Christian Science might be termed the Science of true consciousness. Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 276), "Man and his Maker are correlated in divine Science, and real consciousness is cognizant only of the things of God." The true consciousness, which is "cognizant only of the things of God," is found in the harmony of true being. We cannot conceive of a heavenly state of consciousness which is imperfect or lacking in any element of health and holiness.

Is this consciousness remote from us? Certainly not. It is the consciousness to which Jesus referred when he said (Luke 17:21), "The kingdom of God is within you." How to attain this heavenly state of consciousness is the question. Our human sense of consciousness seems very limited and imperfect. As mortals we do our best to be good, and we succeed in a measure; but sometimes a trying or unusual circumstance arises, and if we are not watchful we find our thoughts confused by fear, sin, or self-pity. These are states of mind entirely unlike our heavenly consciousness and outside of it.

This indicates that in so-called mortal mind there seems to be something beneath the surface and practically unknown to us. Mrs. Eddy deals with this unseen and largely unknown state of mortal mind, not by a process of analysis, but by a process of elimination. In Science and Health she writes of it as latent belief (see p. 377) and as elementary, latent error (see p. 559); but in doing so she holds closely to a fundamental proposition of Christian Science, namely, that evil is unreal and that only good consciousness has presence, power, and reality. The student of Christian Science quickly discerns the necessity of asserting his dominion over latent error, and he does so by understanding the ever-presence of spiritual truth.

Of what does consciousness really consist? Is it a mixture of good and evil with the latter becoming more evident in times of stress or temptation? According to Christian Science "real consciousness is cognizant only of the things of God;" therefore the so-called latent error, or unconscious mind, cannot usurp or displace true consciousness. The negation termed evil cannot mingle with the permanent consciousness of good which is ours.

Man has one consciousness, not two. The argument between the supposition calling itself material consciousness and the true or spiritual consciousness appears to take place in the human mind because the human mind is dualistic. God is one God. Consciousness is one consciousness, the consciousness of good. Man is always man, not a mixture of man and brute. We have in reality no other mind than God; therefore all consciousness must be the expression of God's goodness and love.

Many are alive to this fact and are demonstrating the truth it contains. More are added daily to the ranks of those who accept the divine Mind as the one and only Mind and set out to prove it.

Whatever evil is hidden or latent in thought truth will uncover and root out as one would pull out a harmful weed from a flower garden. Evil claims to have life and therefore to have consciousness, substance, and intelligence; but its claim is invalid and wholly unreal.

Speaking of the Pharisees as a whole, Jesus said (John 8:44): "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." These are strong words, but not too strong in their condemnation of the false belief that would give power to evil and accept without question any evidence of evil, disease, or death as if it were a part of the natural order of things. The weight of mortal thought on the side of evil seems great, but day by day through the faithful work of right-thinking people the assumed reality of evil is growing less and less, while the reality of good and the nature of true consciousness are coming more clearly to light.

We are now the sons of God because consciousness is divinely created and because it remains as it was created, namely, spiritual and perfect. True consciousness is immortal. Birth or death does not affect it. The knowledge of the eternality of the Christ, or true idea of man, enabled Christ Jesus to declare (John 8:58), "Before Abraham was, I am."

Our work as Christian Scientists is to bring daily and hourly this true consciousness to light. Looking deep into the realm of real consciousness we see more and more of the expression, or manifestation, of our Father-Mother God. Searching for the origin of man, we are drawn toward God.

Let us establish in our thinking the spiritual facts of divine consciousness, and let them take possession of everything we do. They are in control now. It is our part to understand this.

At this point the value of spiritual understanding is emphasized. The proof of the beneficial effects of true consciousness comes from our understanding of them. It is encouraging to remember that true consciousness is individual. Man exists as an individual in the one and only consciousness which is God, or good. God is not man, but man's true consciousness is the reflection of God individually expressed. Hence the undying fact that the Life which is God is reflected in man and as individual consciousness.

Let us ponder these facts concerning true consciousness. They grow clearer as they are dwelt upon and proved by demonstration. If we ever feel that good comes from without, let us correct this view and remember that our real consciousness expresses the deep spiritual conviction that we live in Spirit, Mind, as the sons and daughters of our Parent, God.

Robert Ellis Key