On the whole, humanity is more interested today than ever before in restoring, establishing, and safeguarding harmonious relationships between nations and individuals. Men are hungering for freedom from the incessant struggle with misunderstandings, conflicting opinions, and circumstances that claim to trouble mankind.

Christian Science declares that there is a sure way out of all human entanglements, perplexities, and woes. Through the understanding and application of Christian Science it is being proved daily that all apparently discordant conditions result from our ignorance of God and His divine laws of harmony, ignorance of man and his relationship to God. Christian Science reveals higher views of God and man, and as we comprehend the reality of good we see the consequent unreality of evil, discord of every nature. The understanding and utilization of the truth enables one to reject as unreal any evidences that the material senses claim as real in any phase of human experience. The way then, wholly a mental process, is unquestionably an unwavering recognition of Truth, of its power and supremacy in the affairs of men and nations, expressed in love, honesty, and justice. This way is practical, ever present, and ever available, unceasingly active, uninterrupted, and eternal. The long-sought world peace, and harmony in all relationships, must be the ultimate result of understanding prayer, of individual and collective righteous thinking.

Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 131), "There is no error in Science, and our lives must be governed by reality in order to be in harmony with God, the divine Principle of all being." As the truths of reality unfold in our thoughts we understand that God, divine Principle, creates and governs the universe and man and that this creation is entirely spiritual, not material. Since God is all-harmonious good, His creation, under His intelligent control, is perpetually harmonious and right. From this it follows that discordant relationships do not exist in divine reality. Only Godlike qualities—integrity, trust, perfect judgment, alertness, ability, and dominion—are reflected in the consciousness of man. We must affirm and realize specifically and continually these truths that destroy the illusive errors which seem to cause fear and apprehension.

As we lift our thoughts to the facts of reality we shall proportionably exchange the mortal concept of man as capable of deceit, domination, selfishness, envy, and greed for the true concept of God's man, made in His likeness and eternally expressing Godlike qualities. Claiming the realities of God's allness and the harmony of Truth and Love, we shall be controlled by spiritual serenity even in the midst of seeming discord. Patience, courage, and poise will be manifested in thought, word, and deed in spite of mortal mind. Clearness and sureness of purpose and performance will be evidenced, for the enlightened thought knows that discord, evil of every nature, is neither real nor powerful, because it is no part of God's creation.

Christian Science, with its revelation of God as Truth and Love, is enabling us to shed our burden of false thinking. As an instance of how the verities of being heal discordant human relationships, the following experience may be helpful. A woman found herself entangled in an apparently hopeless web of misunderstanding. As a result of her acceptance of sense testimony as real, disappointment and a cutting sense of deep injustice followed.

Mortal mind suggested that the adjustment of discordant conditions must take place in the thoughts of others. This woman had an insistent desire to clarify the thoughts of those involved. Yet she knew that such an attempt could bring only added distrust and confusion. Also, she would be unquestionably bearing false witness against her fellow men, as well as yielding to self-righteousness and self-justification. She seemed unable to extricate herself from false accusation and misrepresentation.

Mortal mind suggested, too, that time, space, and circumstances beyond her control could thwart the realization of harmony. But she knew that Christian Science reveals the healing truth that neither time, space, circumstances, nor mortals ever cause or heal discord of any kind; that error is never identified with any of these commonly deceptive human beliefs. She realized that the only way to true harmony and satisfaction is through individual spiritual understanding, and that Truth and Love alone restore peace and joy to each individual, blessing all concerned.

One day with special earnestness she reflected upon the "Daily Prayer" in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy (Art. VIII, Sect. 4), "'Thy kingdom come;' let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!" How truly she desired to realize for herself and others the reign of Truth and Love in human consciousness!

Then she read in Psalms (101:7), "He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight." She realized that she had been allowing concepts of human personalities capable of deceptiveness and untruthfulness to dwell within her house—within her thinking. Certain unlovely and undesirable traits in others had been allowed to disturb and trouble her and had been accepted as real.

She then remembered Mrs. Eddy's wise counsel (Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 308, 309): "I earnestly advise all Christian Scientists to remove from their observation or study the personal sense of any one, and not to dwell in thought upon their own or others' corporeality, either as good or evil." The woman saw clearly that her need was to turn her thoughts away from the human concept of a sinful person to the recognition of God's man, spiritual and perfect, ever truthful, just, loving and lovable. She realized that the injustice, envy, and jealousy she disliked, and the estrangement she resented, were no part of God's creation.

It did not surprise this Christian Scientist when, some time later, she realized that a loving, harmonious relationship had been resumed as though without interruption. There were no questions asked or explanations given. Any sense of a disappointed, injured, or hurt self had been wiped out by Truth and Love. In reality error needed no settlement, compromise, or disposition as if it were real. It was destroyed on the basis of its unreality and simply vanished under Truth's searching light.

The effective way to harmonious relationships is to replace promptly and persistently the human pictures of malice, hatred, dishonesty, and tyranny with the perception of the invariable reality of love, mercy, and truthfulness. Looking for Godlike qualities in our fellow men, and joyously expecting these qualities, makes them apparent in others. Let no question in our thought regarding our brother's perception of Truth dim our own vision! Finally, let us remember that a healing of discordant relationships is not made by dwelling upon the discord, talking about it to others, and looking for harmony through another's righteous efforts. Liberation from human difficulties and disappointments must ultimately take place by the denial of evil and the recognition of spiritual facts.

Mankind must learn that God, divine Love, is the source of all unity, all harmony and peace. Understanding prayer will then restore, establish, and permanently safeguard happy, harmonious relationships.