Article September 12, 1925 Issue

Encouragement

EDMUND HOGG

"Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many," said Jesus in one of his well-known parables. "Progress is the law of God," are words used by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, on page 233 of the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." The experience of mortals who have in some measure turned away from material beliefs to practice Christian Science, certainly is that divine Love leads in the line of spiritual progress always with the most tender encouragement. A dictionary gives as a meaning for the verb "to encourage" the very helpful one of "to comfort."

The best teacher is one who imparts right knowledge of his subject through example and illustration,—primarily by way of encouraging the pupil to make consistent effort,—at the same time not filling the mind of his pupil with distrust of his own ability to master intricacies, but leading him naturally and gently from the simple up to the higher demonstration. Thus is sympathy established between the teacher and the one taught. This basis of mutual sympathy and love having been found, the way becomes easy and joyful instead of difficult and joyless.

Loving consideration of this sort was most helpfully extended to a boy who had started his first day in business full of fears, especially concerning his backwardness at figures. Almost the first thing given him to do was to cast up a banker's very long paying-in slip. His heart failed him, for this was just what he felt quite unable to do. After he had sat helpless for a long time, the senior who had given him the task, and whose subsequent kindness has never been forgotten, saw the boy's trouble, and taking the figures added them up with great rapidity. Putting the right answer upon the boy's desk, he told him not to be discouraged, recounted how he had met with just this same difficulty on first starting business life, assured him that it was only a question of practice to become perfect, and that there was nothing to fear on this score. This honest statement of the truth healed the boy of the belief, inculcated through unenlightened school teaching, that he was especially limited where any calculation was required. The happy result ensued that the ability to add figures accurately and quickly was very soon acquired by the youth himself.

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