When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Herod believed that he wanted to kill Jesus. Why? To stop the oncoming Christ-light which would expose the nothingness of materiality. But did Herod succeed? No. Wisdom and love from God defeated this malicious purpose. God guided faithful Joseph to take the young child, and his mother into Egypt and keep them concealed while the child was at a tender stage, and until they were dead "which sought the young child's life" (Matt. 2:20). When Jesus was twelve years of age, we find him successfully refuting the arguments of the human mind while going about his "Father's business" (Luke 2:49). From that point on the Christ constantly gained ascendancy. The human mind and body were steadily subjugated and finally completely dissolved.
Christ Jesus is the Way-shower for humanity. This same order of the dawning of the Christ must be fulfilled in the experience of each individual. It is the way of salvation. The so-called second coming of Christ, as in Christian Science, follows this plan. When Mary Baker Eddy discovered that the Christ is ever present, and that God's healing and saving power is still available to mankind, the human mind did everything conceivable to crush this fulfillment of divine prophecy. God's chosen revelator in this present age was persecuted and bitterly opposed at every step. From her own experience she could write, on page 34 of her work, "No and Yes": "Physical torture affords but a slight illustration of the pangs which come to one upon whom the world of sense falls with its leaden weight in the endeavor to crush out of a career its divine destiny." But again this cruel and wicked purpose was defeated by divine power. This same malicious opposition of the carnal mind overtly and covertly confronts the followers of Mrs. Eddy. Wherever the Christ-light appears, there the arguments of the human mind would often attempt to find the child, or spiritual idea, in order to kill it—something it is powerless to do.
When a new unfoldment of spiritual Truth appears in an individual's thought, the first impulse generally is to tell somebody about it. If this temptation is yielded to, further dawning of spiritual light may be prevented. When a fresh revelation is voiced audibly, perhaps to unprepared thought, arguments against the idea may crush inspiration and dampen spiritual enthusiasm. Unless thought is allowed to become established on the higher basis before being exposed to the harsh elements of mortal mind, the ground gained spiritually may be lost. The "child" should be kept concealed; the idea should be pondered and consciously utilized in living and healing before being voiced. It will then be enabled to hold its own with opposing arguments. Its truth will have been established. It can go safely about the "Father's business" of healing and Christianizing the human self.
