There is widespread concern about the spread of measles in the United States today. With over 465 cases reported across the country, and the number growing daily, health authorities are on alert to do what they think is necessary to stop the contagion. Christian Scientists can help.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, told us how to stop a contagious outbreak. She wrote, “At a time of contagious disease, Christian Scientists endeavor to rise in consciousness to the true sense of the omnipotence of Life, Truth, and Love, and this great fact in Christian Science realized will stop a contagion” (Miscellany, p. 116).
There is no power greater than God. Measles is no match for Almighty Love. In the omnipresence of Love, measles disappears. It has no sway or influence under the omnipotence of Truth. It is no threat to ever-present Life. When we pray for our community, and know that every child, man and woman is living in the omnipresence of Love, under the reign of Truth, and protected by spiritual Life, our prayers neutralize fear of measles, remove its seeming effect from the collective human consciousness, and restore affected bodies back to health.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, gives us specific direction on how to metaphysically neutralize an outbreak. Eddy wrote, “When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them” (p. 392).
Whether our local community is affected by the contagion or not, we can pray for everyone’s benefit, to know that our family and neighbors are exposed only to the omnipresence of Love, that spirituality is the most effective immunity from disease known to mankind, and that everyone, as the offspring of Spirit, has this immunity built-in to their being.
No one needs to fear measles. It is not to be ignored, for any fear that would capture attention needs to be addressed, dissolved and removed from consciousness so that there is no bad effect. But the current stream of reports about measles is not scary when we understand and practice God’s omnipresence. We have the spiritual tools we need to reverse those reports, cure measles and restore health and peace across the land.
I invite you to participate in this noble effort and bring an end to this unnecessary error.
“A calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventive of contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sanative method; and the “perfect Love” that “casteth out fear” is a sure defense” (Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellany, p. 229).
Thank you, Evan, for this powerful and true message. Back in oh, I would say 2006 (I don’t even remember the exact year anymore), I was working at TMC, and there was an “outbreak” of measles in Boston and I and one other employee came into contact with it. We both appeared to have the symptoms and both enlisted Christian Science practitioners for support and I enlisted a C.S. nurse as well as I had passed out twice. What was so powerful was the collective prayer of not only the C.S. community in Boston but others who were asked around the globe to be praying and that prayer brought an end to the “outbreak.” At the time, you had to by law report your case to medical authorities. My case was the last one reported and the disease vanished into its native nothingness. How grateful I was for my own healing, but also to bear witness to the power of prayer to stop the disease in its tracks, to prevent it from growing or spreading since we know that only good is able to be spread among mankind. Have already been praying about this for other communities.
Thank you❣️
Nice testimony JG. Really proves the power of prayer!!!
Thanks for this timely message. It reminded me of when my girls were very young, probably five and two, and they had both been exposed to three day measles. They were healed in two days with the help of their grandmother’s (my wonderful mother-in-law’s) prayers.
I am grateful for this post which shows so much love for your neighbor and all mankind. Thank you so much for this!
One morning, when my daughters were about one and three, they awoke covered with red spots. I called a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful help. Knowing I had this spiritual support, I simply trusted that good was taking place and we had a normal day with no other symptoms of illness. In a few hours the spots vanished.
I was not CS at this time. I got measles and there was no vaccine at this time. Doctor told my mother to have me to stay home till get well. No problems.
Today is different. I have few friends who were so mad at parents who don’t give vaccine to children.
I read the Bible Lesson after this blog and thought how appropriate Section 4 especially is to this situation. The thought also came to me that we are all God’s little ones and so precious to Him, living, moving and breathing in an atmosphere of Love divine. (hymn 144).
Yes, Section 4 is healing of fever and is so applicable. It is teaching how to heal.
Looking at the lovely picture of the happy laughing children it came to my thought that the only spots that they could possibly have would be the ones as portrayed on the dress of one of the little ones. Spots and anything unlovely cannot attach themselves to the children of God,.
The letters in SPOT can be moved around to the word STOP. So we can stop the spots by spotting the unspotted children of God, intact, pure, innocent and free.
Will be joining with everyone in this.
We can stop the spots by spotting the unspotted – love it!!
Count me among the workers, I’m on it!
Thank you❣️
Thanks for todays important message , and also allbthe wonderful comments posted here. I will be joining you in prayer inspired by these healing thoughts.
Thanks for ideas that clarify thought. I love working with hymn 10. A friend of mine shared this testimony. She lived in Atlanta and a fearsome disease made its appearance in her community. One day her two children began to manifest these symptoms. She sang hymns all evening and when morning came her children were free. Her stand for rejoicing with the Christian Science hymnal broughthealing not only to her own children but the whole fearful situation dissolved quickly in her community.
Thank you, Evan and all!
As always, thank you Evan. As citizens of the world and as CSists it is our duty to pray each day that His “….Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!”. I love that an exclamation point ends this duty!
An old adage I remember from my Sunday School days:
There is no spot, where God is not!
So good…
Today’s blog was so strong, and so needed! Thank you Evan for the wake-up call!
I particularly loved the sentence “…know that every child,man, and woman is living in the omnipresence of Love, under the reign of Truth, and protected by spiritual Life.”
Thank you, Evan!
Every idea of God, by reflection, is included in “the Kingdom of God .” “The Kingdomof God is within you.” In this almighty Kingdom, there is only perfection, no disease. Thank you one and all.
Thank you Evan for alterting us to this need for our prayers.
I’ve been working with “Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee” from SS 4:7 for a few weeks now for whatever “spots” may manifest humanly….will affirm this for all mankind.
I love working with the thought that there is nothing in God’s idea of man that is “rash”. He created man with pure unadulterated thought. Clear, concise, spotless, whole, and eternally perfect. Nothing can contaminate this man for he is spiritually and completely flawless!
Thank U Evan & all for bringing this “alertness” to
everyone’s attention.
Amen! Amen! Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need!
News Report: XX people have died from the measles outbreak.
CounterFact: God is all knowing Life. Therefore, no idea of God can ever die (be forgotten).
News Report: Measles is spreading throughout the U.S.
CounterFact: God is all harmonious Truth. Therefore any belief of discord (sickness or disease) must be untrue, unreal.
NewReport: Measles causes suffering.
CounterFact: God is ever present Love. Therefore Love’s laws are always present and there is no space/place where suffering could exist.
God is Life, Truth, Love. God establishes reality. Therefore, news reports of anything unlike God must be unreal.
Thank you Evan. Prior to reading this blog I was just blandly denying the belief of measles whenever the news media reported on it. This blog has helped me realize I need to be more specific in denying the belief of measles having any reality. And thanks to everyone for your comments! Very helpful and loving!
Thank you for the specifics. Very helpful.
Thank you Evan for this needed ALERT.
And thank you Brian for sharing your specifics
to counter the “news” of effects of any disease!
It’s like Mrs. Eddy does so often in Science and Health — to counteract
any, ANY suggestions of disease, discord, error with the Spiritual FACT.
It is precise. And so needed all over the world!
Thanks all for your helpful sharing.
Mary Baker Eddy says “common consent is contagious and it makes belief catching” (Misc Writ 228). Contagion has nothing to do with matter or any pathogen. It has everything to do with thought, and that in belief only, since “all is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation” (SH 468). But that’s not all. We cannot even be victims of “common consent” if we understand (even just gratefully accept) something else that Mrs. Eddy says: “Is not a man metaphysically and mathematically number one, a unit, and there-fore whole number, governed and protected by his divine Principle, God? You have simply to preserve a scientific, positive sense of unity with your divine source, and daily demonstrate this. Then you will find that one is as important a factor as duodecillions in being and doing right, and thus demonstrating deific Principle. A dewdrop reflects the sun. Each of Christ’s little ones reflects the infinite One, and therefore is the seer’s declaration true, that “one on God’s side is a majority” (Pulpit and Press p. 4). And a friend recently reminded “and not just a majority but a monopoly! ” Recently, understanding this lifted me up from bad case of the flu pretty fast! It is great to experience the complete freedom that comes with knowing and loving the Truth! Along with the others, I too am all in with prayer, Evan, thank you!
The thought which came to me is, “nothing inharmonious can enter being for Life is God” from S&H, p. 228. Mrs. Eddy is speaking of the belief of heredity, but it covers this belief of contagion also. When I was five years old, I remember going to the doctor because of the school I was in, with measles, which was healed through CS within two days. Thanks for alerting us to this, Evan.
Thank you Evan for your specific invitation to all of us to pray about this. Similar to what Brian said, sometimes we “blandly deny the belief” of something which I too had been doing regarding this issue until now. But I know that when friends or family ask me to pray with or for them, I throw my whole heart into it.
In general as students of Christian Science we have been called, chosen to align our understanding with the one Divine Mind to help lift up ourselves, our neighbors, and the world. We have chosen to accept this path and must let our lights shine. Truth endures, error gives up.
There is a great lecture on eliminating fear by CS practitioner and teacher Carol Dee Lewis. In it she talks about that any suggestion of disease, is just fear. Two quotes always come to mind for me from it regarding our ability to overcome and heal fear. “This is not about you and can you do it. This is about God. This is about God. This. Is. About. God!” And “We are not asked to have the power. We are just asked to honor it.”
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2cqxhdk2m44?s=e
Thank you Evan & all. Am in on the praying for all. Love Kim’s brief, powerful statement, “There is no spot, where God is not! “
There is not a spot where God is not!
Thank you Evan for your prayerful thoughts and prompting our christian Science community to pray and accept our natural freedom from disease. The citations you shared are the Truth of our present healthy being.
Greetings Friend,
During the this week and recent weeks I have been contemplating the question of immunization, vaccination against communicable diseases. I feel that immunization (vaccination shots) are appropriate health care. It is informative and instructional that Mary Baker Eddy “had her grandchildren vaccinated”, a presented in Nature Cures, the History of Alternative Medicine in America by Jams C Whorton, PhD see page 128. Though no comment is made in this book as to the year or what vaccinations were available at that time I speculate that because her son and family were not practicing Christian Science prayer, and Mary must have believed that vaccination was a valuable preventative method. As Mary Baker Eddy taught it I do believe in the effectiveness of prayer for protection from and prevention of and reversal of disease when prayer is active and persistent. Here I am sharing with you my testimony of healing and protection for my daughter from Chicken Pox and Pertussis. I am including portions of the Christian Science Lesson Sermon for this week titled “Are Sin, Disease and Death Real?” that teach how to apply Christian Science in prayer for healing.
Section 4 handles sickness, disease, fever, fear and meets need for protection from the raging fear as we pray during the current measles contagion.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge, even the most High (heaven) your habitation; No evil will fall upon you, neither will any plague come upon your home or threaten you. Psalms 91:9, 10
“It is well to be calm in sickness;
to be hopeful is still better;
but to understand that sickness is not real and that Truth can destroy its seeming reality, is best of all, for this understanding is the universal and perfect remedy. S&H 393:32
When I was a child my mother prayed to protect herself and her three children from contagious diseases; chicken pox, measles, polio, and various fevers. It was the freedom from disease in our household that lead me to believe that “sickness is not real that the Truth can destroy its seeming reality”. I did my best to practice Christian Science in my youth, and as a mother I prayed for my child and for my household.
It was Christian Science Lesson Sermon like the one this week, and every week that specifically teaches healing that lead me then and still leads me to believe that loving and sincere prayer does protect us from contagious diseases. (see Section 4). The two contagion episodes that I faced for my child were Chicken Pox and Pertussis. Chicken Pox surfaced three years in succession. The first two did not touch her or our home. The final one was in her preschool for a couple of weeks, during that time I was a afternoon classroom aid. One day a fellow parent said, “Your daughter is the only one left that has not had it, she’ll get it soon.” Evidence of a few (5-7) red pox surfaced, I continued prayer for her and freedom for all children from disease, and these spots diminished by the next day. Soon every child was back at school and we all were back to normal activities.
Some years later our daughter, while in elementary grades, was coughing some and we determined it best to kept her home from school (to help her rest and recover and to pray with her, and protect others from any contagion) for a week or so. When we felt that she had recovered she returned to school. Soon the cough started again and we kept her home for another spell of time, and the persistent heavy coughing and the flem was very concerning. Throughout this time we prayed for her freedom and natural, normal health for her, and for everyone. Christian Science teaches that we are made and maintained in the likeness of God and that God only made good. Then our county school district reported Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Our daughter by then was doing well, the cough was minimal, and we felt that she was ready to return to school. But the school nurse wanted us to have her checked for Pertussis before they would admit her. I took her to the hospital, the test proved that she was not contagious and did not have Pertussis, thou the history of her cough suggested that she had had Pertussis. The nurse was amazed that she has gone through the cycle (usually 6 to 10 weeks) of symptoms so rapidly, and that we had intuitively taken care of her so well. I asked for tips on how to help her and I was glad that I done all of the things that were recommended. We learned that the medical community concluded that the immunizations given at that time had been weak and that was why so many children had experienced Pertussis that year. The nurse gave us a note that she was not contagious and that she could return to school.
I am so appreciative of our weekly Christian Science Bible Lessons that teach us…
Section 7 The absolute statement of God creative activity and and all true being as harmonious, and…
Behold, I give unto you power
to tread on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy:
and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19
“Christian Science, rightly understood, leads to eternal harmony. Truth demonstrated” S&H 337:29–2
I hope my thoughts and experience and these highlight on the Christian Science Bible Lesson as it applies to the current measles epidemic in the US is helpful in your prayers for your family and your community. I wish you all well.
Loving thoughts, Janet Greiner
Thank you Janet for a wonderful sharing. It seems that holding to the spiritual facts of C.S. persistently, and not letting the material evidence influence you, plus letting others choose what they felt was right for them, brought you through it all. If we really understand the nothingness of all sickly claims because we know how much God loves and cares for his children and, as the Bible Lesson tells us, “nothing shall by any means hurt you” we shall be safe. We can know that God is governing, and let Him.
Maggie, thanks for your appreciative and thoughtful reply.
Thank you Janet. Your thoughts are very helpful.
Wendy Rose
Thank you Evan for this call to commune in prayer for our dear American brothers and sisters. Of course will participate in it. And for your inspirational SpiritView.
My little contribution to today’s SpiritView is a passage from Science & Health p.243 out of this week’s lesson sermon I find helpful: “Truth has no conciousness of error. Love has no sense of hatred. Life has no partnership with death. Truth, Life and Love
are a law of annihilation to everything unlike themselves, because they declare nothing except God.”
Thanks to you all for the wonderful and helpful comments!
Thank you Trista for the link to the article from the Journal. Could print it out to read it later.
On page 378:3-9, of S&H, we read, “Disease has no intelligence. Unwittingly you sentence yourself to suffer. The understanding of this will enable you to commute this self-sentence, enable you to meet every circumstance with truth.
Disease is less than mind, and Mind can control it.”
Thank you Evan for the “wake up call” where we can all give a treatment.
Freida
It’s just the same as it always is. The government or a claimsman and the media working together to alarm the public with yet another “epidemic”. One day, it’s the West Nile, the next, it’s SARS, now it’s the measles, etc., etc. For the most part, I have not let the media scare me since I was a pre-teen because not everything they claim is the real truth anyway. (We also learned in one of my psychology classes that the news media actually reports the unusual 2% of the world’s goings on and that they also tend to waaay oversimplify things like the time that they screamed that coffee directly causes cancer when the biological sciences actually linked it to the mild carcinogens. I believe that we need to be especially careful of claims like that-it’s really like the vaccine-autism myth all over again).
God is the Real Truth and what we should all really be looking to. Peace is also another name for God and we need to cling onto that no matter what the world or the media currently claims.
I grew up in a very large CS Sunday School. Some of the kids had CS parents, some didn’t, or just one parent was CS. Some of the kids received vaccinations, and others (such as me) didn’t. While there was no criticism of those who received vaccinations, nevertheless I can’t help noticing that not one of the children who received vaccinations grew up to become adult Christian Scientists. Whereas those who did not receive vaccinations did grow up to be Christian Scientists. The requirement for vaccinations thus does seem to me to be an imposition and interference on the CS religion. Just sayin’ Personally, I’m very grateful that my parents did not choose to vaccinate me.. .
Thank you so much for this blog and all the comments.
Hi Anonymous, thank you for your comment. While I read that I remember that the teacher, by whom I was CS class taught, said once to us, to never let us vaccinated. In my company where I worked at that time it was normal, that all workers there get once a year a vaccination, however it was no obligation – I said “no”, I do not want it. A very important thought which assured me, not to participate in that was, that I am always vaccinated with divine Love, and that gave me peaceful comfort! Yes, I am also very grateful for this wonderful blog!
Oh, to mention the above picture, so refreshing, it brings a bright smile onto my face. And I noticed the kids must be on a nice excursion, as three of them have a field glas round their necks. Thanks for that lovely foto! 🙂
Thank you all for your thoughtful remarks! I notice we got into a vaccination discussion, and I’m very impressed by everyone’s courtesy. The salient point is always to pray for these families and treat everyone with courtesy and respect.
I’m inspired by the thoughtfulness of Fujiko Takai Signs, CSB, whose husband is a biochemist. As you know, biological chemistry studies chemical processes in organisms and its findings are applied primarily to the medical field. Fujiko and her husband express great respect for each other’s work – a wonderful model for us all.
Thank you Evan for calling to our attention the need for Christian scientists to pray over this outbreak. One other thing I feel needs to be addressed and defended is that Christianity scientific pray is effective and a sure defense against every illness known to mortal mind. There is a great fear out there that because someone is not inoculated they are vulnerable to these attack’s and actually causing the epidemic. In California they recently revoked the right to claim religious exemption from immunization for our
children who attend any public school and New York introduced a bill to require immunization for all public places. More than ever I think we should be acknowledging the power of scientific prayer to be absolutely effective and the very best defense we have against sickness of every kind! Christ Jesus Said “I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you! “ Mrs.Eddy says “ one disease is no more real than another.” Trusting in God to be the only power and knowing that we all live and move and breathe in the atmosphere of Divine love breaks the fear that there could be anything dangerous to touch anyone of God’s children. This is Truth and the Truth is omnipotent and completely adequate to unclasp the hold.
I’m in on the work! Ran across this the other day in Miscellaneous Writings, page 320. The full sentence is long, but here’s the last portion of it. Mrs. Eddy is talking about “the light of Truth” which she says, “…calms man’s fears, bears his burdens, beckons him on to Truth and Love and the sweet immunity these bring from sin, sickness, and death.” (Mis. 320:9)
For those who are not Christian Scientists, immunizations are essential. Love your neighbor, extend your ‘healthful’ prayers to all, and then judge not.
Thank you, Evan, for your great article. The media has created this “fear” around measles to push the vaccine. Nobody ever feared it before the vaccine. They have also created the myth of “vaccine herd immunity” to add to this fear, and to push people into vaccinating. Please could you give us some ideas to pray about this seeming control from the authorities. It is everybody’s right to be free to pray and make an informed decision for their families, without being coerced into doing anything that would go against what they are guided to do by God. If you could share some spiritual ideas on this, it would be wonderful. Thank you.