Sunlight brings cheer to those bathed in its brilliance and beauty. Christian Science uses the sun to symbolize God. We read: "Sun. The symbol of Soul governing man,—of Truth, Life, and Love." ^{Science and Health, p. 595;} Mrs. Eddy gives us this definition in Science and Health.

She also states, "Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates and purifies." Then she further describes the effects of Truth: "Christian Science acts as an alterative, neutralizing error with Truth. It changes the secretions, expels humors, dissolves tumors, relaxes rigid muscles, restores carious bones to soundness. The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind." ^{ibid., p. 162;} Truth also restores harmony in human relationship, business, and financial problems— in all forms of human discord.

One morning about dawn I was praying. As I sat facing the window my attention was drawn to the sky. Several dark clouds were gathering; from all appearances we were going to have a very dreary day. As I watched the gathering clouds I was reminded of the little errors that sometimes gather in thought unnoticed, a few at a time, until consciousness becomes so overclouded that the sunlight of Truth seems completely hidden.

As I continued to watch the clouds I noticed a very gentle breeze moving each cloud on until the light was again visible. This reminded me of God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; of God's gentle but definite control of His universe including man—and also of divine Truth's power to dispel error. Soon the breeze increased in force until there was not a cloud in the sky.

As I turned away from the window I knew that the truth of God and of man in His likeness, which I had been knowing, was dispelling the clouds of error from consciousness. Fear, resentment, pride, discouragement, having been recognized as no part of me as God's reflection, were powerless to claim to persist and cause unhappiness, sickness, or sin. The sunlight of Truth was dispelling the darkness of error.

Before I became a student of Christian Science, I served as a medical nurse. Each time after completing my work on a case, I was ill for several days. Regardless of all the loving care given by doctors, the condition grew worse. I was told I would be an invalid or under medical treatment the rest of my life. For years I also suffered with blood poisoning, as well as with many other chronic ailments, and was seldom free of pain.

When things seemed darkest, Christian Science was presented to me. I began to read the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health, and as the sunlight of Truth recorded there began to flow into my consciousness, it indeed purified and invigorated it. I could see how all the dark pictures of sickness and suffering I had witnessed had gathered in thought until the light of my true being was hidden. Health, harmony, joy, peace, right activity—all of which were my rightful heritage as the child of God— were hidden from me by the false beliefs of sickness and death.

The Bible tells us that as the children of Israel entered the Promised Land they were commanded to drive out all the inhabitants and destroy all their pictures. ^{See Num. 33:51, 52;} And in Miscellaneous Writings Mrs. Eddy quotes this poem:

As the reading of the textbook continued, the "mighty breath" of Truth did indeed scatter the "pile of human mockeries" that had plagued me. One by one the painful ailments faded away, and I was free. With this glorious awakening came a glimpse of my true selfhood as the beloved child of God. I saw myself not as a suffering mortal but as a spiritual idea, whole and harmonious; the reflection of God. Paul tells us that we must put off the old man and put on the new—change our concept of ourselves from an imperfect mortal to the perfect, immortal man of God's creating, reflecting holiness and spiritual light.

Through the study of Christian Science one learns how to put off the old for the new—how to put off the false concepts of life and intelligence in matter for the truth of being. One learns to acknowledge that because God is Spirit and has created man in His image and likeness, man is spiritual. Through the ages false theology and education have perpetuated the belief in a man made from dust. The revelation of Christian Science shows this to be only a false sense of man, which must be denied. It reveals man as the perfect idea of his perfect Father-Mother God, reflecting the light of the one Mind.

John wrote, "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." ^{I John 1:5;} Sin, illness, and mortality are but dark illusions of the carnal mind, which, Paul tells us, is enmity against God. And when these evils are seen as unreal, they are powerless to continue even as illusions. There can be no darkness of hate, fear, lust, greed, or ignorance where all is light, where all is divine Truth and Love.

A room cannot remain dark when the light has been turned on. Light dispels darkness. Such is the illuminating effect of Truth. Under its penetrating rays, erroneous concepts of God, man, and the universe along with their attendant evils begin to disperse. Hate gives place to love, sorrow to joy. Fear is replaced by courage and confidence. Man as the manifestation of God, unfallen, upright, and free, begins to appear.

As conversation is directed away from sin, sickness, and death, and thought is disciplined and filled with the beauty of holiness, Peter's words are realized, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." ^{I Pet. 2:9;}

When problems are viewed in the light of Truth, their core will be seen to be self-love, self-pity, self-justification, self-will, which are mental darkness. As thought is turned away from this fictitious little god called me, and God is seen and acknowledged as man's sole creator, his substance and Mind, this sunlight of Truth will illumine consciousness, bringing into view one's native harmony, health, joy, and love, and the clouds of sense will disappear.

Christ Jesus declared he had come as a light into the world. And in the book of Revelation we read, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." ^{Rev. 3:20.} It is this Christ, Truth, entering and permeating consciousness, that enlightens and heals. So open up your thought and let in the sunlight of Truth!