Infinity is a concept finite mortals are unable to grasp in its full significance. Yet, studied in the light of Christian Science, it is an inspiring and a practical subject. God, who is Spirit, could not conceivably have limits but must be omnipresent, filling the entire spiritual universe. God must also be eternal, knowing neither beginning nor ending and holding His creation forever coexistent with Himself-with Life and Soul. He must continuously pour out His love and substance in measureless degree to every one of His perfect and complete ideas.

Christian Science offers this unparalleled view of God, which provides the unfailing corrective for the mortal concept that measures activity in time, locates it in space, and values it in terms of money. The nature of these three errors shows the common quality, limitation. And all three may be eliminated and replaced with the truth through acknowledging and understanding that the nature of God is infinity.

Believing that time is real, we often suffer pressure because of time. On the other hand, boredom, idleness, and even

vice may stem from apparently having too much time. The Christian Scientist endeavors to know that he lives in the eternal now of timeless Truth. As he acknowledges the deathlessness of Life, the precision of Spirit, and the orderliness of Principle, he finds that his affairs progressively become arranged in orderly and efficient harmony. He not only finds time for daily study of the Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly and of other means provided for his spiritual advancement but time for prayers for himself, his family, his church, his community, and the world. Many opportunities arise for helping others, and he needs to keep thought alert to finding them. Whatever his daily tasks, he can see the Christ in place of the mortal he is tempted to view. Time is replaced by opportunity, and opportunity utilized is followed by demonstration and gratitude. Thus time ceases to be a limiting measure of his activity, and a sense of freedom per

vades his consciousness.

As for space, if we accept its physical nature as a reality, we may encounter crowding in housing, transportation, edu

cational facilities, or occupational openings. Or, on the other hand, we may find loneliness in a sense of isolation. Contemplating the use of outer space may even terrify us.

When Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, refers to God as filling all space, to give us a hint of the vastness of infinity—as she does a number of times in her writings she cannot be referring to three-dimensional, material space, or finity. And in Miscellaneous Writings she declares: "Christian Science translates Mind, God, to mortals. It is the infinite calculus defining the line, plane, space, and fourth dimension of Spirit." The true concept of our familiar three dimensions, as well as of our less understood fourth dimension, applies directly to the realm of Spirit, without trace of matter or finity.

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The omnipresence of Spirit, recognized as a correction to the limits of physical space, refutes many arguments of mortal mind. Lack of housing facilities is one of the problems overcome by those who turn to the truths of Christian Science. I myself have experienced this on several occasions by realizing that my home is in Mind, not within four walls, and that Mind reveals the place prepared for me. I have found parking facilities in busy areas time and time again.

Because of capacity enrollments young people seeking a college education today are more and more confronted with closed doors. On the basis of the omnipotence and omnipresence of Mind, this problem, too, can be overcome. Similar steps lead to satisfying employment. Trusting fearlessly in the leadings of divine, infinite intelligence, and overcoming the doubts and selfdistrust that accompany human outlining and planning, we find right placement, stepby-step progress, and attainment of high goals of service and activity.

The process of transportation has been speeded up to an astonishing degree by the inventions and discoveries of engineers

and natural scientists. The well-nigh unbelievable accomplishments of the space program are further evidence of the penetrating action of Truth, which is enabling the human mind to break down barriers set up by ignorance and fear since the dawn of human history. We can contribute to this progressive endeavor by holding to the true sense of space as filled with the presence of God and containing no place for evil.

Finally, the worship of money may be considered one of mankind's chief plagues. It hampers one who accepts lack, making him believe that he cannot have or do what he deems needful; it harasses another who fears loss, making his wealth a constant source of worry. Many problems of limitation directly result from the false notion that money is a primary necessity and that the amount we can have of it is determined by various economic factors.

However, it is not money itself but "the love of money" that Paul calls "the root of all evil."2 And Christ Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." All the "things," including those that require money to obtain them, as well as those that do not, will be added to our experience when we learn truly to obey this injunction and put love

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of God first in our hearts.

Do we go to a show in preference to reserving an adequate offering for our church? Do we let our payment for the healing work of a Christian Science practitioner wait for a more convenient season? Or do we always put first things first and seek the unlimited nature of God's provision for His child? Our confident awareness of Love's infinite store and ceaseless outpouring of unlimited good results in the disappearance of lack for us. We find ourselves adequately supplied for effective and gracious living. Wisely we avoid ostentation or extravagance, but expressing the wisdom of Mind and the economy of Principle, and the brotherly love that reflects

divine Love, we express abundance for every legitimate pursuit.

As our understanding of infinity grows, we are increasingly able to correct the false sense of limitation concerning time, space, and money. There is a struggle to be won at every point over the evidence of the material senses, but through it all we find the joy, satisfaction, and peace of a life based on Spirit. As the hymn declares:

I climb, with joy, the heights of Mind,
To soar o'er time and space;

I yet shall know as I am known

And see Thee face to face.
Till time and space and fear are naught
My quest shall never cease,
Thy presence ever goes with me
And Thou dost give me peace.4

1 Mis., p. 22; 21 Tim. 6:10; 3 Matt. 6:33; 4 Christian Science Hymnal, No. 136.

OLIVE HALL SHADGETT

The cry goes up for an end to hatred and violence, for a greater respect for law, for a heightened sense of equality and social justice. Everyone will not agree how these goals may best be achieved. Nor will all individuals exhibit the same degree of personal involvement in movements for reform. But the very least one can consistently do is to strive earnestly to rid his own consciousness of those tendencies he deplores in society. One cannot hope to help significantly in healing the thought of the world until he has made some progress in purifying his own thinking.

Then, whether he becomes an activist in public causes or simply continues to pray for the world in the quiet of his own home, he can with assurance claim for others the God-given freedom that he is demonstrating for himself. He can accord every other individual the true status that he claims for himself-spiritual selfhood in the likeness of God.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ Jesus stressed the need for correcting one's own thought and actions before aspiring to higher service. "If thou bring thy gift to the altar," said he, "and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go

thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." 1

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Mrs. Eddy writes: "I will love, if another hates. I will gain a balance on the side of good, my true being. This alone gives me the forces of God wherewith to overcome all error.' Those "forces of God" that alone can purify and transform the thought and experience of the world are available to each one of us today as we see ourselves spiritually as we really are and express only those qualities, think only those thoughts, that proceed from God, infinite Mind, or good.

And can we not acknowledge the same perfect, spiritual selfhood for our neighbor, in spite of outward in spite of outward appearances-in spite of differences of race, class, nationality, religion, or varying shades of ideological or political opinion? Students of Christian Science have a particular responsibility in this respect. They know the power of thought, and they understand the necessity of looking to the divine Mind rather than to mortal mind, or material consciousness, for guidance. Morever, they are mitted to the Golden Rule and to the commandment Christ Jesus quoted, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." 3

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Recognizing God as the source of all

right thinking, we can resolutely refuse to accept the fraudulent claims of evil concerning ourselves or others. Suggestions of hatred, resentment, anger, fear, mortal beliefs of racial prejudice, intolerance, dishonesty, selfishness, greed, and callous disregard for the rights and feelings of others are no part of man's true, spiritual selfhood.

Christian Science teaches the need for constant watchfulness if we would keep our thinking undefiled. Mrs. Eddy admonishes us: "Watch, and pray daily that evil suggestions, in whatever guise, take no root in your thought nor bear fruit. Ofttimes examine yourselves, and see if there be found anywhere a deterrent of Truth and Love, and 'hold fast that which is good." Anything that tends to obstruct the action of Truth and Love in one's thinking would, in that same proportion, block the manifestation of Truth and Love in one's outward experience. More serious from the point of view of society, the widespread harboring of evil suggestions may result in widespread manifestation of evil actions. Hatred and violence are thought and felt before they take shape in overt acts, whether it be crime, riots, or war between nations. Unrecognized seeds of evil may germinate and bear fruit completely foreign to one's conscious desires and inclinations.

Conversely, the Godlike qualities of love, mercy, and justice, and of orderliness, truthfulness, and obedience to Principle, form a mental climate in which crime finds no foothold and injustice and discrimination cannot exist. We should cherish those spiritual qualities that are native to us as God's reflection and that bear good fruit. Paul writes, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."5 When such qualities form the motive power for our thought and actions, we can only bless those around

us.

When we take up arms against error

literally or figuratively-we should examine our motives well. Our primary purpose should always be to glorify God and to bring to light for ourselves and others man's God-given heritage of freedom and dominion. Personal enmity is never an acceptable motive in Christian Science. Nor is so-called righteous indignation a safe guide to action.

When Jesus' enemies sought to take him captive, Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus immediately re stored the ear. Untempered zeal may aggravate rather than alleviate the ills of society. The would-be reformer who rushes forth to battle some dragon of injustice, but with venom in his own heart, does not solve the basic problem, even if he is successful in changing the outward conditions. The permanent solution to erroneous conditions must be based on love, not hatred; justice, not physical force; a peaceable acceptance of the rights of all involved; and-above all—an acknowledgment of God's government of all mankind.

Sometimes, at the present level of human experience, a situation may seem to include such a mixture of good and bad that it seems difficult to sort out the different elements and to know which side in controversies, elections, and so forth to support. It is important to remember that we are always on God's side when we adhere to Principle, maintain the purity of our own thinking, and refuse to identify evil suggestions with any person, place, or thing. When we "gain a balance on the side of good," the human footsteps fall into place.

Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, writes, "Watch your thoughts, and see whether they lead you to God and into harmony with His true followers." This is the infallible test. Thoughts that do not lead us to God, no matter how we may rationalize and justify them, are not healing thoughts and have no place in our consciousness. If our thoughts lead us to God, they are Godlike