The familiar words, "Coming events cast their shadows before," may fill one's thought with vague forebodings. Yet, if one pauses to consider that a shadow owes its existence only to obstruction of the light, he may see there is no cause for alarm. Where spiritual light is, one invariably finds an atmosphere in which intelligence, reason, right judgment, and brotherly kindness are actively at work. A sense of God's government pervades one's thought, and he goes forth with courage to meet any situation.
The tendency of human nature to predict danger, warfare, poverty, disease, or death, deprives many individuals of their health and peace of mind. It engenders fear, which often manifests itself in the dreaded condition. In his affliction Job cried out, "The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me." But when his thought was turned from the things of sense and self to the contemplation of God's infinite wisdom and goodness, how quickly confidence, health, and prosperity were restored! In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 240) Mary Baker Eddy writes, "Predicting danger does not dignify life, whereas forecasting liberty and joy does; for these are strong promoters of health and happiness."
To "dignify life" is to invest it with honor; to exalt and ennoble it. True dignity possesses a grace of manner and a quiet poise especially conformable with the character of Christianity. Not only is this high, true dignity adaptable to the conduct of the individual, but it is also a feature of all the activities of the Christian Science movement. An instance of this may be seen in the Manual of The Mother Church, as given in a "Rule of Conduct" (Art. XXV, Sect. 7), which states: "No objectionable pictures shall be exhibited in the rooms where the Christian Science textbook is published or sold. No idle gossip, no slander, no mischief-making, no evil speaking shall be allowed." Thus, through the wholesome process of expelling unsavory errors, a high standard of ethical propriety and dignity is established in every place where the precious textbook of Christian Science is publicly read or exhibited. This also acknowledges the dignity and sanctity of the truth which the textbook reveals, and any tendency on the part of those who read it to predict danger is lessened, whereas a certain confidence in good, in the dignity of life under God's government, gives that anticipation of "liberty and joy" which Christian Science inspires.
