MARY BAKER EDDY LETTER

Letter Number Five, September 1, 1997

"We would enter by the door"-the door that Mary Baker Eddy opened to the captives of material sense. We woo the weary wanderer to our door when we forget self in laboring for mankind. The door that leads out of error is everywhere. Understanding pushes us "out through the door of Love, on to the blest above" (Ret. 46:17 and Mis. 106:12).

What Is the Purpose of Divine Love?

"It is the purpose of divine Love to resurrect the understanding....the reign of harmony already within us. Through the word that is spoken unto you, you are made free. Abide in His [infinite good's] word, and it shall abide in you; and the healing Christ will again be made manifest in the flesh-understood and glorified" (Mis. 154:16).

It is the purpose of this "Mary Baker Eddy Letter" to restore Mary Baker Eddy to her rightful place in world consciousness-not only as the Leader of the Christian Science movement, but as the spiritual Leader of the world. Doing this will restore to Christian Scientists the healing power experienced while Mary Baker Eddy sojourned on earth with us. The great spiritual momentum she built up caused the wonderful healing capacity to continue for nearly forty years after her leaving.

Did Mary Baker Eddy Leave?

Did Mary Baker Eddy really leave? No. Only to erring mortal sense did she seem to leave. Hear her instruction on this point: After Mr. Kimball's passing Mrs. Eddy wrote: "My beloved Edward A. Kimball...is here now as veritably as when he visited me a year ago. If we would awaken to this recognition, we would see him here and realize that he never died; thus demonstrating the fundamental truth of Christian Science."

Naturally, if this is true about Kimball, it is true about Mary Baker Eddy, and if we would awaken to this recognition we would see her here just as she was seen before December, 1910. When Laura Sargent asked her where she would be after so-called death, Mrs. Eddy said, "Why, I'll be right here at my desk." And if we would awaken out of the Adam dream we would see her there. We must waken and progress into spirituality; then the mists of false belief pass away, and we see that those who have gone beyond are alive just as before.

Mary Baker Eddy stated on page 72 of Science and Health, "IN SCIENCE, INDIVIDUAL GOOD, DERIVED FROM GOD [FROM OUR OWN REAL DIVINE MIND] THE INFINITE ALL-IN-ALL, MAY FLOW FROM THE DEPARTED TO MORTALS." How comforting to know that she is right here beside us, untouched by death, still carrying on her great, God-given task of lifting us out of illusion.

Death, One of the Triad of Errors

Are we doing our part? Sin, sickness, death, Mrs. Eddy called a triad of errors. Are we overcoming death, the last enemy, as well as sin and sickness? This is a question we must ask ourselves, since in Christian Science death is as unreal as sin and sickness. "Christian Scientists," Mrs. Eddy said, "must absolutely abandon their belief that all must die."

Jesus, our example, showed the eternity of Life, and all must eventually follow his example. Jesus in his consciousness must have overcome the belief in death when he talked with Moses and Elias, or he could not have experienced the transfiguration. There can be no doubt that he received wisdom and strength from Moses and Elias in order to accomplish his outward victory in proving the nothingness of the last enemy.

Was not this also the case with St. John when he beheld what the human eye cannot see? He "was on our plane of existence while yet beholding what the eye cannot see,-that which is invisible to the uninspired thought" (S&H 573:3). Regarding this, Mrs. Eddy writes: "This is scriptural authority for concluding that such a recognition of being is, and has been, possible to men in this present state of existence,-that we can become conscious here and now, of a cessation of death, sorrow, and pain" (S&H 573).

There is evidence that Mary Baker Eddy also had the experience, like St. John, of beholding spiritually what the eye cannot see, and that she talked with Jesus, just as Jesus, nearly two thousand years ago talked with Moses and Elias.

After an annual Association meeting Martha Wilcox told several of the more advanced students of a time when Mrs. Eddy had requested that she be left alone. After quite a long time Laura Sargent and Martha decided to enter; but as they listened at the door they heard voices. When they entered Mrs. Eddy said, "Girls, why did you disturb me? I was talking with Jesus." Mrs. Eddy was talking with Jesus just as nearly two thousand years earlier, Jesus talked with Moses and Elias.

When Jesus spoke with Moses and Elias, it was many long years after Moses and Elias had demonstrated over death. This proved the nothingness of time to affect man's individuality. Time cannot affect one's individuality anymore than time can affect 2x2=4.

Death, of course, can only be overcome through understanding. "The scientific unity which exists between God and man must be wrought out in life-practice" (S&H 202:3). It was the practical understanding of the Christ that enabled Jesus to say, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

Now think about this, and ask yourself, since Jesus' body was not in any way different from the material substance that you think composes your body, then what and where is the difference? Wouldn't it be in what Jesus accepted as Mind? Shakespeare said, "Thinking makes it so." Isn't this why the Bible tells us to let that Mind be Mind to us that was Mind to Christ Jesus?

"Christian Science," Mrs. Eddy states, "requires understanding instead of belief; it is based on fixed eternal and divine Principle, wholly apart from mortal conjecture; and it must be understood, otherwise it cannot be correctly accepted and demonstrated." It is like one's understanding of the principle of mathematics which enables one to demonstrate rules. Belief and faith lead to understanding, but have nothing to do with true being any more than belief and faith have to do with working out a mathematical problem.

Let us strive to be more and more awake, and see death as just an error of belief to be overcome. When Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly," (John l0:10), he was declaring the nothingness of death, the destruction of it. Christian Science has come not only to destroy sin and sickness, but to destroy death too. Error's claim that man begins, carries with it evil's claim that man dies. But in Christian Science we are about our Father's (Mind's) business of Life and to "have it more abundantly."

We all must be more awake to refute the false belief that all must die. I must ask myself, am I planning to die? Or do I accept Jesus' true statement, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"? We can't be on both sides. Remember Mrs. Eddy's teaching, "Every Scientist must put out of his thought, absolutely, the belief that he must sometime change to another plane of existence. God is Life; there is no other plane of existence and we must make our plans for immortality. Stop talking about death. There is no death to Life." (Statement preserved by the Carpenters.)

The New Testament is full of examples of how individual good flowed from the personally departed Jesus to the disciples and others. I am indebted to Mrs. McKenzie for alerting me to the many times Jesus appeared to the disciples and his followers, not only after his resurrection, but also after his ascension. Jesus' appearance after the resurrection awakened his disciples to death's nothingness, and this enabled Jesus' guidance to reach them even long after his physical departure.

We know it was difficult for the disciples, even the most spiritually-minded, to understand that Jesus had not gone anywhere, just as 2x2=4 can't go anywhere. It is omnipresent. They did not at first recognize him on the walk to Emmaus, neither did they believe those who had seen him. "Because of mortals' material and sinful belief the spiritual Jesus was imperceptible to them" (S&H 314:23). But later they became awake to Jesus' presence, and were not surprised when the "angel of the Lord" (meaning Jesus) guided them.

In Mathew 28, Mark l6:9, and John 20 we read of Jesus' first appearance to Mary Magdalen. Jesus proved to Mary, the textbook tells us, that he was more than ever the idea of life, substance, and intelligence, because he had proved that the arguments of death were unable to affect his individuality and the substance of his being.

Jesus next appeared to two of his disciples (Mark 16:12). After that he appeared to the eleven "as they sat at meat." Then he appeared to the disciples on the walk to Emmaus, and then to the disciples at Jerusalem "where they were assembled for fear of the Jews." When they were "terrified and affrighted," Jesus tenderly assured them, showing them the scars in his hands and feet, and eating food with them.

"They who earliest saw Jesus after the resurrection and beheld the final proof of all that he had taught, misconstrued that event. Even his disciples at first called him a spirit, ghost, or spectre, for they believed his body to be dead. His reply was: 'Spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.' The reappearing of Jesus was not the return of a spirit. He presented the same body that he had before his crucifixion, and so glorified the supremacy of Mind over matter.

"Jesus' students, not suffciently advanced fully to understand their Master's triumph, did not perform many wonderful works until they saw him after his crucifixion and learned that he had not died. This convinced them of the truthfulness of all he had taught" (S&H 45:22-46:4. See also John 20:19-30)

In John 21, we have the wonderful account of the meeting of Jesus and the disciples on the peaceful shores of Galilee, where, Mrs. Eddy says, "His gloom had passed into glory, and his disciples' grief into repentance, hearts chastened and pride rebuked."

Jesus Appears to Paul

Are we aware that it was after his ascension that Jesus appeared to St. Paul? And that he also appeared to others after his ascension? Remember again, that in Science and Health Mrs. Eddy states, "In Science, individual good, derived from God [your own real Mind], the infinite All-in-all, may flow from the departed to mortals" (Science and Health 72:23).

Paul in the New Testament relates that while on the road to Damascus to persecute the Christians he experienced a great influx of light. Hearing a voice, he asked, "Who art thou, Lord?" The answer came, "I am Jesus."

Paul also tells us of the appearance of Jesus to the disciples both before and after the time of this occurrence. In verses five to eight of I Cor. 15, we read that Jesus "was seen of Cephas (Peter), then of the twelve. After that he was seen of about five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this day present."

"After that he was seen of James, then of all the apostles, and last of all he was seen of me...." Note that Paul tells us that he and others SAW Jesus as well as heard him. We learn from this that it was possible to see Jesus after his ascension; it only required greater spiritual vision.

Mary Baker Eddy brought the Second Coming of the Christ, because she understood how Jesus did his mighty works, and could explain it so we too could do what Jesus had done.

Jesus Was Named: "Angel of the Lord."

Jesus' appearances to the apostles and to others after his resurrection and ascension were profound and life changing. In Acts 8:26 we read, "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the South unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza."

When we define "angel" as a spiritual messenger, we see that when the Bible speaks of the "angel of the Lord," it means a guidance from Jesus, since Jesus was known as "the Lord," by his disciples. Remember, Jesus said, "Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye do well." As Peter said at the morning meeting, "It is the Lord."

In this case, Philip's guidance from the "angel of the Lord" (meaning Jesus) led to the conversion of the servant of the Queen of Ethiopia.

Paul's Conversion

And what about Paul, whose conversion was so wonderful? Let's recall. Acts 9 tells us that "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord...as he came near Damascus...suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And [Paul] said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus...And the Lord said unto [Paul], Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."

Paul was three days without sight, "but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus."

Then we come to the beautiful and remarkable appearance of Jesus to the disciple Ananias, at Damascus. Verse 10 (still Chapter 9) tells us that Jesus spoke to Ananias and told him to go "and inquire in the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus." Ananias had heard how much evil Saul had done, and was at first afraid, but "the Lord [Jesus] said, Go ...for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."

That Jesus appeared to Ananias and gave Ananias a definite message, we see from Ananias' words to Paul, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from Paul's eyes as it had been scales; and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized" (Acts 9:17-18). Saul had been blinded-he had been led to Damascus by the hand of those with him. As the result of Jesus' appearing to Ananias, Saul was healed of blindness during this visit from Ananias, and with the guidance and protection of Jesus, "the angel of the Lord," Paul's life was changed forever.

Paul went on to preach Christ in the synagogues, confounding the Jews so that they "took counsel to kill him," but "the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket." When Paul came to Jerusalem, the disciples were afraid of him "but Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles," and from there he escaped to Caesarea and to Tarsus.

Peter Guided to Call No Man Unclean

Jesus Appeared to a Roman Centurion

In Acts 10 we read that [Jesus] the angel of the Lord, appeared to a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Jesus directed Cornelius to send to Joppa, where he would find Peter, and Peter would tell him what he ought to do. (Acts 10:5,6). Peter had been guided [by Jesus] to call no man common or unclean. At first Peter doubted, (here read Acts 10:17-48), but ultimately he returned with the messengers sent to him by the Roman centurion, Cornelius.

Cornelius had gathered together his friends and kinsmen to hear what Peter would tell them. The Roman centurion explained to Peter that four days ago while he was fasting and praying, "behold, a man [Jesus] stood before me in bright clothing, and he [Jesus] said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard...Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter....Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art here. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God."

The Great Step Forward: Gentiles Admitted

Peter's explanation resulted in the conversion and baptism of all gathered there. The result of this specific heavenly guidance from the Lord Jesus was the great forward step of admitting the Gentiles to the fellowship of Christ.

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons: but in every nation he that feareth [loveth] him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." Acts 10:45 tells us, "And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them [the Gentiles] speak with tongues, and magnify God [infinite Good]."

Acts 11:21 tells us, "And the hand of the Lord [Jesus] was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." This tells us of the guidance of the Master, of Jesus, after his earthly disappearance, and assures us that even today we can have the guidance of Jesus and of Mary Baker Eddy.

"The Angel of the Lord" [Jesus] Delivers Peter From Prison

"Herod, the king, stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John....and proceded further to take Peter also....and put him in prison....and when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, [Jesus] the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he [Jesus] smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off of his hands. And the angel [Jesus] said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thine sandals....And he [Jesus] said unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out and followed him [illustrating that Peter could see Jesus in order to follow him] and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel [Jesus].

"....And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord [Jesus] hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod...." Peter told his surprised followers that it was the Lord [meaning Jesus] that had brought him out of prison. This deliverance (through the Lord Jesus) saved Peter to labor for many years for the cause of Christianity.

Paul Becomes the Great Apostle to the Gentiles

Because St. Paul is so important in Bible history, let's hear him repeat his experience of Jesus coming to him, and his conversion as he retells it in Acts 22. After retelling how he was on his way to persecute the Christians he continues, "it came to pass, that as I...was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. ...And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord [Jesus] said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

"And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came unto Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man....came unto me, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his [God's, infinite good's] witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

"....And he [Jesus] said unto me, Depart [from Jerusalem; they lay in wait to kill thee; so depart]; for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21). Apparently Paul did not leave immediately, "and they gave him audience." This resulted in great tumult during which Paul was bound with thongs (Acts 23).

"And when there arose a great dissension," the chief captain, fearing for Paul, commanded the soldiers to bring Paul into the castle. "And the night following, the Lord [Jesus] stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome."

And "bear witness" Paul amply did, as Acts tell us.

In Acts, Chapter 24, we read Paul's eloquent defense in verses 10-21; and his testimony before Felix and his wife in verses 24-27. Chapter 25 begins with Paul before Festus. Verses 8-11 describe Paul's defense and appeal to Caesar.

The chapter ends with Paul before King Agrippa. Festus had told King Agrippa that the Jews "had certain questions against [Paul] of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." In Acts, Chapter 26, Paul appears before King Agrippa. After Paul's defense, "[King] Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar."

The last two chapters of Acts are concerned with Paul's voyage to Rome; the shipwreck; his escape to Melita, his works there; his arrival at Rome; his important preaching there for two years. All were the direct outcome of the continuing presence of Jesus after his resurrection and ascension.

These examples all wonderfully demonstrate Mary Baker Eddy's teaching: "In Science, individual good derived from God [infinite good, our own real Mind that is Love], the infinite All-in-all, may flow from the departed to mortals" (S&H 72:23).

The Book of Revelation

Of all the records we have of Jesus' actions and influence in the years following his personal disappearance, The Book of Revelation must surely be the most wonderful. To Christian Scientists the Book of Revelation is certainly the most precious. "Genesis and Revelation," Mrs. Eddy says, "contain the deep divinity of the Bible" (S&H 546:21).

In the Book of Revelation when we read the first and second verse of Chapter I we note it says: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; who bare record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw."

St. John's spiritual sense and great spiritual growth enabled him to receive this revelation, this guidance, and the prophecy in the Book of Revelation. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, tells us Revelation contains (along with Genesis) "the deep divinity of the Bible." It is the revelation Jesus gave to St. John as we see again affirmed in the last chapter of Revelation, Chapter 22: 8 and 9 where it says: "...And when I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel [Jesus] which showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets...."

A careful reading of the Book of Revelation will show that the "angel" who revealed to John these things was Jesus himself. Jesus continues to identify himself through the following verses, saying, "I, Jesus." The last words are: "Surely, I come quickly." and John replies to Jesus, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Perhaps the two most important points to realize about Jesus' revelation to St. John are that it came directly from Jesus, and that it heralds the coming of Mary Baker Eddy.

Statement by Martha Wilcox

In her l944 Association Address, Martha Wilcox stated: "Mary Baker Eddy stands for something far greater than a good personality or a great human being. When correctly estimated she stands for the complete revelation of Christ in the human consciousness...."

Without doubt Mrs. Eddy embodies all the characteristics of the woman portrayed in St. John's vision. In her Glossary to Christ and Christmas Mrs. Eddy quotes Jesus as saying, "Verily, veriily, I say unto you, The hour is coming [Second Coming of the Christ with the advent of Mary Baker Eddy], and now is [with the advent of Jesus, the first of the two scripturally prophesied witnesses], when the dead, [those "pained, fettered and befooled" by hypnotic suggestion] shall hear the voice of the Son of God...." We are all eventually destined to hear it and live.

Martha Wilcox tells how Mrs. Eddy demonstrated that there is no matter when one day when alone with Martha and Laura Sargent, Mrs. Eddy said, "Girls, come here and put your arms around me." As they did so, Mrs. Eddy disappeared and was standing on the other side of the room looking at them. Other students tell of similar experiences. Mrs. Eddy cautioned them about relating these experiences to those metaphysically unprepared for them. (See The Forever Leader, by Doris Grekel, page 568 & 574-5).

In another instance, Mrs. Eddy proved that water is subjective, not objective. One day when Ira Knapp and Mrs. Eddy were on the coast at Red Rock, near Lynn, Mass., Mrs. Eddy was caught out on the rocks as the tide was coming in. Mr. Knapp saw her stranded; and while he was looking for a boat to rescue her, Mrs. Eddy walked on the water and came to shore. While Mrs. Eddy's wonderful demonstration of walking on the water has been known to the author of this Letter since childhood, it can be found in print in David Keyston's The Healer: The Healing Work of Mary Baker Eddy, p. 174-5.

Yes, as I wrote in Chapter 21, page 208, of my book, Humanity's Divinity, it is as important to know who Mary Baker Eddy is as it is to know what she taught. All Christian Scientists will become aware that Mary Baker Eddy represented the Woman of the Apocalypse and has fulfilled scriptural prophecy just as the Virgin Mary and Christ Jesus fulfilled Biblical prophecy. Mrs. Eddy herself made this clear numerous times in her writings. For instance, in Science and Health, p. ll8:6, she states: "Did not this parable point a moral with a prophecy, foretelling the second appearing in the flesh, of the Christ, Truth, hidden in sacred secrecy from the visible world?" The Glossary's first verse of her inspired Christ and Christmas-her last book-makes it clear that both she and Jesus are "the root and offspring of David."

Mrs. Eddy said, "You find me in my writings," but also, "My writings are not all you know of me." Her writings inform us she knew she represented the woman of the Apocalypse, in fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

When we look for her in her writings, who do we find?

We find: the "one God selects for the highest service," namely, Mary Baker Eddy.

We find: the one "God has appointed to voice His Word."

We find: "A woman clothed in light."

We find: "A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet."

We find "an angel standing in the sun [standing in the light of Mind]," who revealed our true identity as one with God [infinite good].

We find: "I [as Mary Baker Eddy] as a corporeal person, am not in your midst....but I, as a mother whose heart pulsates with every throb of theirs for the welfare of her children, am present...." (Mis. 152:11).

We find: "...The Revelator completed [his] figure with woman, typifying the spiritual idea of God's motherhood."

We find: Mary Baker Eddy as: "God's messenger."

We find: "[Principle's] highest visible idea."

We find: "A woman crowned with twelve stars."

We find: "Christian Science [with which Mary Baker Eddy is one] is as old as God," and "gleams through Mind, mother [Mary Baker Eddy], man" (Christ and Christmas).

We find: her who, "in Spirit...entered your inner sanctuary"; and brought to view Christian Science with which Mrs. Eddy is one.

We find her: as the "Ideal woman"-the pure and holy God-consciousness that sees only God. (See my Humanity's Divinity, chapter 21.)

Mrs. Eddy admonished us: "Relinquish your human concept of me, or of any one, and find the divine, and you have gained the right one-and never until then" (Mis. 353:8). The divine concept is Mind's own concept of Itself-its full idea or manifestation, the Christ or generic man, which Mrs. Eddy revealed. Only with the Christ-consciousness which beholds infinite good, could she bring it forth. This is what we find in her writings.

We know that we find her prophesied in many other places in the Scriptures, such as the entire 54th chapter of Isaiah, and that is why she said, "My writings are not all you know of me." As we have seen, Jesus, in his revelation to St. John in Revelation, tells of the coming of the Woman-Mary Baker Eddy.

The loyal students who lived with Mrs. Eddy realized how clearly she recognized her position as prophesied by Jesus to St. John in the Book of Revelation. To her devoted students, the Millers, Mrs. Eddy wrote: "Today, it is a marvel to me that God chose me for this mission, and that my lifework was the theme of ancient prophecy and I the scribe of His infinite way of salvation." (May 7, 1902).

And what a marvel it is for us today to realize that, "in Science individual good, derived from God [from our own real divine Mind] the infinite All-in-all, may flow from the departed to mortals," from our beloved Leader to us.

The Children's Corner

Isn't the greatest treasure in our world, our children? Those who are children today will be nationmakers tomorrow. Isn't it then our most urgent responsibility that they have the proper guidance on their path to tomorrow?

Children are empty of creeds and false doctrines, and their thoughts readily receive the truth. When properly taught in Christian Science children often become little healers. Happy are they who early gain an understanding in Christian Science that evil and error are unreal.

Of course, children surrounded by fear, anger and despair will find this understanding harder to reach. This presents a major challenge of our times. We need a new way of thinking about the world's children, for around the whole world children are in crisis, not only from abuse, neglect, abandonment, poverty, child labor, etc., but also, as we know, from one of the greatest problems facing the world today, that is, young single parents and sibling-headed households, usually caused by the abandonment by the father, or death of the parents.

These situations need our compassion and steadfast realization of infinite good's omnipresence. We are at the beginning of our spiritual journey, and the careful nurturing of our children should be a global priority. Shouldn't the entire world adopt a bold new strategy of providing the education that builds skills needed in today's world, especially spiritual understanding, along with remedial temporal actions like exposing child rights-violations and counseling the abused? These actions would turn obstacles into opportunities, so that despair becomes hope, struggles become challenges.

In Christian Science, we learn that children, indeed all people, are in a crisis because of ignorance of what God is-what infinite good, the kingdom of God within their consciousness, is-here and now. Isn't it our urgent responsibility, to give this children's crisis-their struggle-a voice? We must stop making excuses for the problems and work on remedies-work to know the truth about this situation.

The Christian Scientist, having learned of the omnipresence of present perfection, and that evil is not real, has the special duty to daily declare infinite good's allness and everpresence, no matter how strongly and insistently the corporeal senses declare otherwise. It is especially important that the Christian Scientist knows and daily declares that nothing can alienate him from God, infinite good. When we realize that it is Mind-our real Mind that is Love-that creates and makes all that is made, we will begin to see perfection everywhere instead of seeing want and woe. The realization of this present perfection will bless all mankind, and help bring about the needed changes.

It is time to treat our children as the precious resource they are. This is why Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health should have as wide a dissemination as possible, so mothers and fathers can learn the power they have to help their children. The great need is caring-helping children feel loved and wanted.

To help parents, articles and books about the timeless truth of our present divinity are coming to the front, showing up everywhere. Mary Baker Eddy has taught the world that we do not live, move and have being in the material personality, but rather we live, move, and have our being as individual Mind that gives rise to all existence; for "all is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation." As we "ponder in thought our infinite harmonious Christ-expressing selfhood, and claim it," we begin to see that whatever we seek and desire is here NOW. We already are what we seek. As Jesus said, when ye stand praying believe ye already have what ye are asking for. We stand on holy ground. We must claim for ourselves and our children our divine heritage here and now.

Great Interest In Einstein and in His Childhood

Numerous readers of the "Mary Baker Eddy Letter," No. 3, wrote in response to our mention of Einstein. Many wrote about his love and interest in Christian Science. A practitioner in Florida wrote "How wonderful it would be if all the world could know of Albert Einstin's acceptance of Christian Science....I spent several days at a Ft. Lauderdale C.S. nursing home. The lady at the office (where a portrait hung of Einstein) told me Einstein once remarked: "Mary Baker Eddy's Scientific Statement of Being (S&H 468) was the most profound statement ever made by mankind."

A C.O.P. sent the Einstein statement preserved by Mrs. Spaulding (that I have mentioned in my books) where Einstein said, "Science and Health is beyond this generations's understanding. It contains the pure science. And to think that a woman knew this over eighty years ago!"

I received several quotes from people who heard Einstein say, at a Christian Science church service or in a C.S. reading room, "I wonder if you people know what you have in this book!" Another correspondent wrote of being at a garden party where Einstein was a guest. Einstein, bored with the conversation, went into the library, found Science & Health, and sat down to read it.

Other readers found a lesson of hope in the story of Einstein's unusual childhood-that teachers found him unpromising. Mary Tvaroh wrote, "Years ago I was led in a most unusual way to work at a Residential School for (wrongly called) Retarded Children. I wasn't trained for it, and never thought of doing it, but there I was for sixteen of the most wonderful love-filled years.

"I was with the littlest ones, all girls, and was told not to expect them to do much or learn, because they were non-educable. Even though I was new in learning Christian Science, I couldn't accept that verdict, and we had the greatest happy time as they proved that 'with God all things are possible.' When the parents saw them do the unexpected, and their thought was changed, the learning accelerated. Three of the little girls went on to Public Schools; the Lord led them every step of the way. [It is our hope that the story of Einstein's youth in the Mary Baker Eddy Letter, #3, will help change parents' thinking and expectancy.]

"Years later," Mary Tvaroh continued, "a young boy in my Sunday School class was classified as a slow learner in Public School; his mother was told he needed special education or he wouldn't make it, just as they told Einstein. His mother was very upset. I explained about the Truth as we learn it in Christian Science, and how the girls proved the lie to be a lie. When the mother was assured, and the boy knew God made him for a special reason, he became an honor student, and is now attending Northwestern University, has a high paying summer job and is an apprentice at a television station. He loves Christian Science."

The world will never be able to repay what it owes Mary Baker Eddy for her great discovery and her teaching of this Science which her books contain. But one way to repay our Leader for her self-sacrifice, consecration, faithfulness, unselfishness, and for her untiring labors for the salvation of humanity, is to do what we can to help children learn the truth about themselves-help them to build Christ-like characters, and to love the Truth as Mary Baker Eddy taught it in Christian Science; teach them that the kingdom of heaven is at hand-that this kingdom of God (of infinite good) is within their consciousness and spiritual education will bring it to light.

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