MANKIND claims many things as its own. "It's mine," cries the child, among his first spoken words. "It's mine," cries humanity, the world over, of good or bad, health or disease, riches or poverty, success or failure.

It is recorded in the Bible that once, as Jesus was teaching, a woman was present who was "bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself." Jesus, seeing her, called her to him, and with compassion spoke to her these immortal words: "Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity." And immediately, the record states, she was made straight and glorified God. Eighteen years had she carried the burden of sickness and infirmity, yet immediately through the power of the Christ, Truth, she was healed—was straight.

The experience of this woman in the Scriptures illustrates human experience today. Men and women of all races and climes believe themselves to be "bowed together" with infirmities of many kinds—physical, economic, and social. They, also, even as the woman of long ago, are seeking the truth, are searching for an answer to their problems; and many are finding the answer in Christian Science. Truth is available here and now. The understanding of the omnipotence and omnipresence of God is usable and efficacious in human affairs. The Science of Christ, Christian Science, is freeing men from bondage of all kinds, and proving that good, not evil, is their legitimate heritage. Today, through the same Christ, Truth, which Jesus demonstrated, infirmities called sin and sickness, sorrow and want, disappear into nothingness. Through the understanding that God is infinite, unchanging, eternal good, we see that, as Mary Baker Eddy writes (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 539), "God could never impart an element of evil, and man possesses nothing which he has not derived from God."

A woman of today was "bowed together" with what appeared to her to be an intolerable burden. Suddenly and unexpectedly there had fallen upon her the responsibility of caring not only for herself but for a family of small children as well. Sickness, poverty, loneliness, discouragement, resentment, and fear became a load securely fastened upon her. "It's mine," she cried aloud in her despair, "my burden to carry, my responsibility to bear, and I never shall be free." Then, as she toiled along her dark and painful way, she too found the truth, gained an understanding of God as revealed in Christian Science, and was loosed from her burden, was indeed made free to glorify God and claim her true heritage as God's child.

A young man serving a sentence in the county jail of a small western community was paroled to a kindly citizen of the town who had promised to give him employment and help as soon as his term of imprisonment was over. Arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, penniless and ashamed, in a strange place, far from home and family, the youth cried out in discouragement and remorse to his new friend: "It's the drink. I've inherited it. I've tried over and over again to get rid of it, but it's mine, I suppose, forever." And right there, in that very condition where there seemed to be no hope, he too found Christian Science and its healing message and was himself healed, and his true heritage established.

Do not many of us claim as ours burdens and encumbrances that hurt and bewilder us? Do we not sometimes say, "It's mine," of some dread disease, or disability, or weakness because we believe that we have inherited it, or because circumstances have made it so? Do we not declare, "It's mine," of poverty, lack, insecurity, unlovely traits of character, because in our human reasoning we conclude that life is unfair, or unjust, or that we lack the advantages, education, or opportunities that others have—even that we are ill-fated or helpless because we were "born under certain stars" and have been beguiled by the false, untrue predictions of astrology in this respect?

Christian Science teaches that these evils are not true; that the real man can possess nothing but good, since he is the child of God, good, created in God's own image and likeness, and having dominion over all the earth. Christian Science also teaches that God is universal, impartial, never-failing divine Love, which "always has met and always will meet every human need" (ibid., p. 494).

Man, as the reflection of God, possesses and expresses the qualities of God. He has intelligence and ability, because he is the reflection of the one supreme intelligence, divine Mind. On this spiritual basis each one may claim his rightful heritage, knowing that this heritage includes no slightest shadow of evil, disease, poverty, or failure. It is wholly, abundantly good. "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine," said the father in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. This is our heritage—boundless good; this is "mine," and no circumstance, person, place, or thing can deprive us of the "all" that is of God. We need only to understand and rely upon the omnipresence and infinite goodness of our Father-Mother God.

Mrs. Eddy, the beloved Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, has given to the world the practical, demonstrable Science of being, revealing the Principle and rule whereby to prove God's allness and ever-presence. She has given this teaching so simply and clearly that a little child can understand and practice it. This is the light that all men may see, the truth that all men may demonstrate.

"Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." This at-one-ment with God is our real heritage, our true being. Joyfully may we claim, as our perfect heritage, intelligence, health, abundance, beauty, joy, peace, success—all the good given us by our Father-Mother God. Any opposing claim of evil is not real, because it is not of God. God's law is immutable, irresistible eternal. It is the law of good. Governed by this law, abiding in the assurance of God's infinite love, guidance, and protection, we know that in reality we possess good, and good only. Thus are we "made straight" in our thinking to glorify God, to experience the dominion and power belonging to the child of God, and to bless our fellow man.