In that prayer of prayers, the Lord's Prayer, is the plea, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." The forgiveness of oneself as well as of others is clearly taught by Mary Baker Eddy, a devout follower of Christ Jesus. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" she interprets the foregoing line in the words (p. 17), "And Love is reflected in love."

Christian Science reveals that there can be no forgiveness, either of oneself or of another, without a proper sense of true selfhood. Science makes clear that one's real selfhood is the likeness of God, the image of Love, the idea of Mind, and thus is incapable of injuring or offending, or of being injured or offended. It teaches also that this self has never fallen from its high estate of perfection and that any appearance to the contrary is but a denial of spiritual fact.

The writer had an experience which makes this point clear. Some years ago she had occasion to overcome a sense of injustice. She did considerable research in the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings in connection with the word "forgiveness" and succeeded in ridding her thinking of resentment against certain individuals. However, she continued to feel depressed and unhappy. "What more can I do?" she asked herself over and over. Although she searched her thought for the error which was holding her in bondage, it was not uncovered until a severe physical disorder forced a thorough mental house-cleaning.

One day this student found herself thinking about the persons concerned and saying, "I do wish I had taken a different attitude at the outset, for all this unhappiness could have been avoided." At that moment a great light flooded her consciousness. "Why," she exclaimed, "I have forgiven them, but have been harboring self-condemnation all this time. I need to forgive myself." In "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says (p. 188), "Because of human misstatement and misconception of God and man, of the divine Principle and idea of being, there seems to be a war between the flesh and Spirit, a contest between Truth and error."

The student immediately saw that her problem was really not one of persons, but of the belief in a contest between a "human misstatement and misconception" of man as material and the fact of man's true status as the image and likeness of God. She saw too that actually there could be no forgiveness so long as her sense of condemnation of herself remained. This unfoldment resulted in a better understanding of true selfhood and in an abandonment of self-condemnation; and this robber of her peace of mind has never returned.

Sometimes we think we have forgiven others when really all that we have done is merely to forget the offensive words or deed. Forgiveness is not simply forgetting. It is remembering—remembering that man, the image of Love, is incapable of any act or thought unlike Love. A little girl who had been severely and unjustly reprimanded by her mother accepted the rebuke in silence. At bedtime this little one, who had been learning the meaning of love in a Christian Science Sunday School, put her arms around her mother and said, "I love you."

Here was the attainment of that spiritual altitude of thought expressed in these words of Mrs. Eddy's (Message to The Mother Church for 1902, p. 19): "The Christian Scientist cherishes no resentment; he knows that that would harm him more than all the malice of his foes. Brethren, even as Jesus forgave, forgive thou. I say it with joy,—no person can commit an offense against me that I cannot forgive." This child not only had held no resentment, but had held herself free from self-condemnation. There was a complete wiping out of the rebuke through love. Here was effortless and spontaneous forgiveness. When we love our brother man, we are truly loving ourselves.

When we relinquish the false concept of ourselves and others as material, then shall we cease to condemn either ourselves or our fellow man. Does not Paul say (Rom. 8:1), "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit"?

War has brought its aftermath of condemnation of persons, of governments, of nations. The only permanent remedy therefrom is to follow Jesus' example, as chronicled in the New Testament, and that of our beloved Leader by establishing in individual thought the true meaning of forgiveness, which annihilates all hate, deceit, domination, greed, and injustice. We would do well to heed Mrs. Eddy's admonitions throughout her writings to love, to be compassionate, and to cherish no resentment. Then we shall see all men in their true being—as the spiritual and perfect sons of God.