THIS may seem a small word to talk about, yet it appears to me, there is no word in the human language that means more to the Christian Scientist. The whole effort of evil seems aimed against it. Animal magnetism (and when we employ this term let us think of it as a supposed power) appears very wily. Its arguments seem plausible to the unwatchful ;and, before we know it, we are beginning to believe there is but one, truly, but that one is self.
Another of the arguments of this subtle foe is this: Christian Science teaches that God is all, and if that be so, why talk about matter and material things? It argues also, that it is so sweet always to hear God talked about, and so confusing to attempt to find out the false claims of evil; and that this is proof that we should let the claims of evil alone. This serpent will even come up and charge us with making evil real if we speak to it, or about it.
It is true there is but One; but that One is Spirit, Life; not matter and death. Were we proving this in the fullest sense, the tempter could not so easily delude us. Are we, as Christian Scientists, doing all there is for us to do? Are we demonstrating to ourselves, and thus to the world, that we recognize the oneness of the Father and His children when called upon to cast down some of our material gods, that that oneness may appear for the drawing of men to Christ? Do we prove that we are nearing the upper rounds of the ladder, unless we are giving and receiving needed correction in kindness and humility? Are we proving that all is Love, God, and that there is no hate, evil, while anger appears often to have the mastery over us? Are we proving to ourselves that Truth is supreme with us, when self-interest seems to warp our conclusions? These are serious questions which we as Scientists must ask ourselves. If we cannot honestly answer them in the affirmative, we must awaken to the fact that there is a claim of evidence of another power, and one opposed to Good, and that it must be met quickly and destroyed. The light of Truth must be thrown upon it until. its utter falsity, its nothingness, appears.
