Health

Written by Ella W. Hoag, 1922

Were the average person asked to define health, he might find it difficult to comply, so indefinite seems to be the understanding of what health really means. More or less generally, it is supposed to concern the human body, and consequently to be dependent on physical conditions, and under the control of material laws. To be sure, mankind has also talked sometimes of health of mind and soul; but, even then, the thought has been attached to materiality, since human belief has said that brain thinks and that soul is in body. Mortals have also believed that health could get into matter without their knowledge, and get out of matter without their desire or consent. Try the best they might, study and search as earnestly as they knew how, obey as punctiliously as possible all the latest material methods for securing and retaining health,—still, rarely could one be found who seemed to possess much of the coveted treasure. Certainly, there is nothing more sought after than health; and nothing has seemed more illusive in its nature; for witness a whole world seeking, and how few finding!

That men have been looking to matter, instead of to God, for health is one reason for their having failed in such large measure to find it. Christian people have prayed long and loudly to God to give them health, since they have felt that without it they were practically helpless and hopeless. But in spite of praying thus, they have still looked for it in matter, and have believed it was dependent on matter. The Bible has always been proclaiming to men that health is of God; that it can only be realized in proportion as God's laws are obeyed. It is true that Christian men and women have believed this in some degree; but the difficulty has been that while they have prayed to God to show them how to obey Him, in order that they might thereby win health, they have at the same time believed that His laws in regard to health were material, and they have expected Him to give them healthy matter in answer to their prayer. Consequently, they have continued to look to matter to discover both the laws they were to obey and the health they hoped to receive. In other words, they have prayed to God, and then have looked away from God to find that which is only of God. Is it any wonder that while working from such a standpoint they have failed in their quest?

It was into the darkness of such a disappointed world that the light of Christian Science came, showing not only the true nature of health, but the way to secure it. When Mrs. Eddy states in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 120), "Health is not a condition of matter, but of Mind; nor can the material senses bear reliable testimony on the subject of health," she immediately places health where it belongs, and opens the way for all to understand and demonstrate it. Immediately, thought is turned away from matter to God, divine Mind. Finding that health belongs to divine Mind, the infinite God, it is readily seen that it must always be found therein, existing as a divinely mental attribute. Every child of God, therefore, must reflect it, and can never be separated from it; hence, the glorious truth must be deduced that all mankind can and must demonstrate it.

All men acknowledge that the nature of health is good; and when there is added to this the fact that it is also divinely mental, the conclusion inevitably follows that thinking good must be health itself. Then, in proportion as men think good thoughts they will express health. How simple! How it lifts thought away from matter to the realm of divine Mind, where all is harmony and holiness! Holiness surely means wholeness; and wholeness must include all that is meant by health. To be healthy, then, one must be holy; and if holy, one would without doubt be healthy.

In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 41) Mrs. Eddy says, "Health, alias harmony, is the normal manifestation of man in Science." Now, in the endeavor of the Christian Scientist to demonstrate his unity with the divine Mind, by thinking only the thoughts of "health, alias harmony," he is tempted, again and again, to look to matter for evidence. It is only, however, as he holds his thought steadily to the truth of being that he will find the false evidence of disease yielding to the facts of health. To look away from divine Mind to matter is always to hinder his demonstration.

Centuries ago the psalmist said: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul [sense] ? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." What inexpressible joy it is to be able, through the understanding of Christian Science, to discern the meaning of such Scriptural passages as this; and, more wonderful still, to be able to demonstrate the truth of them! Surely, no Christian Scientist need ever fear that he can lack health, when Science shows him so plainly that God is always bestowing it upon man in the holy thoughts, — the thoughts of good, — He gives him. Our beloved Leader has expressed this truth so beautifully in "The People's Idea of God" (p. 12), where she says: "As if Deity would not if He could, or could not if He would, give health to man; when our Father bestows heaven not more willingly than health; for without health there could be no heaven."