The media is filled with reports and images of the coronavirus spreading around the world. To keep yourself healthy and to help your neighbor too, it is wise to keep those images of disease out of consciousness and to keep one’s thought filled with prayers of healing truth instead.
Mary Baker Eddy gave her readers wise advice about protecting one’s thought and health from disease reported in the media when she wrote,
“The press unwittingly sends forth many sorrows and diseases among the human family. It does this by giving names to diseases and by printing long descriptions which mirror images of disease distinctly in thought. A new name for an ailment affects people like a Parisian name for a novel garment. Every one hastens to get it. A minutely described disease costs many a man his earthly days of comfort” (Science and Health, p. 196).
The coronavirus epidemic is a serious health issue facing humanity today and must be addressed head-on with effective measures to stop it. The media is doing the best it knows to keep its audience informed with the latest information. But we do not have to accept into consciousness everything we hear.
For instance, if the media minutely describes the coronavirus, we do not have to “hasten to get it.” We can keep disease images out of our consciousness and keep our thought filled with prayers of truth and love instead.
Prayers to calm thought, dissolve fear, and negate mental images of disease with spiritual truth not only protect us from getting the disease but help stop the spread of the disease around the globe.
We are not helpless. There is something we can do. Keeping thought filled with healing truth rather than fear of disease is a good first step.
Thank you Evan!
Yes, we need to be as vigilant with our rhought and what we are accepting as “truth” as we do about washing our hands.
Mrs Eddy was a great admirer of Florence Nightingale who was another forward thinking woman of her time. Eddy recognised the good she was also doing in her own field of understanding.
“At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good. Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil. Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you. The cement of a higher humanity will unite all interests in the one divinity.” S&H 571:15
So true, thanks Evan!
Thank you so much Evan! As a German resident in North Italy, now locked in a locked down country (Austrian and Swiss border closed for Italian licence plates) this is very relevant. As everything is closed – with the exception of grocery stores – this is not only a health issue but also a financial one if this continues.
This morning I told my husband that if the two of us are the only Christian Scientists here, we have something to do!
Yesterday Brian’s comment about a sitting in a supposed box gave me a smile as this is how it feels. Thank you so much for this blog!
Dear Micha I am a christian scientist locked up in southern Italy. My flight is canceled I cannot go home to Belgium where I live as a German . But we know so much the truth as we are not person who are kept prison in a body we are free spirit and can be everywhere we want and our supply comes from God so no need to fear its all nothing but a dream! We pray together ok? Rise in the strength of spirit and resist all evil thoughts. Warm regards from Konny
ok Konny, will do! I take a project to read Science and Health from cover to cover now. Regarding Lisa’s comment to be wise… She is right but my Australian friend from Sydney thought it was wise to leave the fires and the heat and spend spring time with her Italian family in Venice. Now she is quarantined in Italy, not able to move.
Sometimes even being wise in a human experience doesn’t help.
We have to remind ourselves that there are no two universes, one the kingdom and the other our human experience.
If all Christian Scientists on this earth work together, this insane human experience will be eradicated.
I love Evan’s article “A cause worth supporting”. Konny, thank you for praying together!!!❤️
Wisdom also says, drink water every 15 minutes, eat oranges, kee wees, grapefruits daily and
test yourself by taking a deep breath. holding it and counting to ten. If you cough, seek treatment for coronavirus. “We are not helpless. There is something we can do. Keeping thought filled with healing truth rather than fear of disease is a good first step.” Also, be wise.
We are spiritual beings living a human experience.
Im sorry just what are you testing for if Hod fills sll space and love is what you catch?
Thank you Evan, again, wonderful spiritual truths to come back to throughout the day.
I too loved Brian’s comments – thank you!
My. 242:3 ~ “You can never demonstrate spirituality until you declare yourself to be immortal and understand that you are so.”
SH 582:21 ~ “Burial. Corporeality and physical sense put out of sight and hearing; ….”
Deut 33:27 ~ “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”
Hymn 53:1 ~ “Everlasting arms of Love Are beneath, around, above; God it is who bears us on, His the arm we lean upon.”
Thank you Fay for these powerful statements! We have to take a radical standpoint in order that our prayers are effective.
Lovely, Fay. Thank you.
Thank you Evan grateful for this Spiritview topic!
This is wonderful. Thank u.
Spirit View is the first “news station” and the first “news report” I turn to in the morning. I am more grateful than ever for this spiritual reporting and information “station”.
No longer do I listen to the hourly local/world news. No longer am I taking in the images of tv reporting. I appreciate the sincerity of those folks, but the Christian Science periodicals and the Christian Science Monitor are my “go to” sources.
Yes, I like Micha’s suggestion to make a project of reading S&H from cover to cover. I am in!! “To those leaning on the sustaining Infinite, today is big with blessings.” (Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy)
yes, me, too. I listen to select news station in the evening but my go to at the start of the day are the CS publications and this blog.
Last night at church someone told us about a powerful piece about dealing with epidemics from the March 16, 1899 Sentinel. I do not know how to make that a live link, but I am pasting it here. .
1. Stop talking and thinking about contagious diseases.
2. On arising in the morning repeat the Lord’s Prayer in the spirit of holiness.
3. As soon as breakfast is over, before taking up your duties of the day, take your Bible and carefully read the Ninety-first Psalm, knowing ” that God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” You might linger over the lines of this beautiful Psalm : ” He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress : my God ; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust : His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. . . . Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation ; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” (You will observe that David said, ” His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Evidently David had more faith in God’s protecting power than he had in vaccine virus and poisonous lotions.)
4. When conversation or thoughts about disease and contagion come to you during the day, think over the inspiring words you read in the morning.
5. In the evening read the twenty-third Psalm, re-read the Ninety-first Psalm, repeat the Lord’s Prayer, and take care above all, to observe the first of the Ten Commandments, ” Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” If you observe this commandment ” in spirit and in truth,” you will not let disease of any name or nature become the chief in your thought and conversation.
It is but just to state that we got the inspiration for this prevention and cure of disease, from the writings and teachings of Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, and have found this mode of treatment of infinite value in whatever case it has been applied.
It has been asked what Christian Scientists will do in a time of contagion. This is what one Christian Scientist has done to direct the thoughts of the people into higher and healthier channels. If there is anything pernicious in this advice we hope it will be pointed out to us.
What Our Leader Says
Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. There is no door through which evil can enter, and no space for evil to fill in a mind filled with goodness. Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.
(My. 210:1–11)
Mike, wonderful reminder about filling our thoughts with Truth & Love. Curran, our Wednesday church service began with the 91st Ps.
Staying with Evan’s Daily Alertness to our duty to ourselves, our leader, & all mankind is so helpful & unselfish. Ty, Evan & fellow thinkers U remain a precious blessing.
I love this Mike. Thank you.
I should have said when I posted the piece from the 1899 Sentinel tht it was was originally published in the Weatherford, Texas News.. The editor of the Sentinel at that time is shown as Septimus Hanna, the pioneer in Christian Science who held many important positions in the church, including as teacher and lecturer. There is interesting biographical information is in Wikipedia.
Excellent comments everyone! Such a blessing to be able to share internationally these words of Truth, and support for each other!
We must indeed be vigilant. One thing I keep in mind when faced with lack of mobility (for any reason) is, it’s an opportunity to stop and remember what’s really important. Simplify. Perhaps that’s what the world needed!
Thank you Evan and all who join here! I am praying along side of you, so grateful for each thought of strength and Love you are sharing! Keep on keeping on! ❤️
So grateful to have Spiritview to keep us focused on the only reality going on now and ever- God’s Allness! I love all the comments. We have powerful medicine called Christian Science to combat this fear. The Lord’s Prayer, 91st psalm, 23rd psalm, and the truths found in Science and Health are our “ impervious armor”. In Truth there is no virus. God who made the world and everything in it, did not create anything evil to harm his children. God is Love. We live in the atmosphere of Love. There is no Fear in that Love. The world seems to be hypnotized by this belief. But we as Christian Scientist can help break the mesmerism ( the dream) by holding mentally to the clear Truth of man’s perfection and God’s perfect government and Love filling all space. We are hid in Christ! Safe and secure! To those being locked in .. I think of Paul in prison who sang praises to God and the prison door opened.
Excellent! Thank you!
Thank you CB, I feel so uplifted and am so grateful for this healing blog as well as yesterdays Wed Online healing service on this subject by the Mother Church
I hug the world and everyone, each of you, in my prayer: God is round about us, holding us in Her/His Love, our Mother-Father. Wherever we are we are always God’s beloved child, held forever in our one perfect unique place, uniquely expressing infinite all/ knowing Intelligent Thought, our being is Omnipresent’s witness.
I continue in loving loving loving our blessed family.
Another good and helpful article
CS Sentinel – March 13, 1948 – by Paul Stark Seeley
No Plague Shall Come Nigh Thy Dwelling
Thank you so much for this, Big Sky. Here is a link to the article :
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/2buo5rps3fa?s=e
I hope it will work.
Thank you all for the wonderful comments and, of course, Evan for this precious post!
Yes! Thanks for the link to this article by Paul Stark Seeley in March 13, 1948 Sentinel. I looked it up and just read it
“NO PLAGUE SHALL COME NIGH THY DWELLING”
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1948/3/50-11/no-plague-shall-come-nigh-thy-dwelling?s=e
This link is from JSH-online. It works !
Also from The Christian Science MONITOR DAILY a great story honoring the
“Billions of good deeds to defeat an epidemic”
I will look on JSH-online to try to find the link.
Great thanks to Evan for this and all your blogs, and all the helpful replies by the SpiritView family!
This has been very helpful. I work in a public library. The library is cleaning more daily. We have purel dispensers for those who feel the need. I run the adult programming and some libraries are suspending programming but staying open, which seems ineffective on a material basis. I pray and continue to come to work. I think the library is more concerned with running out of paper towels as the hand washing has increased! But so far the mentality here is resisting fear, which is great. Thanks for all the comments, Evan’s blog.
Evan,
Thank you for the wakeup call. I love all the supporting comments. How wonderful to pray along side all of you from around the world. This wakeup call is so needed because one does not have to listen to the news in this world as “news” is delivered right to one’s inbox from those meaning well, friends, family, neighbors, local businesses, etcetera. Here are a couple of things I have been working with;
“When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious—as Life eternally is—can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony.”
S&H Pg. 49514-24
“By universal consent, mortal belief has constituted itself a law to bind mortals to sickness, sin, and death. This customary belief is misnamed material law, and the individual who upholds it is mistaken in theory and in practice. The so-called law of mortal mind, conjectural and speculative, is made void by the law of immortal Mind, and false law should be trampled under foot.
If God causes man to be sick, sickness must be good, and its opposite, health, must be evil, for all that He makes is good and will stand forever. If the transgression of God’s law produces sickness, it is right to be sick; and we cannot if we would, and should not if we could, annul the decrees of wisdom. It is the transgression of a belief of mortal mind, not of a law of matter nor of divine Mind, which causes the belief of sickness. The remedy is Truth, not matter, — the truth that disease is unreal.”
S&H 229:15-32
“If you believe that you are sick, should you say, “I am sick”? No, but you should tell your belief sometimes, if this be requisite to protect others. If you commit a crime, should you acknowledge to yourself that you are
a criminal? Yes. Your responses should differ because of the different effects they produce. Usually to admit that you are sick, renders your case less curable, while to recognize your sin, aids in destroying it. Both sin and sickness are error, and Truth is their remedy. The truth regarding error is, that error is not true, hence it is unreal. To prove scientifically the error or unreality of sin, you must first see the claim of sin, and then destroy it. Whereas, to prove scientifically the error or unreality of disease, you must mentally unsee the disease; then you will not feel it, and it is destroyed.”
S&H 461:16-30
I also love this article and have been reading it over and over again;
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/eg0azes9vs?s=e
And here is another rarticle I read this morning;
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1xpat809yqu?s=e
Much love to all of you around the world! 🙂
All this love and truth being shared, brings tears of gratitude to my eyes.
References from Mrs. Eddy’s writings re: contagion have been helpful in informing my prayers: SH 196:31-16, 153:25, 154:3-23, 392:24 Stand, 176:24, 133:8-9; Mis. 228:20-28 (np); My. 116:1-5. Also, the Christian Science Perspective from the Monitor Daily of March 9 is helpful, “Not afraid but not naive.”
“Love rules the universe.” MBE
May our Father-Mother God, who in times past hath spread for us a table in the wilderness and “in the midst of our enemies,” establish us in the most holy faith, plant our feet firmly on Truth, the rock of Christ, the “substance of things hoped for” — and fill us with the life and understanding of God, and good will towards men.
(Pan. 15:5)
much Love to all.
Dear Evan and everyone,
Thank you all for your comments . Like many, I’ve been praying about the virus and the answer that came to me yesterday was from the Responsive Reading,
Isa. 14:7
The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
The world is not panicked, not coughing, etc. In reality, it’s at rest!
What a great format for sharing! Love all the inspiration. Especially dear to have a Christian scientist in northern Italy and one in southern Italy finding each other here to pray together. We are indeed part of a global family.
The last couple of days I have been considering the topic of the the 2020 Mother Church Annual Meeting, “Our duty to God, to our leader, and to mankind.” I admittedly wasn’t praying with much consistency about this current worldly challenge of disease but the nudge to get on it came and I have responded realizing that it is my duty to participate with consistency. Today I am so grateful for the bouyant, joyful, and expectant thoughts of good, progress, and healing that are coming to me regarding the issue. For example, I felt so clearly that all this really is is an opportunity for God, Good to be exemplified. That’s it, it’s not some large, looming, horrendous reality. But, it does need to be faced and handled. And we can do this together through our world wide congregation. This feels monumental to me after being challenged several times by feelings of annoyance and anger at the media and people for perpetuating fear and mesmerism of the so called disease. But thankfully Mind has shown me that I need to stand up to those beliefs and express Love and compassion for all my spiritual brothers and sisters who are currently caught up in it’s seeming reality. We cannot continue to be mesmerized and hypnotized by this.
“Alertness to Duty (Section 6 from the Manual). It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his leader, and to mankind. By his works he shall be judged, and justified or condemned.”
How privileged we are and what an important job we have to honor God, our leaders who have gone before us, and our world wide spiritual brothers and sisters.
I am so grateful to be learning this amazing Truth about God, Good, All.
Thank you everyone! God bless every one of you in your health and vitality, and let’s hold the whole world in our conscientious prayers, in our collective thought, that each of our world family members are God’s perfect ideas, and that each can hear God’s protective thoughts. Love and hugs to you all!
Christian Scientists will hold crime in check including the crime of promoting false alarm over disease. I had to handle this as the world’s fear of coronavirus came swamping over me like a flood in the middle of the night a few nights ago such that it could not be ignored and I had to treat this world thought immediately. It occurred to me that Christian Scientists have a God-blessed privilege and duty to always view the world is our patient and not take things lightly because we appear to not be affected or infected by what is going on outside our individual spheres of influence. The prayers in our churches (not the physical buildings so much as the structures of Truth and Love no made with human hands) shall be for the congregationS collectively and exclusively (see Church Manual, p. 42); to my sense, his includes all of humanity. It is a tall order, but quite achievable when we realize the power to benefit the world is not ours but Truth’s; we are but God’s flashlight shining the light of Truth on the world.
In an interesting conversation with a dear medical doctor friend last night on this subject, she volunteered the frustration that the media is not doing us any favors in dealing with thew coronavirus scare by innocently or maliciously heightening the public fear with their splashy stories. In many cases, simply to sell more copies. I immediately remembered the statement from SH 196 quoted by Evan in today’s SpiritView.
Thank you, Evan, for this timely SpiritView and for the many wonderful comments from readers already shared above.
The profound messages from these 2 hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal lead my prayers in healing the fear of this challenging time: Hymn 144: ..In atmosphere of Love divine / We live, and move, and breathe; / Though mortal eyes may see it not, / ‘Tis sense that would deceive. // The mortal sense we must destroy, / If we would bring to light / The wonders of eternal Mind, / Where sense is lost in sight. // For God, immortal Principle, / Is with us everywhere; / He holds us perfect in His love, / And we His image bear.
HYMN 175: Lo, He sent His Word and healed them, / Still that Word of God is here. / Still its tender healing message / Speaks to every listening ear. / Truth divine, that overcometh / All the ills that seem to be, / In our hearts Thy Word abiding, / We may know Thee and be free. /
// Love divine, that faileth never, / Still Thy presence and Thy power / Mighty are to save and heal us, / Guard and guide us every hour. / Life divine, Thy Word proclaimeth / All true being one with Thee. / Sinless, fearless, whole, rejoicing, / Now and through eternity.//
As we know Love, Mind, Life, Principle are synonyms for God our Father Mother who cares for us, loves us and is our One Creator. His Word is divine law. We are safe in His infinite care! I am so grateful!
Deepest heartfelt thanks to everyone posting today on this inspired site, and to Evan in particular, for this so appropriate and timely reminder of how our thinking needs to be directed God-ward all the time.
Today I am thanking God for classical music. Classical happens to be my personal choice (though it could be any kind of music) that expresses beauty, life and truth in its own principled way.
Thank you everyone for your spritual thoughts znd prayers. The thought came to me in the form of s question, how should I resond to an error on perception? Should I acknowledge it by making it a stronger belief or disavow it by acknowledging it as a mistaken perception? A prayer which request a change in perception that acknowledges Truth (to see what is true) pinned upon the omnipresence, omniscient and omnipotence of a one Mind, God, who is not at cross purposes to itself is that which I prefer.
Thank you Evan, for your wonderful, healing and blessing and absolute spiritual Blog.
I love it very much as it is so lively, so absolute christian scientific!
Thank you CB and all other commenters; you a l l give me so much! I Just say this truth, that God is only good, the all encompassing, everpresent, allmighty, all space filling and eternal Good. And His whole creation including His beloved child, man, is therefore also only good and can only experience all good! And yes, in atmosphere of Love Divine we live and move and breathe and have our being – what can harm us in this wonderful atmosphere – nothing!
Thank you Annie, I join you to hug the whole world family of God`s children.
And yes Love is the liberator! To pray with the 91st and 23rd Psalm is very very helpful and healing!
So we can know, nothing can ever harm God“s creation, refecting Him to His Glory!
And I am grateful, that I am learning spiritually each day more and more.
Thank you Evan and all contributors today. I too have been working, praying, reading and listening all
day on this subject. Maybe I should have come to SpiritView earlier this day. This has been most
helpful! Thank you all for all the spiritual TRUTHS expressed. As we live in atmosphere of Love Divine,
let us not only protect ourselves, but our duty to God, our leader and all MANKIND. From what I’ve read, we are and are continuing with our alertness to this DUTY.
Yay, “Team CS!” Thanks for all the uplifting inspiration.
S&H 151:18-24: “The blood, heart, lungs, brain, etc. have nothing to do with Life, God. Every function of man is governed by the divine Mind. The myth of human mind has no power to kill or cure, and it has no control over God’s man. The divine Mind that made man maintains His own image and likeness.”
Life IS God now. There is no ‘other kind’ of Life just as there is no ‘other kind’ of God!
S&H 150:32-1: “…the human mind and body are myths.”
Thank you, Barbara, for these healing reminders, so wonderfully helpful!!!
Thank you. I’m very grateful to have God, Divine Mind and Christian Science to be with us. I’m in Costa Rica. Local people have no awareness of diseases. Again Thank you.
MBE wrote:
“A calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventive of contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sanative method”
So does that mean stop washing your hands?
We don’t need a repeat of the PRINCIPIA COLLEGE measle situation.
SH 502:29 “There is but one creator and one creation. This creation consists of the unfolding of spiritual ideas and their identies, which are embraced in the infinite Mind and forever reflected.”