In the eleventh chapter of Matthew's Gospel we find Jesus questioning the multitude as to their estimate of John the Baptist. As usual, his words kindled in his listeners a desire for a more spiritual viewpoint. "What went ye out into the wilderness to see?" he asked. "A reed shaken with the wind? ... A man clothed in soft raiment? ... A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet."

Today the question, "What went ye out for to see?" presents a challenge to every Christian Scientist. The aggressiveness of mortal mind is evident on all sides, but this very aggressiveness is an indicatin of its fallibility. What is the Christian Scientist going out to see? Is he according reality to hate, envy, greed, lack, and the rest of the lies in mortal mind's category? No. On page 450 of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," its author, Mary Baker Eddy, writes, "The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome them by understandign their nothingness and the allness of God, or good." The recognition of what mortal mind claims to be doing and an understanding repudiation of its reality, together with the steadfast conviction of the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, will obliterate all trace of the error that seems so real and powerful.

Divine Mind is the creator of man; thus man, as Mind's idea, must be and always is governed and controlled by infinite intelligence. Knowing this, and realizing too that he of himself can do nothing, the Christian Scientist turns to Mind for the understanding, wisdom, and love which he requires to see aright. His answer to the challenge, "What went ye out for to see?" might be along this line of reasoning: I see good all around me because I strive to see as God causes man to see; I recognize the evidences of evil as but the arguments of aggressive mental suggestion, which has no creator, no intelligence, entity, or reality; and I deny evil any power or presence, because I know there is but one power and presence, divine Mind.

The question may then arise, What is the cause of all the unhappiness and discord that seems so prevalent in the world? Before answering this, suppose we ask ourselves another question: What causes an incorrect answer to a mathematical problem? The answer is simply that a mathematical rule has not been followed. And so it is with the seeming world discord. Either through ignorance or through malice, divine Principle has not been applied. The proper application of God's law is all that is necessary to erase the picture presented by mortal mind in order that the harmonious, true concept, which has been present all the time, may be seen. The understanding of God as the only cause inevitably results in the destruction of the belief in a cause apart from Him.

We do not believe that the sun has been destroyed, or that we shall never see it again, because a cloud hides it from our sight. We know that the sun is unceasingly performing its function of sending out light through its rays. Certainly, aggressive mental suggestion cannot make us believe that God ever ceases to maintain and sustain His own creation, man. Such a suggestion is the cloud that would obscure the vision of illimitable good. Are we seeing ourselves or others as sick, sinning, unhappy individuals who need to be healed? Or do we pray to see man as God's likeness? If the former, then an immediate about-face is called for. Man, the child of God's creating, never has to be healed of anything. God makes him perfect and eternally holds him in that perfact state. We must see ourselves as we really are, and not as error would have us believe we are.

On page 29 of our textbook our Leader says: "Christians must take up arms against error at home and abroad. They must grapple with sin in themselves and in others, and continue this warfare until they have finished their course. If they keep the faith, they will have the crown of rejoicing." There is nothing equivocal in these words. Mrs. Eddy knew that a persistent, steadfast stand for Truth is all that is necessary in order to eliminate the would-be destroyer of our peace and happiness.

The fact that she was not properly mindful of what she was "going out to see" became apparent to a teacher in a Christian Science Sunday School. Her class was composed of some very lively young boys and girls, and she experienced difficulty in maintaining quiet and order. Because she was very desirous of giving to the children a workable understanding of Christian Science and of awakening in them a love for the Bible and Christian Science, she did some earnest thinking regarding the matter of proper behavior in Sunday School. She found that instead of looking for the qualities of Soul, she had been accepting the suggestions of error. She reversed her thinking and expectations. She took her place the next Sunday expecting to see manifested the right activity and cooperation ever belonging to God and His idea. Her heart was filled with gratitude that her eyes had been opened. Needless to say, the session was a most harmonious and helpful one.

The earnest Christian Scientist is always alert to perceive in his fellow man the spiritual qualities which constitute man's true being, and he rejoices that man is forever safe in infinite divine Love. In the words of a familiar hymn, he says,