When I was a youngster, it wasn't unusual for one of us at school to stick a frog into his pocket, just in case the opportunity arose to slip it into someone's desk or lunchbox.

But when it came to toads, well, the bravest of us wouldn't carry one around—even gloves weren't a perfect protection! Why the caution? Because that's where warts came from. How did we know? It was just common knowledge. I mean it was obvious. After all, just take a look at a toad—warts all over him!

"Education" often happens that way. Of course, people's warts don't come from toads. But it wouldn't have done much good to tell us grade schoolers that.

Adults sometimes educate themselves in the same way. Assumptions grow into "facts." Take the common cold as an example. The usual view is that certain weather conditions, microorganisms, contact with others, are all causative in "catching cold." Should it be so surprising that someday we will realize that people have essentially educated themselves into believing these factors are the cause of a cold? Eventually it will be recognized that such states of thought as fear and ignorance are more basic causes.

Even the promotion of material remedies can contribute to the problem. Already there is a growing awareness that the drug industry, whether consciously or unconsciously, tends to encourage seasonal ailments through its advertisements. An ad can nurture one's educated belief in and acceptance of disease. Predicting disease is not conducive to health.

Sometimes it's thought that people who have a happy disposition and optimistic view of life are likely to be more healthy. That may be. But if this is based just on a positive view held by a happy human mind, there's no guarantee this same human mind won't be persuaded into an opposite view.

Christ Jesus held a view that might be called positive. But his perception of existence was based on a profound understanding that true power and substance, in fact reality itself, is fully the outcome of God—the perfect, infinite, divine consciousness.

Some may feel it's hardly realistic to find any kind of parallel between mistaken education about toads and education about "proven" causes of disease. But consider Jesus. He educated his disciples into such a spiritual view that disease yielded to their prayers. One might say that the power they exercised made it apparent that illness rested on no more than some sort of faulty belief system.

The view Jesus held and taught was true. It overcame the view held by others. Disease surrendered to health. Sin to reformation. Even death gave way to life. The way Jesus lived life itself—insisting on God's ever-presence and goodness—was virtually a prediction of health and wholeness. He helped disciples for all time see that this healing view could be our view. The Bible promises, "We have the mind of Christ" (I Cor. 2:16). Such a promise gives Christian Scientists and others who turn to God for healing and health care the courage to educate themselves spiritually. They find it intelligent and reasonable to expect sound and continuing health, regardless of dire predictions—regardless even of the appearance of disease.

In fact, they are beginning to see how Jesus' actions were proving health to be the reality, and disease to be something that might be called "error." Error is a kind of mental darkness that recedes in the light of Truth. Jesus came to "bear witness unto the truth" (John 18:37). He came to help us understand the truth that God's creation is actually spiritual, perfect, flawless.

On the surface, it can seem to society naive—even foolish—for anyone today to anticipate health in the midst of a contagious disease outbreak. While it may not make sense from a strictly material standpoint, it's entirely logical that one who has been educating himself according to what Christ Jesus taught about reality will reject the necessity of disease.

Such spiritual education goes right against the grain of modern predictions about the certainty of disease. Especially if the experience of recent years seems to confirm a particular recurrence of illness. And yet, through prayer, such so-called disease cycles are being broken—both individually and collectively. Aggressive patterns of evil can't ultimately stand against a growing understanding of the infinite presence of God, who is wholly good. As a phrase in the Christian Science Hymnal has it, "Life, Truth and Love the pattern make ..." (No.51). How comforting to realize that God alone maps out our lives, preserves our well-being.

If someone, or some group, doesn't have the courage at least to begin facing down rigid predictions about ill health—even contagious disease—how will such false education and its effects ever give way to spiritual education? Hasn't the need for taking a firm stand always been true of any spiritually valiant cause?

Mary Baker Eddy writes on the question of contagious disease directly in regard to youngsters. She warns parents and doctors about the hazards of forecasting disease. Then, drawing from her own depth of experience in following Christ Jesus, she insists: "Predicting danger does not dignify life. whereas forecasting liberty and joy does; for these are strong promoters of health and happiness. All education should contribute to moral and physical strength and freedom" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 240).

Trusting God to preserve or restore our health, even in the midst of contagious disease, is not unenlightened. The prediction of disease—even by authorities, and depending on historical material evidence—is based on how human belief has been educated; it is not rooted in divine law. As if to challenge such wrongly directed education, the Bible affirms, "What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time" (Nah. 1:9).

Christian Scientists have always worked well with public health authorities. They have cooperated with quarantine and other requirements. They are not a danger to society. (There are more individuals unimmunized for medical and other reasons than there are Christian Scientists who turn to a spiritual rather than a material remedy for contagious disease.) Christian Scientists understand the distance they have yet to go in fully proving their system of care; but they also recognize that medical solutions have not proved to be a perfect answer for society.

Someday society will be deeply grateful for the spiritual bravery and foresight shown by those who are led to turn fully to God for protection when strong societal and medical pressures would attempt to force everyone into dependence on matter instead of Spirit. Pioneers of spiritual healing may be challenged. But finally the healing law of God will prevail and predictions of health will be not only logical but consistently demonstrable.

Nathan A. Talbot Contributing editor

EXODUS

Ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

Exodus 23:25