"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth" (I Sam. 17:48, 49).

A Christian Scientist listened amazed as that passage was read by a First Reader as part of his selections from the Bible at a Wednesday testimony meeting. She thought that she knew the story of David and Goliath very thoroughly. But for the first time these words stood out from the rest: "David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine." He ran forward! Thoughts began to unfold. Not only was David unafraid of the seeming vastness of error as typified by Goliath, but he had no hesitation or reluctance in going forward to prove its nothingness.

Then the Scientist thought of her own beginning as a student of Christian Science. The beliefs of maladjustment, financial lack, physical illness, and frustration, which had loomed so very large, were seemingly such unconquerable Goliaths that she thought she would not live to rear her children. But as the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, were studied, the truth that "the battle is the Lord's" (I Sam. 17: 47) was realized.

The Scientist learned also that man is not material, groping for a faraway God, hoping desperately that He will, by chance, hear and answer. The real man is spiritual, never separated from God, embodying only that which is perfect, or Godlike, possessing the ability to show forth that godliness by constant right activity. These truths gradually came to light in her consciousness.

Loving help was received at various times from Christian Science practitioners. Also, the Lesson-Sermons in the Christian Science Quarterly were daily studied and Sunday and Wednesday services attended. Christian Science lectures were heard, and our literature was read. As a result the nothingness of the Goliath—error— began to appear, and a normal, active life became natural. While listening to the reading of the verse about David, she was renewedly grateful that she had found Christian Science. This Science teaches that man, made in the image and likeness of God, is not a mortal, material man. He is a spiritual idea, possessing God-given dominion.

Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 264): "Where shall the gaze rest but in the unsearchable realm of Mind? We must look where we would walk, and we must act as possessing all power from Him in whom we have our being." Turning from so-called problems to the contemplation of the allness of God, good, helps us to understand that there is no deviation from perfection in God's universe. We also gain a positive conviction that man is governed by the law of divine Mind, perfect Principle, at all times. Since the nature of Principle, the one and only cause, is good, the result or effect can be only good.

When we are fully cognizant of this, we are aware of increased peace and harmony. Our Leader says in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 167): "The suppositional world within us separates us from the spiritual world, which is apart from matter, and unites us to one another. Spirit teaches us to resign what we are not and to understand what we are in the unity of Spirit—in that Love which is faithful, an ever-present help in trouble, which never deserts us."

Daily, opportunities are given us to turn from the belief of life and truth in matter—from the belief that there is a discordant material world around us that is causing problems which seem difficult to overcome or which seem to return repeatedly—to God's infinite and never-changing love. Spiritual man, God's reflection, can never be outside or out of reach of that tender Father-Mother Love, nor does he have to strive to be God's child, hoping to be a recipient of His abundance.

It is wonderful to know that because God is Love, man possesses love by reflection, and now! What a sense of joy is found when our consciousness is governed by these truths. Then we are aware of the kingdom of God within us, of God's constant, ever-present love, for it is within our consciousness that our demonstrations of truth are made. These demonstrations consist really in our complete acceptance of man's at-one-ment with God's gracious love. That in turn is objectified in better health, greater abundance, and happy adjustments of all kinds.

The Bible speaks of other men besides David who, through their understanding of God, were able to meet daily experiences with joyful confidence in God's omnipresence and omnipotence. One of these was Elisha. It is related that one morning when he arose he was surrounded by a great host of men, horses, and chariots which had been sent to capture him. Instead of being concerned about his own safety, he was tenderly concerned over his servant's peace of mind. He answered his distressed servant's alarm by saying (II Kings 6:16, 17), "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." And we are told that "Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

Once again error was proved to have no power. Regardless of how vast it seems, there is never any necessity for being dismayed by its pretensions and boastings. Whether concerned with individual, local, national, or international issues, we can keep constantly in thought the great fact that God is! Therefore we can indeed maintain a confident expectancy of good. And as we recall that David ran to meet the Philistine, we can keep in thought, also, the powerful statement with which our Leader opens Science and Health (Pref., p. vii): "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings."