In a world where fear seems inescapable it is a wondrous event when one finds that divine Love has a specific and blessed "Peace, be still" for every troubled heart. The glorious fact that Love casts out fear and frees men from its torment is proclaimed in the Scriptures, is explained thoroughly and understandably by Christian Science, and is being proved day in and day out in the lives of those who seek to understand and practice the fundamentals upon which this action rests. Hence this priceless fact can be proved here and now by anyone who follows the rules of Christian Science. Since the disposal of fear is a first requisite in Christian Science treatment, the importance of demonstrating Love's power over fear promptly is evident.
The beloved disciple, John, states the spiritual truth which underlies the destruction of fear in these simple words (I John 4:18): "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." How could John affirm this so convincingly)? Because he knew, to use his own words, that "God is love"; that "all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3); that "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5).
How can we prove for ourselves that Love casts out fear? By consenting unreservedly to the fact stated by John and to the many explanations given in our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and in her other writings. Mrs. Eddy tells us in the textbook (p. 454), "The understanding, even in a degree, of the divine All-power destroys fear, and plants the feet in the true path,—the path which leads to the house built without hands 'eternal in the heavens.'" We can receive the blessing indicated by our Leader's statement through sincerely striving to understand it, to practice hourly what we learn, and thereby to prove step by step that its law is divine and its effect certain. The process is greatly shortened when we willingly and joyously drop the thought that we are actually human persons striving to attain some far-off goal and accept our spiritual identity as the man God made.
