Miscellaneous Articles

by Bicknell Young




Table of Contents





The Term MAN

A Christian Science treatment is not me thinking about you, or for you or to heal you of something. It is the Truth of what you really are NOW and forever, and this Truth blots out the suggestion that claims to be you and blots it out forever.

The term “man” includes all that is called “mankind,” man means all men, and every creature individually. God is Life — Truth — Mind — Love; man exists in and as Life, Itself; Love, Itself; Truth, Itself; and Mind, Itself.

Man is the manifested presence, and expression of Life, Mind, Truth, Principle. Existing as perfect presence, expression and activity — including all — man is wanting nothing to beautify, glorify, or purify his existence. Co-existent with God, he is the very presence of eternal Life Itself, and indestructible substance. Existing as the manifested presence and expression of the Father, man is a state of complete possession of infinite Mind including within Itself all ideas.

Man’s characteristics are: love, harmony, dominion, accomplishment, clear discernment, and perfect, accurate action in everything he thinks or does. Man and his activities are the full and normal presence and expression of infinite Principle — incapable of even the slightest variation from absolute perfection. Man being the presence and expression of infinite Mind, man has within himself all that constitutes completeness and harmonious being — he does not desire — he is in possession.





Transferred Power

In proportion as we ascribe to something else, we take it away from ourselves. One way of doing this is by believing that another’s wrong thoughts can influence us mentally and physically. By thus believing, we manifest the effects of that belief, because we have transferred to another, the power that should be reflected through us. This is obvious, for we can not possess a thing and give it away at the same time. To attribute power to any cause but GOD is to declare our own powerlessness, and also to manifest it.

The herculean Sampson became weak, because he gave to another the ability to deprive him of his strength; he himself told his enemy how to bind him. We do the same thing by believing in any influence over us apart from the divine.

Each Scientist should realize the mighty power of his own thought, reflected from God and from none other; yet many seem slow in learning this lesson. They who have demonstrated, even though imperfectly, the great scientific truth of the omnipotence of God, should never allow fear of any foe to enter into their thought. If they do, they are mesmerizing themselves in the name of the supposed “foe.” Hence they feel the effects of their own fear and unbelief in the supremacy of God, Good.

To know there is but one power and that the power is God should be an ever present fact to us. The only carnal sense we have to overcome is our own. Realizing this we need never be troubled with a false sense of external power. Being “One with God” and not with the world, we rise superior to the influence of the world, which are our own mortal thoughts. These thoughts set right, the transfiguration MOUNT will stand revealed.





Opposing Thought

The claim is often made that “opposing thought” prevents the realization and demonstration for which Scientists long. Let us consider the subject briefly and see if there is any real foundation for the belief. What is it, or who is it that opposes? Since to each one the only consciousness in the universe is his own, it is evident that our opposition to others is what we feel, rather than their opposition to us.

Believing that we are spiritually beyond others produces an internal antagonism, for if we hold ourselves superior to another, his sense of personality which lurks in our thought, resents the distinction. If on the other hand, we exalt him beyond ourselves, our sense of personality creates opposition. “The kingdom of God is within...” (Luke 17:21), and comes only by onemindedness, equality of thought, by holding everybody as possessing all. It is obvious that no internal opposition can express itself to such an understanding. As we are in Truth — as we aim to be in realization, so must we view all mankind. In excusing failures in demonstration to opposing thought we attribute to others our own erroneous sense and a fanciful foe is thus created, when the discord is really within. By transference of responsibility, the error is doubled, even as Eve’s unkindly laying of her guilt to the serpent, multiplied her sorrow.

No opposition is felt where we are assured that our thought is a unit with another. We know that we shall meet no opposition in the declaration that twice two are four, and consequently none is forthcoming, but the instant we attempt to approach a subject that we contend to be foreign to the ruling opinion of men, we expect to be antagonized, and we are.

Should we proclaim Christian Science to the world and meet no rebuff, we would be astounded. Does that show where antagonism lies? To know that all humanity is conscious of their divine relation is to establish “...on earth peace, good will toward men,” (Luke 2:14), rather than discord or opposition. If we hold our brother as firmly in Science as we do deductions of mathematics, there would be no antagonism, but foolishly and perhaps unintentionally we feel the resistance that is bred within our varying thought links — our foes — for if we consciously know all mankind as spiritual, where would be the opposition? Not externally, but internally must this error be met and mastered.





Depression

The situation in belief called “depression” is worldwide; unquestionably we are finding a new earth, whether we are ready to find, and virtually to be, the “new heaven,” remains to be seen. In any event, the new heaven will be forced upon us. We may be tempted to want to postpone this forward movement, but we cannot; “Truth will at length compel us.…” (S&H 390:9) Something is going on that we do not see with our eyes, but it is good for us and for everybody, and that fact will be humanly evident if we faint not. We must see that our knowing is essential for the cosmos because, “All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation,...” (S&H 468:10), and so press on. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure,” (Phil.2:13), and nothing unlike that good pleasure is, or can be going on.





Love

This cannot be said too often — it is that which the Bible has said all through the centuries, "...love is the fulfilling of the law." (Rom.13:10) When love is demonstrated, or in the measure that it is, there is no sensitiveness. We cannot be hurt, neither can we hurt anyone else. It does not do any good to be severe, especially where we are convinced that the other party is just as honest in his convictions as we are in ours. Our work is to educate, and the Bible states that in order to do that we must bear one another’s burdens. It takes long years of patient perseverance to bring about a desirable change in some instances, and generally speaking the change must occur first in ourselves.

To maintain the allness of GOOD and never be moved by the seeming reality of error or evil, is the true ideal for a Christian Scientist. Know that this ideal is yours, and that you can maintain it. I know and you know that the only Mind there is — is Love, is Truth, is Life, and this IS our Mind! Clinging to this divine fact, we are guided every step of the way, in spite of what appears to be human difficulties. “Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way.” (S&H 454:18)





Letter Excerpts

Subject: LIFE

There is not any other life than eternal consciousness — not two kinds of life — only one kind. The supposition or belief that there is any other life than one Life is all you have to deal with. Get it fixed, and do not approach any kind of a subject, never go to any what you call “problem,” or at any time go to a case for the purpose of treatment, without that firmly fixed fact — that there is but one Life, just one, and stop this belief that there are two lives or two kinds of life. You can do it. There must come into the thought of the Christian Scientist, as part of his or her practice, this inevitable, irresistible fact that Life is, and you can’t do a thing to it. There is not anyone who can do a thing to it, and you are here to establish that evidence that nothing can seem to kill it. You never healed a case that was called “incurable” without raising the dead, because that person was certainly doomed to death so far as mortal mind was concerned, and you came in, and with your understanding you lifted all that belief of mortal mind.

We say that disease produces death. Not at all! It is death which produces disease. Whether it is a material thing or a matter person, the first thing mortal mind does to it, is to put on it the claim of death. It gets disease in order to accomplish death.

There are a lot of tricks through which mortal mind operates in belief, and one of the common and universal tricks is to say every one, after a number of years, will manifest signs of age. There is no age any more than there is death. Age is the most incurable of all diseases, according to human belief! Are you going to take part in it? Are you going to take part in the demonstration that will handle this claim? It is not a question of years. The primal claim is not disease — it is death.

I don’t mean, when you go to a patient, that you begin an immediate onslaught on death, but begin, or rather continue that attitude which is Life, and let it handle death. Let what you know handle death. Don’t you handle it. The understanding which is itself so alive it could not possibly believe in anything contrary to its own aliveness, will handle death. “Behold, I am alive for evermore,...” (Rev.1:18) That is the thing that will handle death. Here is that unity with Life that can no more know death than God can know death. We are not boasting — I would not have you boast — but we know there is greater freedom to be attained here, and when the error suggests to you a little sense of fear, on your being so radical on this point, and you might not be able to prove it, turn on it and say, “Of course you will never be able to prove it — for you are the devil!” That which is Christian Science proves itself because the Principle is the irresistible presence of God — and it does not know how to fail. That is your attitude.

(Note: The above letter was written by Bicknell Young to a Mrs. Burger of Seattle, Washington. Date unknown.)

My dear Student: —

I can only say “God bless you!” and so I am answering your letter of the 23rd instant with the assurance that all of this difficulty which you speak of is fading out.

Being is always Infinity and is always perfection. The standpoint of every real Christian Science treatment is that perfection, that divine Principle. You need not doubt its power or presence and I am sure that you cannot be made to doubt. Let the work be less of a fight and more of an actual realization that all is well. Your recital of certain beliefs is essential and you may be sure that I shall not in any way take them in and I will ask you not to make too much of the belief that some things that ought to have been cared for were entirely forgotten. We don’t have to ask ourselves why or how we got into trouble. We have to know that we were never in it. That we do not have to get out but that we are eternally OUT, and that this law of our unity with God has never been annulled, nor has its enforcement ever been interfered with. Since you ask me, I will say daily it is best for you to make affirmations of Truth very clearly and in clear and consecutive expression deny all of the errors which you speak of, or any others that may come up to be denied.

Christian Science practice is the appearing of Truth and the disappearing of error. Let us remember that all of the difficulties that come up, even those that are sometimes called domestic, are but phases of an erroneous belief. Our real being is in no way subject to any such thing because it is both satisfied and satisfying. Our unity with GOOD means our unity with every idea of GOOD, because we could not possibly in any way have such unity except in completeness. There is nothing to fight about and nothing to fight. We are already finding our freedom in the infinity of GOOD.

Bicknell Young Feb. 2, 1933

“If God, or good, is real, then evil, the unlikeness of God, is unreal. God is natural good, and is represented only by the idea of goodness;...” (S&H 470:13-14; 119:21-22)





Prayer

Realization of the Truth is the effective prayer. Truth is the consciousness of the Christ, gained when will and understanding unite as one. The “ceaseless” prayer referred to in the Scriptures is the capacity to see all things in their relation to God. This is not alone a matter of thought, but one of being. Prayer is always justifiable, but it does not always produce what one expects. The purpose of prayer is to gain the consciousness of the spiritual qualities, and not to produce the material things needed. They come as an added result when one seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

People assiduously praying for physical or financial comfort, are still very selfish, and will be cut off from capacity to receive anything, unless a change of heart (love) is affected. This idea is sometimes confusing to the student, but it need not be. One needs only to ascertain the motive that prompts his praying. One needs to know that God cannot withhold any good from one able to receive it, and one so able does not need to beg, implore or metaphysically harangue to get it.

It is the Son of Man who has power on earth to forgive sins, and incidentally, the effect of sin that manifests as conditions needing to be healed. When the right consciousness is gained, the laws of being will operate to produce not only a well man, but a whole man. A whole man is one who cannot be sick.

The purpose is not to get material things but to develop consciousness, so as to gain a state of being that will make formal prayer unnecessary. Formal prayer includes affirmations and denials as well as any other ritual. Through spiritual communion one is expected to gain the selfless spirit by which he may receive more than he can ever hope for. This gain is not measured in material advancement nor in the spiritual, but finally as a new state of being.

One is always receiving what one needs, to grow in grace and knowledge, so as to become the “Beloved Son” through whom redemption is effected. What one needs is that by which spiritual man is produced; this is known to the Father, hence we read in the Bible, “...your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Mat.6:8) The outer things that are supplied in the progression of life are means by which one gains consciousness of the inner values for which they stand.

The outer things are necessary as a means of growth, but come as a result of seeking first the inner kingdom of God. One should rather pray to realize patience, kindness, consideration, truth, forbearance, wisdom, love, understanding, selflessness, honesty and so on, than to pray for a well body, a fine automobile, or a new stove, and all such other “outer” symbols.

Righteous alignment of the consciousness to the selflessChrist-spirit will make for the highest expression of harmony possible in the “without,” though the divine Will continues to control the consciousness toward manifesting the real and the true state of being.





Possession and Ownership

Now, as to possession and ownership; not long ago an excellent practitioner, who is a thoroughly grounded, and a very busy one, found that he was manifesting more or less anxiety about members of his own family. So he took himself to task, and he had a whole afternoon with himself. He discovered quite a lot of things in himself, as we are apt to do when we really devote ourselves to that mission. He found that his statements, nearly all of them, were devoid of divine Principle. He found out that he was thinking of those children as if he owned them, and they unconsciously, to make use of a common expression, were “kicking” against the idea of ownership. He found that he was trying to establish authority in the name of love, but that it was not love; that is, he was loving those children exclusively, and the next-door neighbor’s children he did not care much about. He found out a lot of things, and in finding them out he found out that the real trouble was this; that ownership is not possession — which is really quite wonderful. If one can get it, it is quite a blessed thing for all concerned.

You can’t do any better for those you love than to permit them to be governed by God, and you may be sure that God knows them all the time. It is the human sense that comes in and says, “I must do that in my way.” “In MY way!” If “my way” is given up, if it is seen as animal magnetism, and it is recognized that those that seem to be children are truly ideas of the infinite Mind, or what seems to be a child, is truly an idea in infinite Mind; if that which seems to be a husband, or a wife, or a patient, is truly an idea in infinite Mind, — if one sees what man actually is, whether it be a child, or whoever it may be, one thereby gains so much for himself, that immediately that wonderful truth appears on earth — the government of God in behalf of the ones you love best; but the constant tendency to think for someone else, and to insist on doing it, stands in the way, and it is a sense of ownership.

Right ideas we all possess. There is not a thing that anybody knows that you may not know, or that I may not know. Anything that Jesus knew, he would be glad to have us know. Anything that Mary Baker Eddy ever knew, she would be only too glad if the whole human race could know and love according to that knowing. There is not any corner on this kind of possession. It is not exclusive — it is universal.

Every person has what he calls “intelligence” in some measure. Let it do what it ought to do, and above all, let it be governed and redeemed by principle so that it will permit every human being to live his own life according to his own light, always knowing that the “light” will always be sufficient to guide him, to direct him, to save from evil, and to make him what he originally is, the very image of infinite perfection.

That is one point. Now as to “tangibility”: The appearance of anything material may be changed materially; that is, the so-called human — anything that it cognizes, ordinarily speaking, in the material world, especially on what we call “the earth,” may change. That is what mortal mind says of itself; and anything that it meets may change, according to its belief, and ultimately may be destroyed in its present aspect of it.

There are certain things remote from human control and still more or less cognized, such as certain planets and stars; certain things are to be observed on earth, the evidence of so-called change. We note such changes, and know that they are changing constantly, but they are not subject to human whim or belief. So it happens that the earth revolves on its axis around the sun by the power of Mind, and yet mortal mind, conceiving all that to be all matter, can’t interfere with it, can not touch it. That is something that it can think about, that it can’t disturb; something that it can cognize, that it can’t hinder!

That must be a terrible affliction to that conglomeration called “mortal mind,” and it is to a certain extent!

Now there is something actually tangible about an idea, and having its being in Principle, it is eternal. To illustrate as far as may be practical, a practitioner in the Movement of Christian Science has some time or some hour in which he says or realizes the truth. He gets a time which he calls a “quiet time.” He “enters into a closet” so-to-speak, where the material senses are shut out and there Science is expressed, and being educated in Science and educating himself hourly, persistently, he gains what he calls a “realization” on behalf of someone, himself, or the world. In that realm of thought there comes to him clearly some idea such as I have mentioned before — “God is Mind,

God is Love, God is Soul, God is Spirit, God is infinite Principle, and God is Life.” (S&H 587:5) These are ideas, and sometimes these ideas come so clearly that there is no other consciousness, and then the suggestion comes that someone is sick, or some such belief, and immediately to that consciousness the tangibility of those ideas is so real that the individual gets well, because the infinite Presence becomes the actual law to the occasion.

While tangibility may seem to most people to be something less than that, that is what it actually is, and you can see that in the realm of true tangibility, you and I, everyone of us, attain immortal, eternal, joyous companionship, with no possibility of ever being interfered with, and that is also tangibility. In the Textbook, Mrs. Eddy has written: “These ideas are perfectly real and tangible to spiritual consciousness, and they have this advantage over the objects and thoughts of material sense, — they are good and eternal.” (S&H 269:17-20)