An example of Solomon's proverbial wisdom is recounted in the third chapter of I Kings. Two women appeared before the monarch, each claiming to be the mother of the same child. After listening to their contradictory arguments, Solomon called for a sword and said, "Divide the... child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other." Then one of the women said, "O my lord, give her the...child, and in no wise slay it"; but the other answered, "Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it."

From these opposite responses it was evident to Solomon which of the two women was the true mother. He based his decision on the realization that only a false claimant would accept a division.

In pondering this story, I saw that Christian Science enables its followers to make a similar decision on a scientific basis. In this Science, the false claimant is understood to be, not a person, but an erroneous suggestion of life, truth, intelligence, or substance in matter, appearing before the tribunal of human consciousness to claim a lesser or greater share of creation. Of course, the error does not identify itself as error, but masquerades as truth, claiming to represent one's best interest and even to originate in one's own thinking.

But there need be no mistaking illusion for reality, or material belief for spiritual consciousness. The nature of every thought that comes to us, its derivation and reliability, can quickly be determined by the test of the sword. We need only ask ourselves: Is it the tendency of this thought to suggest or accept a division; to separate God from man; to divide man into mortals, then to isolate mortals from each other? Does it imply a belief in a dual creation, both good and evil, both mental and material?

If the answer is Yes, we can be sure we are dealing with an erroneous concept of the so-called mortal mind and can handle it as such. On the other hand, if a thought is characterized by pure affection and unselfishness, if it tends to bring us closer in spirit, not only to God and our fellow-men but to our own true selfhood as well, it is to that degree a right idea. Accordingly, it deserves to be entertained and acted upon.

The contrasting tendencies of mortal illusion and spiritual understanding are explained by Christian Science. Since materiality is a false belief of finity, or limitation, it can perpetuate itself only by further divisions of that original belief. This general belief in materialism and duality seems to manifest itself in specific instances of discord and alienation. It acts to separate one from his inherent health, harmony, and abundance. It leads to misunderstandings between parent and child, to irreconcilable differences between husband and wife, to prejudicial barriers between one race or creed and another, to war between nations. Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 541), "The erroneous belief that life, substance, and intelligence can be material ruptures the life and brotherhood of man at the very outset."

Diametrically opposed to the false premise of mortal existence, with its myriad of consequent errors, is the fact that all is Mind, not matter, and that Mind, God, imparts His divinely mental nature only by reflection, never by self-division. Instead of giving an ever-smaller apportionment of Himself to a multiplicity of mortals, Deity is eternally unfolding the deific character through His own perfect image and likeness. In the words of Mrs. Eddy (ibid., p. 258), "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis."

The spiritual premise of God's oneness, or indivisibility, bases the practice of Christian Science. The Christian Scientist demonstrates this truth not only by maintaining the numerical oneness of Mind, but by expressing the oneness or consistency of Mind's attributes as well. Thus he exercises the same grace at home that he does in society; his thoughts are as kindly as his words; he is uniformly grateful to God no matter what the outward situation seems to be.

In his metaphysical work he does not indulge in the inconsistency of trying to apply spiritual truths to material things. He understands, rather, that his patient is in reality a perfect spiritual idea, already included in the divine Mind. This constant, consistent living of God's oneness and of man's inseparability from his Maker weaves a beautiful thread of unity through the human experience, bringing peace to the home, business, church, and community.

But what of those occasions when advancing footsteps actually seem to separate us from others? When spiritual progress requires of us this important step, we can be sure it is for the purpose of establishing a higher, more lasting basis for unity. Even the disciples of Christ Jesus had to make this demonstration.

When Peter commented on the extent of the sacrifice demanded of those who follow Truth, the Master lovingly reassured him (Mark 10:29,30), "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."

A Christian Scientist was able to use the test of the sword when error's divisive tendency caused a serious misunderstanding between a business client and himself. The other man, who represented a large corporation, was apparently angered when the Scientist, through no fault of his own, was unable to fulfill an important professional commitment.

The Scientist reasoned approximately as follows: I know that only mortal mind would suggest and accept such a division, since it is not true of the real man. The parenthood of my Father-Mother God is made manifest in the love He bestows upon His own likeness, and He could never accept a division of this likeness into disagreeing elements.

With the help of a practitioner, the student endeavored to include the business client in his own realization of God's loving provision for all His offspring. Soon the client called, and in a few moments the misunderstanding was cleared up with resultant benefits for both.

With our understanding of Christian Science, we can both detect error and replace it with the healing Truth. When confronted by mortal mind's arguments for division and duality, its subtle suggestion that there are two sides to the story of creation, we can reply, "But only one of them is true, the spiritual." As we hold to the truth that Mind, God, is indivisibly one and is inseparable from His own reflection, the evidence of discord will be reversed in our lives, and harmony will be manifested.