"Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us" (John 14:8). Many people have echoed this plea of Philip's. At the time it was uttered Jesus answered, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." However, Jesus recognized that it was necessary to look beyond his individual reflection of God, for he further stated, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth."
It was the Christlike qualities, with which Jesus was so richly endowed, that enabled him to heal and regenerate those who came to him. This "Spirit of truth," which Jesus exemplified, has indeed come to us; and all who are pleading, "Shew us the Father," have only to study and use the inspired truths of Christian Science, given to the world by Mary Baker Eddy, to receive that which "sufficeth."
In her writings our Leader uses the illustration of a mirror to explain the exactness of man's reflection of God. In one instance, after calling attention to the fact that the person standing in front of a mirror sees reflected not only his exact form, but each movement as well, she adds (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pp. 515, 516): "Now compare man before the mirror to his divine Principle, God. Call the mirror divine Science, and call man the reflection. Then note how true, according to Christian Science, is the reflection to its original."
Is it not logical, then, to look into divine Science, to turn to what Mrs. Eddy says are the facts in Science, in order to make use of this mirror? With the help of the Concordances to our Leader's writings we can find many statements containing the words "in Science," "in divine Science," and "in Christian Science"; and in each statement will be found the means for gaining a better understanding of our real selfhood.
For example, when one is endeavoring to gain a better concept of the world situation and his own place and activity in it, he finds a definite basis for work in our Leader's statement in the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. VIII, Sect. 1), "In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness." Here in the mirror of Science is the answer to his need, for he sees that in a universe governed by divine Love there can be no hate, greed, or destructive power. He understands more fully that as every nation demonstrates God's control, is activated by Love, it will experience only the reciprocality of Love. He recognizes that as the citizens of all countries learn, through Christian Science, to have the sweet amenities of Love as their basis of action, they will find sin rebuked; they will attain "true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness," and will see the truths of being completely blotting out all friction and strife for place or power.
Turning again to the mirror of divine Science, we find our defense against evil, or animal magnetism, and all its concomitants. Mrs. Eddy explains animal magnetism as a negation, without intelligence or reality. On this basis we can prove that it cannot disturb or change either our thinking or our activity. Knowing that immortal Mind and its truths are sustaining and directing us, we can look for the utter annihilation of any counterclaims, pretensions to power or presence.
Throughout Mrs. Eddy's writings are innumerable references to man in Science, the study of which will enlarge our concept of true being and give us added insight into better methods of using what we have gained. One statement from Science and Health, dearly loved and often quoted, is a case in point. Mrs. Eddy tells us (Science and Health, pp. 476, 477): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick."
As we look for man as revealed to us in Christian Science we find that his spiritual ancestry of Godlike qualities, his heritage of dominion, his reflection of divine wisdom, all place him out of the material realm with its false testimony. We see man as an active witness to the Bible declaration (Lev. 19: 2), "Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy."
A clear realization of man's status as the child of God, together with a definite denial of error as unreal, quickly and completely healed a Christian Scientist who had been working for some time to overcome a persistent and very distressing cough. The condition had become so real to her that she felt she should not go to church or other gatherings where the cough would be heard and would disturb members of the group. There was a meeting which she was most anxious to attend, however, and when talking with another Scientist she made the statement that she would love to go but did not think that she could because of this problem. As this friend turned from the false picture to the mirror of divine Science, seeing the real man, made in God's own likeness, she exclaimed, "Error cannot disturb." There was no further evidence of any power to stop right activity. The healing was complete.
There are many who are consciously or unconsciously looking for the Father. They are seeking some means by which to get a better understanding of Him and a firmer basis upon which to build their lives. As Christian Scientists remain unswerving in their vision of the facts of being as taught in Christian Science, as they give evidence, by their deeds, of their true origin as seen through this mirror of divine Science, Jesus' words, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father," will again be found to answer the need. In the book of Isaiah we read (43:11, 12): "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God."
