As the vision of man's true spiritual being unfolded to the disciple John on Patmos, there came the assurance of the very presence of God with him in the voice which spake, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." The disciple had reached a scientific sense of existence, and looking out from this divine consciousness, contemplated the infinite nature of spiritual creation, of man and the universe. He saw God, Spirit, as the creator of man, and man one with his creator.

From the mount of revelation the beloved disciple saw "a new heaven and a new earth," and perceived that there was to be "no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying," neither was there to be "any more pain." For him matter then disappeared, and with it went its concomitants, sin, disease, pain, and death, for Spirit was seen to be All and infinite. The beliefs of the fleshly mind had passed from sense and sight, and John was uplifted to behold the holy city, the New Jerusalem, in its purity and perfection, and to behold man in his real being as the beloved of God. This revelation of the new sense of existence enabled him to transcribe for us in immortal words the closing book of the Holy Scriptures.

Christian Science presents to the world this very interpretation of true being, in which immortality is all there is. In it there is no time, neither space nor matter, for time is seen as the opposite of eternity, and material space as the counterfeit of infinity, and matter as a misconception of true substance. In this spiritual consciousness, this city of God, there is no night, no darkness, but endless day, illumined by the light of Love. The gates of the city, that is, the doors of consciousness, are open to joy, gladness, strength, ageless being: to the abundant activity of Soul. In this city man is beheld as "before the throne of God," at the zenith of demonstration, reveling in his spirituality. Here all are animated by the angels of His presence. Zechariah earlier had glimpsed this celestial state when he wrote, "The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof." In other words, the prophet beheld men and women in their real and true nature, as the children of God. basking in and enjoying the beauty of their spiritual freedom, reflecting the Divine Being.

An enlightening definition of the word "enjoy" is given thus by Webster: "Philos. To be immediately aware of, not as an object of thought, but as a phase or ingredient of one's own conscious state or activity." Through awareness of man's citizenship in the city of God, one becomes conscious of the goodness of God, and finds his unity with the glory which proceeds from the Father. Mrs. Eddy writes (Pulpit and Press, p. 4): "Who lives in good, lives also in God,—lives in all Life, through all space. His is an individual kingdom, his diadem a crown of crowns. His existence is deathless, forever unfolding its eternal Principle."

Throughout the Scriptures inspired writers have reiterated man's spirituality, having caught glimpses of it. And now in this age Christian Science clarifies and amplifies these visions, insisting that man's life, environment, protection, supply—in fact, everything that concerns him in mind, body, or estate—depend upon his spirituality, his oneness with Spirit, God. An approximation of the divine consciousness destroys the self-inflicted beliefs of limitation of every kind, and disposes of the cruel laws of human origin. Limitation of any kind implies that man is outside of God, outside of His love and care.

Mrs. Eddy once wrote that hell is "self-imposed agony" (Science and Health, p. 588), meaning that mortals make their own physical discomforts, and unmake them by realizing man's perfect, natural state of being. Periods of thoughtful prayer and contemplation of these immortal facts free thought from the mesmerism of material sense and lift it to the altitude of spiritual freedom and affluence.

A person, through no fault of his own, once found himself bereft of everything that meant a happy life to him: a companion of many years, his business position, then his health and joy. His outlook was most gloomy, and he could see no ray of light to lead him on in the darkness. He had no comfort or peace day or night. He had never been accustomed to turn to God when in difficulty; consequently he did not understand Him well enough to trust Him for help. Then in an unaccountable way he met a Christian Scientist, who spoke to him of John's experience on Patmos, and asked him if he had read the words written to describe the effulgence of spiritual light which came to the disciple at the time.

In wonderment he listened to the narrative from the Scriptures. He was told by the Scientist that the same voice was speaking to him which had spoken to John, reassuring him of God's presence with him to heal and save from oblivion, to wipe away the tears and bring the light of Life into his consciousness. As the man listened to the words of comfort which Christian Science brings to the broken-hearted, a sense of peace came to him he had not thought possible, and also a desire to read more in the Holy Book. Day after day he found comfort from the precious promises, and his next step was to read in the Christian Science textbook the scientifically Christian interpretation of those passages in the Bible.

It was not long before this man arose out of his miseries and was claiming his sonship with the Father. His physical healing and his restoration to his place in a busy world work soon followed.

Jesus constantly claimed his spiritual nature, his divine origin. He thanked God for his eternal selfhood, his unfettered dominion, his pre-existence in Spirit. He prayed also that his disciples might be one with God as was he, "that where I am there they may be also." In this very hour, each individual may express the same divine consciousness as did John and Jesus, knowing that he possesses by reflection all that God has given to His own. He will find then that he is companioned by Love, animated by spiritual desires, served by the messengers of God. In this state of thought he lacks nothing good—neither friends, supply, nor protection. His happiness is never at the mercy of evil, his joy never touched by sorrow. There is no decrepitude, decadence, or senility for him to experience. Thus is God seen to dwell with man, and man to abide in God. In the Christian Science Hymnal (No. 37) we read:

Let us rise to the full level of our duty and of our opportunity and let us thank God for the spiritual reward He has granted for all forms of valiant and faithful service.—Winston Churchill.