In his autobiography Benjamin Franklin, writing of the virtues which he tried so assiduously to cultivate, says: "In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our national passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be pround of my humility."

It is well to search our motives most diligently to see if we are entertaining the slightest trace of selfglorification. The Scriptures exhort us again and again to glorify God. Jesus' healing works, which so completely glorified God, rested in his understanding of the true nature of God and man as perfect and immortal. And he expected, even commanded, his followers to heal as he did. Christian Scientists are able to repeat his works because through the study of Christian Science they have gained some degree of the same understanding of God as Spirit and of man's at-one-ment with the Father.

As followers of him who restored the daughter of Jairus and raised Lazarus from the dead, we must stive to gain an ever deeper understanding of God's power and presence and to put aside all that would obscure or darken the light of Truth in our thinking. Pride is a false quality, which, unless recognized and overcome, would obscure. In her writings Mrs. Eddy couples pride with ignorance. In the understanding which knows God to be the only cause and man to be His effect there is no place for pride.

Christian Science teaches that man is spiritual, not physical; that spiritual ideas and elements constitute his being. As the son of God he expresses the one Mind and reflects love, humility, joy, purity, harmony, and intelligence.

The only source of true thoughts is God, Mind. The mortal thoughts which bespeak self—self-glorification and self-accomplishment—are not then of God, but of the counterfeit carnal mind, which claims to emulate the one Mind. Therefore, such thoughts are to be shut out of human consciousness as that which would deceive.

If we find it difficult to do this, we have but to remember the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isa. 41:10). It is God's righteousness that upholds us, not our own. The realization of this truth takes away all sense of strain and false responsibility. Thought which is filled with God's healing presence, His omnipotent love, is washed clean of every trace of mortal assertiveness and pride.

The assumption of pride is that there is a selfhood apart from God, good, a selfhood which acts independently. Healings are not brought about by persons, nor is there in reality any material person to be healed. The false sense of self may to all appearances seem real, but its claim to existence is baseless. Material selfhood is not responsible for one iota of good, for the source of all good is God.

In putting off the old man with his false traits and putting on the new, the real man in God's likeness, we put off pride and gain Christ. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy tells us (p. 316), "The real man being linked by Science to his Maker, mortals need only turn from sin and lose sight of mortal selfhood to find Christ, the real man and his relation to God, and to recognize the divine sonship."

Christ Jesus was called by John "the Lamb of God," which is defined in the Glossary to Science and Health (p. 590) as "the spiritual idea of Love; self-immolation; innocence and purity; sacrifice." Jesus was able to demonstrate the allness of God and perform his healing works because he completely denied material self. We are following his example of healing only as we too deny mortal selfhood and realize man's oneness or unity with the Father, his inseparability from infinite good.

Because of her purity of thought and self-immolation Mrs. Eddy was able to discern and in large measure to demonstrate the perfection of man as God's reflection. But all of her writings are permeated with humility, and the more one studies these writings the more her selflessness is recognized. A striking example of this was at the time of the dedication services of The Mother Church, which was the culmination of years of devotion to her Cause. Mrs. Eddy, however, was not present at the services, for she wanted her followers to give God the glory and not to praise her. Christian Science had its beginnings in humility, and its growth will continue in humility.

As individual Christian Scientists may we ever be alert not to be deceived by pride. May we gain that understanding of God and man in Christian Science which effectively repudiates the belief of a mortal selfhood. In deep sincerity, in true humility, and with healing power let us declare (Matt. 6:13), "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever."