The subject of prayer is one of ever increasing interest to mankind. Since men are becoming more and more convinced that all good is in and of God, and since prayer is the acknowledged means of approach to Deity, they are commencing to comprehend the fact that it must be through prayer that they are to come into the conscious possession of all good. For centuries men have prayed; but they still seem to lack good. The conclusion inevitably follows that something must have been wrong with their prayers. James said as much when he declared, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss," still further pointing out one of the wrong ways of asking,—"that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"(p. 206) Mrs. Eddy, in considering the same subject, writes: "Will-power is capable of all evil. It can never heal the sick, for it is the prayer of the unrighteous; while the exercise of the sentiments—hope, faith, love—is the prayer of the righteous. This prayer, governed by Science instead of the senses, heals the sick." In such lucid manner as this does our beloved Leader define the distinction between true and false prayer. Here she not only uncovers the animus of all unrighteous prayer, but she also explains the exact nature of the prayer which is righteous, so that all who will may be guarded against the one and find their way unhindered to the other.
When Christian Science reveals God as the All-good, it immediately opens the door to the fact that heaven is everywhere; for how could the God who constitutes infinite good ever will, desire, or even permit aught but good in His infinite kingdom? Even to begin to see that God could not possibly purpose anything less than perfection, that His will must ever be holy, divine, all-beneficent, is to lay the ax at the root of all fear. It also shows how futile and undesirable must be any desire or will apart from this all-perfect one. Moreover, who could then be deceived into believing that the all-good God could ever hear or answer a prayer based on an evil will, a will apart from and opposite to His perfect will? Consequently, how utterly foolish is any self-willed prayer, a prayer unrighteous because contrary to the all-loving, all-glorious, all-satisfying will of God!
