IN the ninth chapter of John's Gospel are recorded statements of Christ Jesus which are of singular importance to those who are engaged in the sacred work of Christian healing. The Master and his disciples had just encountered a man "blind from his birth." The question was raised as to the cause of the affliction. Had the man sinned, or his forebears? Jesus dismissed such a concept with a sweeping denial. "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents," he said. Very evidently he did not wish to discuss the question of the origin of an error which shortly he was to prove lawless, causeless, and unreal. It would seem that his only concern in the matter was that here was an opportunity to prove the power of Truth over error; in other words, "that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
To the Bible student striving for a spiritual sense of the Scriptures, the Master's words might be paraphrased thus: Why discuss the cause of so-called blindness, when I am about to prove to you that sight is spiritually mental, an indestructible faculty of Mind, never absent from God and His reflection? Many students, however, find the Master's next statement a little difficult to fathom. He says (John 9:4), "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." Then he adds, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
What a warning to the seeker after Christian healing to attempt nothing apart from the power of Christ, Truth! As long as one knows that genuine Christian Science treatment is the coming of the light of Christ to individual human consciousness— in other words, that healing prayer is the recognition of Immanuel, or "God with us" —he can be gratefully aware that he is working in the "day" of Spirit and avoiding the "night" of material sense with its fears, doubts, and personal responsibilities.
In the Glossary of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy has given the metaphysical interpretation of the words "day" and "night" as follows: "Day. The irradiance of Life; light, the spiritual idea of Truth and Love" (p. 584); and, "Night; Darkness; doubt; fear" (p. 592). With these spiritual explanations, cannot one see the significance of the Master's declaration that his mighty works had to be performed when consciousness was flooded with "the irradiance of Life" and when man was seen in the light, "the spiritual idea of Truth and Love"? And in a mental state of "darkness, doubt, fear," could there be found the spiritual illumination which saves and heals?
Who does not welcome the coming of the morning light after the darkness of a nightlong struggle? Darkness but symbolizes the absence of light, and therefore the hope ever springs that while "weeping may endure for a night," joy will come with the morning. What a message of cheer is Paul's word to the Thessalonians: "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness" (I Thess. 5:5). Why, therefore, do we allow ourselves to tarry in the black-out of mesmeric materialism? Does someone say that he cannot find the light? Let not that suggestion of defeatism pass unchallenged.
Every human consciousness may learn to know God as divine Mind and to see man as the expression of that perfect intelligence; and when this truth is affirmed with conviction and the darkness, or Truth's opposite, is seen to be powerless and unreal, God's day, "the irradiance of Life," is truly appearing. This realization then becomes a law of extinction to every would-be spiritual black-out. How true are the Master's words that when seemingly enmeshed in the night of carnal mesmerism, "no man can work"! But, says the apostle in his letter to the Romans (13:12), "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."
With every case presented to the Christian Science practitioner comes the priceless opportunity to do just this, not only for the so-called patient before him, but for the whole human family. When Shakespeare said, "How far that little candle throws its beams!" was he not showing that there is no possible way of estimating into what dark and hidden places Truth's healing light is penetrating? With each Christian Science treatment, therefore, the claims of animal magnetism, or "the works of darkness," are being lessened for all mankind; and verily is "the armour of light" put on when the magnetism of materiality is intelligently handled.
In a memorable paragraph in Science and Health (p. 450) Mrs. Eddy lists the arguments to be scientifically dealt with. She writes, "Knowing the claim of animal magnetism, that all evil combines in the belief of life, substance, and intelligence in matter, electricity, animal nature, and organic life, who will deny that these are the errors which Truth must and will annihilate?" "Children of the day" indeed are the students of Christian Science who, wisely and fearlessly, recognize and then strive to nothingize each phase of animal magnetism which our Leader has pointed out.
Now there are certain substances known to be conductors of electricity, while others are nonconductors. One can with impunity, for instance, handle a glass electric light bulb, for glass is not a conductor of the electric current. Should not the Scientist seek and find that state of consciousness wherein the magnetic currents of the carnal mind cannot reach him? Spiritualized thought is a nonconductor of the shafts of evil. The Psalmist shows the happy insulation against satanic seizures and attacks from error's counterfeit forces which those enjoy who dwell "in the secret place of the most High" (Ps. 91). The promise is that neither terror by night nor arrow by day shall come nigh their dwelling. Someone has well said, however, that for continuing protection one needs to dwell in that "secret place" and not just be an occasional visitor there.
After all, our progress, our protection, our achievements in this holy Cause are contingent upon our willingness to walk in the footsteps of him who said, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day." No one does intelligent metaphysical work while groping in the night of unhandled animal magnetism. Let us work in the day!
