Throughout her writings Mary Baker Eddy counsels her students to pray consistently each day for themselves. In Article VIII of the Manual of The Mother Church, Mrs. Eddy gives specific rules on this subject which we are called upon to obey. As Christian Scientists we must pray for ourselves as well as for mankind, guard against involvement in evil, and defend ourselves against false suggestion. As we study this part of the Manual, we learn that before we can effectually embrace all mankind in our prayers for universal enlightenment and harmony, we must first establish within our consciousness our own sense of unity with God, the divine Principle of all being.
The material environment around us is not the universe of Spirit's creating. All that we seem to see, hear, and feel through the material senses are modes of mortal thought, misconceptions of the ever-present and indestructible spiritual universe and of spiritual man. It is imperative that we guard the door of our consciousness against the pressure of the so-called carnal mind's evil suggestions.
Evil in human nature tends to resist to the utmost the uncovering of its own unreality. Christ Jesus warned us (Matt. 24: 12), "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
