THE divine command given through Moses to the children of Israel, when they were preparing to cross the Jordan and to enter the land of Canaan, reads in part, "When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places." Moses knew that even though they drove out or destroyed all the inhabitants, but left their pictures, idols, and altars, these would corrupt the Israelites and their progeny. Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 374), "Pictures are portions of one's ideal." So Moses in his great wisdom saw that not only the inhabitants must be driven out, but all that would perpetuate their false beliefs must be utterly destroyed if these chosen ones were to continue to grow in the knowledge of the living and true God.
We who are journeying in the land of Christian Science will do well to heed the command which was given to Moses, and through him to the children of Israel, nor rest until we have destroyed from our own thinking the false ideals and subtle forms of error which may daily present themselves to us. Sometimes we battle bravely with some of the outstanding foes to our progress; and, having won a victory, we rest in doubtful security and ease, allowing ourselves to be lulled into mental apathy and sluggishness. And when, aroused by suffering of some sort, we seek the cause of it, we often find tucked away in our consciousness an erroneous mental picture which has hung on the walls of memory, perhaps since childhood, and which has never been "scientifically reduced to its native nothingness" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 572) . Sometimes it is a latent mental impression, all unconsciously stored away in a dark corner of our mental attic, which seems to develop later.
An experience of a student of Christian Science illustrates this point. A case of illness which appeared to be a contagious disease having developed in this student's family, the city health officer was summoned in obedience to the law; and he quarantined the house. The patient suffered very little inconvenience physically, having had Christian Science treatment, but the student in question had much fear. She worked faithfully to overcome this, and at times seemed to be entirely free, while again she would be almost overwhelmed by dread. She went to her room one day, and there turned with earnest, prayerful desire to her Father-Mother God, knowing that whatever she needed to know would be revealed to her. As she sat thus prayerfully waiting, an experience which she had had when a small child unrolled like a picture before her. She had lived in a town where this same malady had appeared. Many descriptions of it were recited in the presence of this impressionable child, who all unconsciously stored them away in memory, there to be concealed until conditions were favorable for further development. But the light which Christian Science throws on any situation, when properly applied, penetrated the dark room of mortal consciousness, and uncovered the fear of the disease. And the truth then erased that which had lain concealed for so many years.
