True Inquiry

Mankind’s thirst for knowledge is to be commended, for it bespeaks a reaching out for better conditions than the prevailing ones. Materialistic inquiries, however, lead away from Spirit, which is the only source of harmony, health, and the desired enlightenment. On page 268 of “Miscellaneous Writings” our Leader writes: “The Christian Scientist keeps straight to the course. His whole inquiry and demonstration lie in the line of Truth.” This line of inquiry is a divinely inspired and a perpetually blessed line of inquiry.

When a problem of sickness presents itself for solution, so indicating the need of correction, the Christian Scientist asks himself, What quality of God must I reflect in order to heal it? When undesirable traits of character are manifested in a child or in an adult, the Christian Scientist turns to divine Mind and to the contemplation of man’s divine nature, for inspiration and regeneration. He is not tolerant of the error, but he does not condemn himself or another by dwelling upon what, spiritually speaking, is not; he turns to inquire of God, good, what he truly is as God’s own reflection. As he thus seeks and finds the truth, the mental darkness is lost in spiritual light.

The Christian Scientist knows that he must avoid, not only the extreme of brooding over evil, but also of ignoring it, or evading the demands of divine Principle in his thought and his daily life. Hence this admonition from Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 447): “To put down the claim of sin, you must detect it, remove the mask, point out the illusion, and thus get the victory over sin and so prove its unreality.”

The tendency to indulge in merely negative, unprogressive thinking finds this rebuke in the book of Ecclesiastes: “Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.” The obedient thinker turns in his hour of need to divine Love for inspiration, confident that the divine Mind contains the very quality which can immediately replace the delusive concept which seeks to deprive him of the rights of true manhood. One who delves into a rubbish heap can find only rubbish; but one who diligently seeks the treasures of Truth is blessed in his search. Mortals need to know more about man in order to rise above materiality; more about spiritual perfection in order to rise above sickness and sin.

In his long watches of prayer, Christ Jesus doubtless dwelt on and reflected divine Mind in its purity and power, and this faithful line of inquiry equipped him for each day’s tests and enabled him to glorify God and liberate mankind. On page 20 of “Unity of Good” our Leader, after describing the true reasoning from cause to effect, states: “Try this process, dear inquirer, and so reach that perfect Love which ‘casteth out fear,’ and then see if this Love does not destroy in you all hate and the sense of evil. You will awake to the perception of God as All-in-all.” With this wonderful pasture land of divine Mind in which to roam at will, who would deign to inquire of the physical senses, Why am I sick, why need I be lonely, why cannot I love more, why am I so tempted? Joyously the Christ assures the true inquirer, the inquirer for Truth, that there is no place, time, space, or opportunity for evil to operate in the infinite consciousness of God and His reflection, man. There is no obscuration of thought in the one Mind. All is Light, and Light begets light, and ever more light; and Love begets love, and ever more love. So-called evil with its dire consequences is but ignorance of the infinite manifestation of God, good. Therefore any attempt of evil to get itself accounted for, its origin explained, or its purpose justified, is obviously self-assertive error and should be dismissed as such. Truth never makes any inquiry about its supposed unlikeness. The more one learns about good, the more surely he unlearns all false knowledge and gathers only the fruit of the tree of Life.

Fervently, like the Psalmist, one prays with undivided allegiance to his God, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” This “one thing” whereby one may dwell in the consciousness of divine Love, is the only thing that heals, redeems, and satisfies. Hence, every day and all day, the Christian Scientist inquires of divine Love what is the truth about any situation. He seeks to destroy everything unbeautiful in his thinking by reflecting the beauty of God, good. Divine Mind it is which guides, guards, and rewards the true inquirer and inquiry.