"NEVER record ages. Chronological data are no part of the vast forever. Time-tables of birth and death are so many conspiracies against manhood and womanhood." So writes Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 246). Imperative and of much significance are the foregoing statements of our Leader.
Is it not plain that the tendency of the human mind is to measure and limit all good? This it claims to do through its self-constituted so-called laws, through its acceptance of negative beliefs such as fear, doubt, discouragement, time, and age. If accepted as real, the mortal beliefs of time and age play no little part in one's experience. One of error's subtle and apparently innocent methods of establishing and prolonging the false belief that man is mortal is the observance of birthdays. Mortal mind or error claims in some instances that one is too old to accomplish certain undertakings because of lack of strength, of alertness, or of time. In other instances it would claim that one is too young, lacking experience, ability, or dignity to fill a position, or to attain success in some line of endeavor. Always limited, always lacking something, too young, too old, too late, too soon—thus the carnal mind would have mankind believe itself handicapped in all directions. Accompanying these phases of limitation are such related errors as fear, doubt, and discouragement.
Christian Science, the revelation of Truth in this age, unfolds the great spiritual fact that there is one Mind only, and that this Mind is God, omnipotent good, infinite Life, immortal Truth—therefore unlimited. In accord with the Scriptures, Christian Science also teaches that man as the image and likeness of God, the reflection of unlimited good, is neither young nor old. Hence the fact remains that one is never too young or too old to undertake and attain the desired heights of good.
