To stop war, end pollution, overcome racism, prevent crime, preserve the beauties of the earth, to give everyone a sense of security and well-being, what can we as individuals do? There are many ways of getting constructively involved, and most of these ways require preparation and training so that our involvement will have a real effect.

Christian Science offers all of us a kind of basic training that equips us to make real rather than superficial contributions to the solution of the world's problems. In fact, if we really want to get involved, our study and practice of Christian Science is a way to show that we are not evading the issues but facing them squarely. This Science involves us directly in the business of improving life here on earth.

Christ Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is a compendium for human behavior, which if followed would involve us in the solution of all mankind's problems. He taught us not to judge or be angry with one another, to love our enemies as well as our friends. He stressed the mental nature of adultery and lust. He warned against laying up "treasures upon earth," saying, "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." ^{Matt. 6:19, 20;} He exposed hypocrisy, pointing to the need for genuine trust in God. These teachings followed by mankind would make war unthinkable, would remove the belief that there is profit in anything that pollutes the environment, would eliminate criminal tendencies, would elevate the motives of business and government, all on the basis of man's relationship to God. The question is, How do we get mankind to pay attention to and follow these teachings?

We answer this question practically when we follow them ourselves and recognize that the full significance of these teachings has been revealed in Christian Science through healing. Mary Baker Eddy explains to us that this healing is not merely the action of the human mind bringing about cures. In her Preface to Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she writes, "The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation." ^{Science and Health, p. xi.}

As we get involved in this "operation of divine Principle," we become active witnesses to its presence and power. And if we are in it for real, those who come into contact with us, if they are at all receptive to the ideas of Truth, feel that within themselves some phase of sin and disease is being made to lose its seeming reality. This affects their basis of thinking and acting. And if we haven't been kidding ourselves, it must bring about a change in their behavior.

In the truth of divine Principle, man is God's spiritual, perfect idea. The selfish, animal tendencies seen in mortals are false, sinful beliefs—those beliefs which the operation of divine Principle causes to become unreal in human consciousness. These false beliefs are the cause as well as the substance of all the evils that threaten the peace, harmony, and beauty of life on earth. When they are believed to be part of man's nature, men's efforts to eliminate them in one form only result in their reappearance in other forms. So we have wars, wars to end wars, and more wars. But if our involvement in the solution of mankind's problems stems directly from an understanding of man as constituted and governed by divine Principle, our efforts will have a permanent effect.

Christian Science offers each one of us the opportunity to understand and to demonstrate the presence and the power of divine Principle, Love. To gain this understanding requires study and prayer. To demonstrate it requires practice. As we gain an understanding, the opportunities to practice become more and more apparent, and as we accept these opportunities, we demonstrate the healing power of the divine Principle understood. Then we know we are ready to make real contributions toward the solutions of world problems.

It should be clear that this kind of preparation is in itself involvement in the great problems besetting mankind. To heal someone of a dreaded disease when, for instance, the disease is caused by a sense of insecurity, which is in turn the result of the belief that man is governed by animal tendencies—which belief stems from the general belief that there is life and intelligence apart from the divine Principle, Love—is to make real progress in overcoming both disease and war and the sinful beliefs at the bottom of these errors.

We gain mastery over the mental and physical ailments of men and women and children as we gain a mastery over the claims of mortal beliefs that result in war, pollution, racism, and so on. And if we are not gaining this mastery, of what effect is our preparation and training for involvement in today's problems?

So the question is, Do we really want to get involved or do we want merely to go through the motions of being involved?

Carl J. Welz