God's Help Always Available

                                                    By John Wellsman


                     (As my readers may know, John is a dear friend who lives in Arizona)


       
        During my study of Christian Science, I have found tremendous inspiration in the writings of early workers in the Christian Science movement.  Particularly the writings of individuals who were privileged to interface directly wit the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy in her home on a daily basis.  One such individual in particular is Martha Wilcox who served Mrs. Eddy in her home in Brookline, MA and went on to become a teacher of Christian Science for almost 40 years.


        One recent occasion I was awakened in the middle of the night aware of some serious mental discomfort.  As I prayed earnestly to regain harmonious control over my thoughts I was led to consider a passage from the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (p. 536:8)  "The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness."  As I pondered that passage, the word "understanding" stood out to me.  Very soon I recalled reading in material from Martha Wilcox elaborating on what she referred to as "Fundamentals of Christian Science" where she discusses in depth man's relationship to God.  She referenced Mrs. Eddy's statement in Science and Health (p. 202:3) "The scientific unity which exists between God and man must be wrought in life practice, and God's will must be universally done."


        Mrs. Wilcox goes on to explain that there are four words used in Mrs. Eddy's writings that when studied and pondered help to improve our conception of the "scientific unity which exists between God and man."  The words she refers to are: "idea", "understanding", "awareness" and "realization".  For example, with the word "idea" we need to understand that God's idea of Himself is man and that we need to progress to the point where we see that man is not a separate idea that has ideas on its own about something, but rather that man is idea, God's idea, etc. of Himself.


       In the past, as I pondered these four words and their exemplification of our relationship to God, I had begun to see that I couldn't continue to think of myself as a separate mortal struggling to get a better understanding but that since I was actually God's own understanding of Himself I needed to approach my prayerful work by claiming that unity as a present fact.  In short, I already not only had understanding, I was that understanding God was being.  To get a better grasp of this concept, I spent some time with dictionary and thesaurus considering both the definitions of these words as well as other words with the same meaning.


        However on the particular occasion referred to above, as I prayed it became clear to me that I could actually substitute each of these other three words and some of their synonyms in Mrs. Eddy's statement from Science and Health on page 536.  For example:  "The divine idea reigns, is all, and there is no other concept."  Or, "the divine awareness reigns, is all, and there is no other cognizance."  Or, "the divine realization reigns, is all, and there is no other actuality."  All of these statements are, I think, metaphysically accurate and as I pondered them and their truth I began to have a much clearer concept of my own "scientfic unity" with God.  Within a fairly short time I was aware of a much clearer sense of God's everpresence and my relationship to Him.  Peace returned to my thought.  I was able to go back to sleep for the remainder of the night and awoke the next morning both refreshed and still cherishing this enhanced sense of my relationship to God.


        I am indeed grateful for the privilege of being able to study Christian Science.






       

Sickness Can Be Prevented

        It was a very hot day.  And when I noticed the man who was here to examine our sprinkler system for the water department standing under the shade of our magnolia tree, I thought nothing about it.  But after a while, I realized something might be amiss.  So, I went out and asked if he needed a cup of cold water, or wanted to come into the kitchen to get cool for a while.  "Thank you, no, ma'm", this nice black man said who we knew from his coming around for several years. 


        I went in, but he didn't leave.  So, I went out again and took some water anyway.  He seemed thankful to have it.  Then he opened up with, "I don't feel well at all."  What followed was a sad story.  He had consulted several doctors about his problem, and they had recommended he go to yet another doctor for more tests.  They didn't know what the recurring difficulty might be.  "I have so many medical bills, take so much medicine every day", he shared with me.  "I feel overwhelmed at times."


        While I didn't talk to him about spiritual truths, I was certainly knowing what is true about God's man--every one of us.  He said, "I think I'll just stand here a bit."  I stayed with him awhile longer.  Then he said "I feel a little better.  I can get to my truck now".


        This incident made me so grateful for Christian Science, that teaches sickness can be prevented, that one doesn't have to rely on human means for health being that God is an everpresent help whatever the problem.


        No one need feel helpless when symptoms of disease appear.  Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, points out something we can do to maintain sound health. She writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:  "Stand porter at the door of thought.  Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously.  When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears.  Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the  body cannot suffer from them."  (p. 392)

        Christian Science, in accord with the Bible, teaches that God is the only genuine cause, the sole creator of the universe, including man, and that the true nature of creation is spiritual, wholly good, expressing God's nature.  From the standpoint of absolute truth, all cause and effect are spiritual, and all is the perfect handiwork of God, divine Spirit.


        When a person learns that thought affects every aspect of his life, he sees the necessity of replacing fearful, sickly thoughts with spiritual truths that uplift, transform, and keep one whole.  No matter what others may be falsely believing about sickness and ill health, we don't have to abjectly surrender our peace and harmony, but may instead exercise our God-given power over suffering.


        Because you and I are actually the reflection of infinite, harmonious Spirit, and we include only those qualities Spirit imparts--peace, joy, health, dominion--the suffering and fear that may seem so real have no genuine power over us.  They are misconceptions, false beliefs, not actual God-created conditions.  And being misconceptions, they can be corrected with the truth of man's inseparable relationship to God, of his uninterrupted well-being as God's reflection.  This truth heals.


        Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: "The fact that Truth overcomes both disease and sin reassures depressed  hope.  It imparts a healthy stimulus to the body, and regulates the system.  It increases or diminishes the action, as the case may require, better than any drug, alterative, or tonic."  p. 420


        Empowered with the Christly understanding of Truth, we can demonstrate the fact that sickness can be prevented.  We can experience what the Bible promises:  "The Lord will take away from thee all sickness."  (Deuteronomy 7:15)


       

What do Christ's words do for us?

The better question might be,
What do these words not do?
The words our Master gave us
Do more for us than
we can possibly imagine.

Let me give you a first-hand account:
Christ's words have --
Healed me,
Made me more loving,
Removed fears,
Given me the courage
to please God rather than people,
Opened channels for
greater usefulness to others,
Simplified my life greatly,
Inspired/instructed/defended/comforted,
Freed me from unnecessary social obligations,
Given me calmness
in trying circumstances,
Brought lovely friendships
with those who love and live
what Jesus taught.

I could go on and on and on,
but as I said at the outset,
what do Jesus' words not do for us?

Keep the love flowing

Would you like to have

The good health that

 God wants us to have?

Don't we all?

Then keep the love flowing,

Keep it alive in thought,

Let it fill your heart,

And flow out to all you meet

And those you may never greet.

Love is the essential thing,

Love for God and man.

This Christian Science teaches,

This Christ Jesus preaches,

          Believe you me,

             It heals.

Why We're Here

What it's all about


Is not something


Most people think about,


         I suppose.


But we're here for a reason.


Be in no doubt,


We all have a purpose,


A God-given purpose --


To love and obey Him,


To do all the good we can


To our fellow beings.


In sum:


To live the kind of life


Christ Jesus pointed out.


Nothing could be more fulfilling.

Free From Feeling Inferior

        Cyndi came to do some housework for us once a week.  And one day she saw me at my desk reading a book. Curious, she asked about it. I told her it was Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.  She knew nothing about it, or the religion my husband and I were involved with.  So I told her a little of what it taught and of our experiences in practicing it.


        She asked if she could borrow the book.  I had an extra copy, so gladly gave it to her.  Over the next few weeks, she would say, I'm reading a little each day and finding some brand new thoughts in it.


        Then one day she telephoned on a day that wasn't her regular time to clean.  There was such excitement in her voice.  She had come to page 89 in this book where Mary Baker Eddy writes:  "Mind is not necessarily dependent upon educational processes.  It possesses of itself all beauty and poetry, and the power of expressing them."  Cyndi couldn't stop reading and thinking about these words, she told me. They had opened up a whole new world to her.


        Being someone of very little formal schooling, she had felt inferior all her life.  She had yearned to express herself better, wanted to be more active in her Baptist church, but never felt she was educated enough to try to.


        Just above the words that turned her thinking about herself when she came over.  Mrs. Eddy is talking about a person who says, "I am incapable of words that glow for I am uneducated.  If one believes that he cannot be an orator without study or a superinduced condition, the body responds to this belief, and the tongue grows mute which before was eloquent."


        Cyndi's life was different from this time on.  The change was noticeable to many people. Self-expression came much more confidently.  This was one happy, dear Christian girl.