The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-04-20

n. 1872.
Basis Of Christian Science PRAYER
Let US here consider briefly The
basis Of the healing prayer Of
Christian Science. First. what i.
our concept OF Cod To whom or
what arc we praying? Do We
have a picture OF human being
before us--one who must be plead
ed with or argued with. one who
arbitrarily might be Withholding
good or justice from His children ,
II so. the very basis OF our PRAYER
Is faulty. Christ Jesus taught US
that God is Spirit, the opposite Of
the material; that He is a loving
Father who is in heaven: in other
words, God who is everlastingly
harmonious and the Giver only OF
good and harmony to His children.
At no time does the Master indi-
cate that this good God is the
author Of discord or disease. In
fact. on one notable occasion he
definitely states that a certain af-
flicted woman was bound by Sa-
tan, not by God: and what Is
Satan but ignorance Of God-an-
other absence,
Gaining Spiritual Sense of Man
Nov how did this beneficent
creator fashion man? As we have
been laboring under a false appre-
hension as 10 the true nature Of
God all these years, is IL not pos
sible that we have also failed to
see man as be is in Truth? In the
first and second chapters OF Gene
sis we find two separate and dis
tinct accounts OF the creation Of
man: in the first chapter appears
the glorious record Of a glorious
creation - man. Gods noblest
work, made in His image and like
ness and given dominion over all
things; in the second chapter we
find an unquestioned alegory. de-
picting a so-called man originating
in dust: in fact, he is called Adam.
which in the Hebrew denotes the
red color OF the ground" He there
fore typifies this material sense of
creation. in which all mortals find
We have therefore
two accounts to consider: one a
spiritual creation, man imaging
his Maker and given dominion: and
the other a material conception,
formed Of dust and at the mercy
OF sin, disease, and death. Christ
Jesus referred to the true and the
false thus: That which is born
Of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is
spirit" And he indicates that il
one would enter the kingdom-if
he would taste reality he must
be born again; he must gain
new and spiritual sense of crea-
ton. So If We will pray Alright.
our petitions must be patterned
after the Masters. whose humble
writes Mrs. Eddy in Sci
ence and Health with Key TO the
scriptures Up. 12). were deep
md conscientious protests of Truth
of mans likeness to God and OF
mans unity with Truth and Love"
Unenlightened Prayer Versus
Spiritual Understanding
The following experience may
De helpful in showing the differ
.nce between the prayers of one
who knew at first only the ma
.erial sense of God and man and
his prayer after gaining some
measure of spiritual understand
ng. This young man. knowing
nothing of Christian Science. was
striving to master his
lear of the water. and to learn to
swim. However. try rs he might.
ne could never muster up enough
courage to venture into deep wa
ter. But one day, quite unwit-
tingly he got beyond his depth in
the swimming tank to which he
was accustomed TO repair. When
he realized his predicament. over
whelmed by fear, he began to sink.
In desperation. this wild appeal
came from his lips: God help
me-" And down he went. There
was no spiritual understanding of
A God of spiritual power, nor of a
man in His image who had domin-
ion. No, the only man he knew
was the son Of Adam. who had no
dominion over fear, his BODY. or
the water. Somehow. he managed
10 reach the side of the tank in
safety, but God appeared TO have
little 10 do with the rescue. Al all
events, he did not think of God
again until church time the fol-
lowing Sunday. Some years later.
this young man found Christian
Science. and mastering much fear
he learned to swim. One day he
set out TO swim TO an island in
the bay, but misjudged the dis
tsnce and found himself far out
from the mainland, and apparently
as far from his objective. In a
moment there appeared the old
terror, added 10 which was the
that q tragedy was i'm
pending. What was 10 be done
But Christian Science had been
teaching him OF q God who was
ever-present, all-powerful good,
and of man. His image, whose Life
was hid with Christ in God" In
stantly spontaneously, he found
himself praying thus: Father,
know that Thou art with me, /
am Thy reflection and nothing can
happen 10 me- Underneath me
are the everlasting arms" And
then came great calm. q lessen
ing of fear. and he was enabled 10
turn over on his back and literally
rest in "the everlasting arms in
the consciousness Of mans unity
with omnipotence. In few min
utes. refreshed and strengthened.
with fear conquered. he struck OUT
for the island. which he reached IN
safety, thanks TO Christian Sci
ence.
Dealing with Fear