In her writings Mrs. Eddy has given certain directives which are to receive daily attention by her followers. One such is found in the Manual of The Mother Church under the heading "Alertness to Duty." It reads (Art. VIII, Sect. 6), "It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind."
According to Christian Science the term "aggressive mental suggestion" is not confined to mental whisperings that might accuse one's neighbor, business associate, or fellow church member of being deceitful, unkind, unloving, and so on, but covers every phase of evil which would deceive men into accepting the mortal sense of existence as real. It is a term revealing the exact nature of error, material sense, and its method of operation; it includes latent as well as visible error. Christian Science teaches that good is the source and condition of all being. Consequently, whatever would contradict this fact is properly classified as aggressive mental suggestion, and each member of The Mother Church is to defend himself daily against it. The alert Scientist does not wait for error to make its appearance before he works specifically to know its powerlessness. The many false beliefs plaguing mankind are simply aggressive mental suggestions, and one's daily recognition and handling of them act as a law to defend one from their intrusion into consciousness.
Christian Science is in the world today to bring to men an understanding of God which will meet every human need and demonstrate divine Love's control over all. The great power Christ Jesus demonstrated in every phase of his life was evidence of his deep understanding of God. He recognized God to be eternal good, the Spirit, or Mind, whom he knew to be the Father, or creator, of all true being. And he declared (John 10: 15), "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father."
