and by reason of this is being ushered into the undying realities of Spirit."