Turning the Battle

Written by Katherine Puffer for the January 1925 issue of The Christian Science Journal

In ancient days gates were of much importance to the safety and welfare of the people. Many eastern cities were surrounded with walls, and were entered by means of strong gates. Jerusalem had many, each of which had a name. As a means of protection and defense against the inroads of an enemy, these gates were kept closed in time of war, and watchmen were placed there as guards for defense. A city was considered captured when its walls were taken.

David said, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates;" also, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving." Here, then, metaphysically, the word "gate" means entrance to thought. And herein lies its significance to those who, through the teaching of Christian Science, have learned the necessity of safeguarding thought.

No subject is of greater interest to students of Christian Science than that of spiritual thinking; it is fundamental. It is the knowledge of true or God-given thoughts and the ability to reflect them that is our redeemer from the ills of the flesh or material sense. The Christian Scientist knows that the sicknesses, sins, and disasters of mortal experience are but the externalized thoughts of so-called mortal mind,—never the result of correct, scientific thinking; and that if health is to be gained or harmony demonstrated in any line of endeavor, one must abide in true thinking. Hence the gates must be watched and kept closed to all evil if thought is to be properly controlled; for whatever enters thought will apparently have outward expression in what we call the body or an environment.

The city of spiritual or true consciousness is taken only by him who steadfastly keeps thought turned towards the things of Spirit. God's law, being spiritual, operates in or through spiritual thinking. Mrs. Eddy says in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902 (p. 18), "Be faithful at the temple gate of conscience, wakefully guard it; then thou wilt know when the thief cometh."

It is frequently the experience of a Christian Scientist that a long-time favorite text from the Bible becomes illumined with new meaning and is turned to practical account in solving a problem. Texts learned in childhood gain new life and value as the true metaphysical meaning dawns in thought.

The passage in Isaiah, "In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, . . . and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate," has for a long time contained beautiful promises to the writer; yet they gained tenfold value as the true meaning unfolded; and healing followed. Although a good many years had passed since the writer became interested in Christian Science and she had experienced many healings, there was one erroneous condition which had never been overcome. Circumstances arose that made it important that this error should be destroyed; yet little progress was made by her own efforts. As the practitioner was away who was sometimes called upon for help, a sense of discouragement came in. While the writer was trying to decide what to do, the thought came almost like a demand: Know that no such evil is there, and it was never manifest in reality; for God, good, is all. Through a process of thought taught by Christian Science there was worked out a clear sense of this truth, so that she actually became conscious of the reality of good and of the consequent nonexistence of disease. Verily this spiritual thinking turned "the battle to the gate." The strength of divine Love was there, and the King of righteousness indeed came in.

How hard it must have been to get an army out of a city after it had entered through the gate! A few faithful watchmen, right there at the entering in, could do more to defend the city by keeping the adversary out, than an army after it had entered. Likewise, a few scientific statements of truth as to the nonexistence of error and disease, since good alone is the manifestation of God, Life, if used with alertness, will protect consciousness from evil's entrance. Seeing disease as illusion, and maintaining this in thought against the arguments of personal sense, will prove more effectual than many assertions of truth while believing the condition to be real or a part of man's being. In no other way can false belief be wholly cast out.

That erroneous mortal claims are no part of true consciousness, are never God's ideas, must be clearly seen in order that the gate may be shut against the enemy. To expect to heal by using the arguments of truth, while still retaining the false sense of the reality of disease, is like trying to drive out an invading army which has entered through the open gates of the city. If we would "turn the battle to the gate," we must see the error as never having entered true being or consciousness; we must meet it on the basis of its unreality, and know that because man is expressing perfect Mind perfectly, that is all which is true about him.

In the brief experience mentioned above there was also seen the impossibility of changing a true state of consciousness, despite the evidence of the senses; for true, scientific thinking is in no way contingent upon bodily conditions. Correct thought processes are of divine Mind, and are governed by Mind; and through them operates God's law of harmony. We shall see this made manifest in health, harmony, and prosperity as our sense of Life is enlarged and enriched, not because of a change in matter. Christian Science demonstrates that the more one brings his thinking into obedience to God's law, the more that law governs his living, frees his thought from sin, drives out superstitious fear, and releases his body from the claims of disease.

The Psalmist sang, "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, . . . the city of the great King." In the chapter called "The Apocalypse" in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy reveals the true metaphysical meaning of this city and its gates, and throughout her writings has given definite rules for the possession of this spiritual habitation, whose Builder is God, divine Mind. On page 577 she says: "Its gates open towards light and glory both within and without, for all is good, and nothing can enter that city, which 'defileth, . . . or maketh a lie.'"

It is obvious, then, that consciousness is to be kept pure by keeping the gates of thought closed against all that would deface or defile the true idea or Christ. One of the most important guards of our gates is the literature we read. The Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy reveal the true understanding of God and His laws, and are our great protection.

In the very beginning of the writer's experience in Christian Science, she received on loan a copy of Science and Health; she was also -given another book, which she was told was just as good,—in fact, in some ways easier to understand! Fortunately, she had been told by one in whom she had confidence to read Science and Health, but had not been told to read anything else. So Science and Health was read first. When an attempt was made to read the other book, it was quickly seen that there was a difference between the two; although just how the books differed was not plain at the time. After keeping the second book for several weeks, and before returning it, she attempted again to read it, when a voice seemed to say distinctly, Let that book alone, if you want to understand Science and Health. So clearly did the words come that involuntarily she drew her hand back from the book and returned it unread.

Many times, in later years, there has been much gratitude felt for this protection, as well as for the obedience to the demand. So completely did it shut the gate against the invasion of incorrect teaching that there has never been the least difficulty since in discriminating between true and false Christian Science literature. We can best defend our gate by intrenching ourselves in the knowledge that our Leader's writings are not human fabrication, but the revelation of Truth, are God-inspired, hence God-protected. In "Pulpit and Press" (p. 3) Mrs. Eddy says, "Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love."