Because God is infinite good, eternal divine Love, and His goodness is ever present and all-powerful, happiness lies within the grasp of all who understand God aright. Certainly happiness is a blessing which is eagerly sought and highly prized. To gain this blessing, one needs to know what constitutes true happiness and where it may be found.

In her Message to The Mother Church for 1901, Mary Baker Eddy clearly indicates in a very simple and direct statement the quality necessary to obtain abiding happiness. She says (p. 34), "Godliness or Christianity is a human necessity: man cannot live without it; he has no intelligence, health, hope, nor happiness without godliness." These words, which are a ringing rebuke to materiality and material means of seeking happiness, hold a glorious promise to all who are humble enough to heed them.

Christian Science reveals the fact that happiness is the divine right of every child of God. The true nature of God as infinite divine Mind, governing all in unity and harmony, excludes every element or agency that would mar or obscure happiness. Man, being the reflection of God, Mind, can know only what God knows and can feel only what God feels. Divine Mind, which includes and embraces every right idea, is the only cause. Man therefore radiates the harmony and happiness of divine Mind, eternal Love, as the sun's rays radiate the light and warmth of the sun.

One may ask, Why then is there so much unhappiness, so much sorrow and disappointment, in the world? Christian Scientists learn that false, ignorant beliefs about God and man seem to rob one of happiness. The material sense of man as having a limited life, susceptible to every phase of evil, and as inhabiting a world of material personalities torn by strife, confusion, and discord, is a misconception of God's man which must be repudiated. As one's consciousness becomes illumined by Truth, he sees more and more clearly that the so-called world of human personalities with diversified interests, conflicting ideologies, intense hatreds, and uncontrolled passions is a state of false consciousness or material-mindedness from which he must awake before he can demonstrate true happiness.

Mrs. Eddy says much that is practical and pertinent on the subject of happiness. For instance, on page 15 of "Miscellaneous Writings" she says, "The great Nazarene Prophet said, 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' Nothing aside from the spiritualization—yea, the highest Christianization—of thought and desire, can give the true perception of God and divine Science, that results in health, happiness, and holiness." Awakening to this fact brings the gladsome realization that divine Mind holds within itself all that makes life completely happy and satisfying.

The lying evidence of the physical senses denies the justice and goodness of God; therefore it needs always to be rigorously challenged. When mortal mind suggests that those who make little or no effort to obey divine law often seem happier than those who are earnestly striving to conform to God's law, the student needs to be alert to deny every satanic implication that evil prospers, that wickedness gives pleasure, or that sin is the source of happiness. The devilish devices of mortal mind would blind mankind to divine goodness and justice; but as one daily claims man's immunity from evil's designs and steadfastly realizes his oneness with God as His reflection, he is not disturbed by these false pictures.

Is one tempted to believe that his home is made unhappy by a dominating, domineering mentality? Then he has the opportunity to declare the spiritual truth that God created His children to reflect His glory, power, and dominion and gave to no one power over another. By denying the false evidence of physical sense that evil has personality or power, by refusing entrance to thoughts of self-pity, sensitiveness, or self-will, by reflecting the Christ-qualities of humility, forgiveness, gratitude, and unselfed love, and by filling consciousness with Godlike, joyous, companionable thoughts, one frees himself from the discouraging sense of many minds, proves disagreements nugatory, and attains the unity, harmony, and happiness found to be inherent in man's true, God-given home.

The twelfth chapter of Revelation tells of war in heaven, of the casting out of the dragon "which deceiveth the whole world." The tenth verse reads, "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Through the Science of Christianity all may learn how the dragon of physical sense testimony, which accuses man of being a sick and sinful mortal, is cast out, and how the power of Christ, which brings salvation from all that makes for unhappiness, is demonstrated.

Seldom have so few words embodied so much wisdom as those of our beloved Leader found on page 57 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it." Does one wonder how he can share happiness with all mankind? Then let him consider his privilege of aiding the Cause of Christian Science, founded for this express purpose. The Mother Church, whose branches encircle the entire world, affords its members unlimited opportunities to enhance their happiness by bringing others into an ever clearer understanding of their God-given health and happiness.

Church members who are working humbly in His vineyard, following the footsteps of the Master in denying reality to evil, learn to separate it from person and to cherish instead of censure, to commend instead of condemn, to praise instead of blame, to approve instead of reproach their fellow workers. Consecrated members are daily gaining their victory over the false material sense of discontent, frustration, and unhappiness and rising to the realization of the joy, peace, and harmony of spiritual being. Striving to love as their Leader loved, they are finding the source of true happiness and drawing from it abundantly.