It seemed like an abrupt command, and it used to puzzle me to the point of frustration; as if we could just bring on a healing with a snap of the fingers! The human predicament is that we can't. And yet Mrs. Eddy had sound reason for stating: "Erroneous belief is destroyed by truth. Change the evidence, and that disappears which before seemed real to this false belief, and the human consciousness rises higher." ^{Science and Health, p. 297.}

Finally I decided that among the truths packed into this passage there was a message especially for me, and that I had just better get hold of it. I started reasoning like this: In a trial each side marshals evidence for presenting its case to the judge and the jury. Such and such are the facts on our side, claims the plaintiff, therefore such and such must be the truth of the situation. "Not so," says the defendant. "Such and such facts add up to a totally different truth—my side of the case."

Of course! At last I saw what I needed to see. When faced with a challenge of any kind, mortal mind, or material belief, usually appears to be very generous in presenting its evidence: of sinful tendency, financial straits, physical disability, inharmonious homelife—whatever. And we so often not only listen to it but take it all in as fact, and even dwell on it. We bear witness—in other words—on the wrong side! Now, "change the evidence." Marshal the spiritual facts pertinent to countering the specific erroneous claims, and dwell on them. Make a complete switch. Immerse yourself in inspired logic, in tracing all cause and effect back to God, infinite good. Rejoice in God's presence and power and allness, and put all the weight of your acceptance on the side of truth. Deny the aggressive suggestions of sickness or discord in the light of the overwhelming, provable truths of God and His creation. Crowd out false testimony with what is spiritually true. That's changing the evidence. That's a form of prayer; it can constitute Christian Science treatment and become the modus operandi of Christian healing. The result?

What before had seemed so real—so painful or unpleasant or unfair—no longer seems so. The human consciousness in its new freedom rises higher. We begin to seek and find a higher basis of logic, reason, inspiration, demonstration, regeneration.

Moment by moment all day long our thoughts and lives are presenting evidence. This evidence is either desirable or undesirable. It's either provable truth or substanceless error. Sometimes our entertaining of the truth is followed abruptly by contradictions of that truth, and our consciousness becomes a battleground for conflicting arguments. When we become alert to this, we find ways to deal with it. More persistent true witnessing, stronger faith, greater humility—all of these are powerful aspects of changing the evidence.

Isn't it impossible to bear witness to mortality and immortality at one and the same time? It's like trying to walk backwards and forwards at the same time, or to serve God and mammon simultaneously. Every time we groan or complain or feel sorry for ourselves we're refusing to change the evidence, and we're testifying on the wrong side. Mrs. Eddy's illustration in Science and Health of a trial scene dramatizes the process brilliantly. (See ibid., pp. 430–442.) She shows that Christian Science presents the spiritual facts to human consciousness and guides us into consistent true witnessing. The Bible comforts us with this assurance: "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." ^{Isa. 43:10.}

His witnesses! How can we be anything else? God is All, the only Mind. Man as His reflection has no independent power to bear witness to anyone or anything opposite to or apart from God. That's the spiritual fact, backed by spiritual law, and productive of spiritual regeneration and Christian Science healing.

So be alert. Change the evidence. You'll be glad you did.