Count the Blessings

Let us gather up the sunbeams
Lying all around our path.

The subject of our experience meetings is of so much interest to the Field that a few additional thoughts respecting them cannot be amiss. The Christianizing influence of these meetings and of the testimonies given in our periodicals in becoming more and more evident; it is reaching many who are out in the darkness of sin and suffering, who have missed their way to the healing Christ, known of old and revealed anew in Christian Science. In the teaching we are constantly reminded that the demand of vital Christianity is the attainment of perfection in thought, word, and deed, and in striving for it we are assured in our text-book that "progress finally destroys all error" (Science and Health, p. 492). It is in this glorious hope that we toil on, even when progress seems very slow, for it gives assurance of final perfection in individual experience as well as in our churches, including, of course, our Wednesday meetings. As we gain a clearer sense of that which is most conductive to our advancement, we become conscious of better health, our thoughts are expressed with greater freedom, power, and grace, and if this be true of our daily experience our services will be correspondingly enriched.

While Christian Scientists are deeply grateful for their deliverance from pain and discord, they soon find that something far higher than these earlier experiences comes with spiritual growth, when the affluence of good unfolds to them. The Psalmist declares that God's "wonderful works" to usward are more than can be reckoned or numbered, and in a burst of thankfulness he says. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits." If one in the olden time could thus discern his blessings, and speak of them in words that glow, what should be expected of those who walk in the clear light of Christian Science and who know how the gifts of divine Love come into our hearts and homes? If we cannot "reckon" all our blessings, we may at least jot down a few of them on memory's tablet, and tell of them with fervor that throbs with gratitude to God, and to His messenger, to whose faithfulness we owe so much. Words which come from grateful hearts never fail to find their way to other hearts with the healing power of the Christ-message. St. Paul tells of the convincing power of truth upon those who attended the experience meetings in his day, and says of the stranger who might listen, "falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth." He did not think it either impossible or wrong to "speak with the tongues of men and of angels," he only insisted that Love be understood and obeyed, as the true inspiration to eloquence.

We need never hesitate to speak of past blessings, for the Israelites were commanded to tell their children's children of their deliverance from bondage, and of the signs and wonders which were vouchsafed to them on their way. Our Leader going before us has blazed a way through the thorny wilderness of sense; let us cheer her by bringing to our services the fruits of Spirit, — the products of our Promised Land, — which are more precious than the grapes of Eschol brought back by the explorers to cheer the doubting and faltering hosts of Israel. K.

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General Association of Teachers

October 15, 1904

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