In The Christian Science Monitor of March 20, 1945. there appeared an article on the editorial page which was at once timely and thought provoking. It was called "The Period of Rebuilding." The writer drew a graphic picture of the desolation and chaos facing postwar Europe, of the staggering problem of physical and mental rebuilding which confronts humanity, and then added: "How shall we restore the spirit of man? How can we replace fear with trust, hatred with respect or affection? There is only one way. It is to know the truth about man and to apply it. The truth about man is that he is the son of God.... We have to live brotherhood, to live good will."

At this hour when all progressive, right-minded persons, in uniform or out are backing up the great undertaking of halting and destroying the war-mongering of the carnal mind, let those of us who are holding the line on the home front heed this challenging call. Let us awake to the realization that this is our war, and that every righteous thinker should be, and in fact is, in it. The Christian Scientist especially knows that his duty is only half done when he has contributed from his store of money and human service. His all-important task and privilege lies in the spiritually mental realm. Ringing in his ears must ever be the injunction of his Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, contained in her Message to The Mother Church for 1900 (p. 2), "The song of Christian Science is, 'Work—work— work—watch and pray.'"

Sometimes an inquirer says: "I hear you Christian Scientists talking about your 'mental work.' What does that mean? "Mental, or metaphysical, work in Christian Science is the student's activity in watching his thinking and striving to keep it allied with the divine Principle, Love. Like a sentry in an army, the student does mental work when he is on the alert to detect the approach of an enemy and through the power of divine Truth and Love, to challenge and halt the intruder. He demands of every thought, every concept drawing near his mental front, a password. Is the thought which is seeking admission one of hope, selfless love, justice? Is it constructive, upbuilding, productive of strength and courage? If so, it wears the livery of Mind's ideas, and is welcome; but if it comes accoutered in the trappings of fear, of hate, of sensualism, no admittance! The father of such beliefs is the carnal mind, which Paul denominates "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7).

In dealing with this one enemy, the scientific sentry finds in Holy Writ and in Mrs. Eddy's writings many heartening statements to use in his mental work. Take for example this fear-destroying declaration of Christ Jesus: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." And in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 495), our Leader writes: "When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought." Then, on page 393 of the same book comes this inspiring instruction: "Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man."

Therefore, the Christian Scientist's mental work for the world, or for his individual patients, begins within his own consciousness and with his own joyous acceptance of the truth about man's oneness with God, good, and with his prompt repudiation of every suggestion of evil. "Physician, heal thyself," runs the familiar adage. If the Scientist would aid measurably in the rebuilding and uplift of shattered humanity, this great work starts right in his own thinking. Is there an earnest longing to upbuild in his own thought any ideals which error temporarily may have overthrown? Is he aware of his own need of more brotherly love? Is there in his experience a lessening of selfish, warping, material indulgences?

We hear frequently from some returning war veterans of their surprise at seeing so many people apparently oblivious of the fact that the world is on fire; they wonder at the attitude of those people who can idly frequent cocktail lounges and expensive night clubs, and, like Nero, can fiddle while Rome burns. They may wonder if a nation is learning much about sacrifice if its drink bill runs into millions of dollars daily. They may question the worthiness of those brethren who, while their fellows are enduring untold hardships on the battlefield, can themselves be entangled in selfish problems of employer and employee, of intolerance, racial frictions, and tyranny.

What a boon to the war effort, what a guarantee of lasting peace, would be a nation-wide prayer to be worthy of the stupendous sacrifices of all those who have borne the heat of battle! Yes, effective mental work for the world must begin with a mighty self-examination of individual thinking and a yearning for the establishment of Principle, intelligence, and Love in one's own heart.

A Christian Science practitioner recently reported a hopeful mental trend. She said that a woman had appealed for help—not for the stilling of pain, nor for the attainment of material ease, but for the healing of a troublesome sense of selfishness, envy, and jealousy. The woman stated that she wanted those errors eradicated before they manifested themselves physically in her experience. After two visits to the Scientist, she reported that she was loving everybody and was better able to do universal mental work. Yes, these are days of building and rebuilding, and, as the Good Book says (Jer. 1:10), after we have seen Truth "root out,... pull down, and... destroy" every unloving and unlovely concept which comes to us and demands recognition as reality, we are then ready for the next step, "to build, and to plant."

John Randall Dunn