Editorial October 17, 1903 Issue

Knowledge and Progress

Within the last century thought has loosed from its moorings and embarked on an ocean of infinite possibilities. To-day, no thinker would venture to say that anything in the line of human aspiration is impossible of attainment. So much has already been accomplished through the liberation of thought that it would be manifest folly to attempt to close the door on further progress by denying that past achievements are not a sufficient guarantee of yet greater things to come. And here we are brought face to face with the significant question: Is religious thought keeping pace with the demand for progress which is so characteristic of our time?

All recognize that progress is due to increased knowledge,—a more perfect understanding,—and that this alone has made it possible, and yet but few have seen that the same relation exists between knowledge and the moral and spiritual advance of mankind. The absence of a right sense of this relation may be explained by the common thought that knowledge of spiritual things is unattainable. How many are there who ever think it possible for any one to acquire the understanding possessed by Christ Jesus,—that is, the kind of knowledge which enabled him to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, raise the dead, and prove in many other ways his dominion over the so-called forces of nature. Yet, he knew that this attainment was possible, and he encouraged all to reach it. Our text-book says, "To understand all our Master's sayings, as recorded in the New Testament, sayings infinitely important, his followers must grow into that stature of manhood in Christ Jesus which enables them to interpret his spiritual meaning" (Science and Health, p. 350).

When we sincerely desire to obey the requirements of Truth and Love, our knowledge is increased and light is thrown upon one after another of Jesus' profound sayings, and as we apprehend his teaching we are able to follow him and to do his work. In the Sermon on the Mount he said, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Like every other statement of truth this is limitless in its meaning and application, but to the student of Christian Science it gives a very forceful rebuke to the tendency to carry from one day to another the self-imposed burden of belief in evil.

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