Article May 1, 1915 Issue

Spiritual Education

WILLIAM D. MC CRACKAN, M.A.

Progress in right living is dependent upon improvement in right thinking. Humanity is being educated out of its false beliefs into better conditions of thought through the power of Truth operating as the law of God. This process must necessarily be educational. Earnest seekers after this truth would be less impatient with delays, checks, and hindrances, would feel less inclination to cherish grievances or self-pity, could they recognize their trying experiences as connected with a process of education. The verb to educate means to lead out of; therefore spiritual education is synonymous with that pilgrimage from sense to Soul mentioned by Mrs. Eddy on page 566 of Science and Health.

Spiritual truth comes to the individual consciousness to lead it out of evil into good, from mortality into immortality, from material believing into spiritual understanding, from death into Life, from fear, lust, greed, to divine Love, universal and impartial. The Christ-teaching educates humanity out of the grasp of self-will, self-justification, and self-indulgence, into wisdom, purity, and spiritual power; out of sin, sickness, and death, into holiness, health, and life eternal. This education need not necessarily cause sorrow or suffering; no law of God imposes pain as the price of progress. The growing pains of material childhood need not afflict the pilgrim on the heavenly road that leads to the "secret place of the most High." Yet if resistance to Truth, and fear, which is the belief of life in matter, assail that pilgrim, he will not murmur, but will press forward in spite of every obstacle, knowing the goal of his right desire to be surely attainable.

The public at large is being educated out of unquestioning reliance upon material means for destroying human ills into a growing perception of the power of God as Mind, Spirit. The healing and saving words of Christian Science, which can no longer be doubted by fair-minded investigators, have caused many to reach a condition of doubtful waiting for more light, and others to advance boldly into the sunshine of Truth. Whereas, some years ago, Christian Science attracted the attention only of restricted circles, single communities, today the legislative bodies of great states are inquiring into its practice, and even into its teachings. A wider educational area has developed with the expansion of the cause of Christian Science. While some of these efforts to apply legislative measures for the restriction of Christian Science practice at times take on the appearance of persecution, there is really no need to regard them in any other light than as opportunities for further spiritual education.

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