The Daily Alaska empire., 1935-07-09

stance in matter, All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifesto ton, for God is All-in-all Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal: matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His im- age and likeness, Therefore man is not material; he is spirituall'
 But someone may ask, Does not prayer, or what is called effectual prayer. produce change? It sure. " does, but not change in God. However, even though prayer can lot change God, 1t may still be ef- !ectual-it may change us. It may
 lear away some of the obstructions which have been preventing our receiving or accepting the good that is ours. It may awaken in us a keener awareness of Gods near ness, of His love for us, and of His abundant provision for our need.
 Are we accepting what God has given us? Let us use very com mon illustration. Suppose. for ex-l ample, that you are contending with an illness of some sort. Now, Mrs. Eddy has told us Science and Health, p. AID. The procuring cause and foundation of all sick ness is fear, ignorance, or sin. By l what means are you going to at tempt to destroy the sickness and
 Sestore a sense Of health2 Is there any medicine that is supposed to be capable of destroying fear, or ig-
 norance, or sin? No, there is no
 material remedy for these evils, these cau.es of sickness. In your search for relief the words of the apostle James may come ot you, The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him
 up What is this healing power? Is it beseeching. entreating, or irn- 1 ploring God to 'heal2 Would such a
 desire bring to you any more of
 Gods power than you have at pres
 snt? Let us see what the Bible teaches on this subject. Through Christian Science we are learning l that the Bible teaches that God is l the only cause, the only creator; that He made man in. His image
 2 mental or spiritual being; and
 that He maintains man in His like ness; that all God made is good;
 and that God governs the universe,
 including man. and governs it per-
 fectly, If we accept these premises, he 0ply logical deduction about mans health is that man is well I now. Are we taking these state
 nents of Scripture and applying
 them to ourselyes2 Are we reasoning about ourselves from the basis. of perfect God and perfect mani? Are we accepting what is eternally true about ourselves?
 Tn the first chapter of John we
 may read, As many as receive him,
 to them gave he power to become I the sons of God
 l Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, gained sp clear an understanding of God, and of Jesus method of prayer, that she was able to pray in sim liar manner She. desired only what God gives. She did not pray for rnateriality for personal profit or \ personal qualification. Her desire l was to know and do the will of god, and her prayers were answered. When our prayers become a fervent desire to know the will of God, to accept 1t and obey it, the Kingdom llof heaven will be curse for heaven ts: the government of God realized af1d accepted.
 But someone may say. Did not ouf Master leave us very definite promise that we should receive all We asked for, when he said. AWhat things soever ye desire, when Se pray, believe that ye receive them. and ye shall have them? Yes, he did. But there are two words in that statement which are very sig nificant. They are pray and re- ceiye3 Prayer is the very. opposite of selfish or material desires. Such desires cannot properly be called prayer. Only a desire for the things Of God can properly be called prayer" s