THE banker says, When money accumulates in banks or other depositories and is not in active circulation, there follows business depression or stagnation. The meteorologist says that when air currents cease to circulate and the air becomes stagnant over a long period, drought frequently follows.
The questions may be asked: What are the seeming causes of these conditions? Are they physical or mental? In the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we read (p. 114), "Christian Science explains all cause and effect as mental, not physical." It is evident, therefore, that certain mental states, either individual or universal, produce marked physical and outward conditions. Fear, worry, superstition, faultfinding, condemnation, covetousness, avarice, and selfishness are restrictive and withholding states of thought, which not only retard and obstruct right activity, but also engender lethargy and stagnation. Job said, "The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me." It matters not whether it be abnormal weather, physical disability, or business depression, all are alike manifestations of states and stages of human belief. And Christian Science affords the only real remedy by showing how these can be overcome by changing the wrong thinking which becomes objectified as an inharmonious condition of one kind or another.
It is apparent that an erroneous state of affairs exists in the world to-day. Perhaps never in human history has there been a greater abundance of food, clothing, and other material things deemed essential to human comfort and well-being. Enormous quantities of gold are stored in banks and national vaults. Statisticians and economists claim there is an oversupply of the material products conducive to human welfare. Yet, on every hand, throughout the civilized world one constantly hears the argument of lack, limitation, poverty, starvation, unemployment, and business depression. The Bible records that the Preacher, having explored the various fields of human knowledge and affairs, declared that all such conditions were "vanity and vexation of spirit." He perceived the inadequacy of human efforts and material resources to produce happiness and harmony. After a careful analysis of the mirage of mortal existence, he saw the fallacy of material reasoning or sensuous indulgence, and with positive assurance said, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy renders the latter part of this passage thus (p. 340): "Love God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole of man in His image and likeness."
