Editorial April 6, 1918 Issue

Times and Seasons

William D. McCrackan

The yearly seasons come and go, but God's "now" never passes. Some individuals advance by leaps and bounds, then stray into byways, while slower pilgrims pass them on the straight and narrow road. The only real advance is spiritual, and is reckoned by milestones which do not appear to physical sight but are known to God. Spiritual progress cannot be measured by calendar reckoning or by the probabilities of life tables, but solely by demonstration. The worldly wise say there is a time for everything, but the world's time is not God's opportunity. The spiritual timetable is governed by Soul not by sense, and does not coincide with the revolutions of the earth nor the appearances of the moon. In the realm of metaphysics one day is as a thousand years. A moment's spiritual intuition may crown the labor of centuries. Revelation sweeps aside as inadequate the hypotheses and doctrines of the ages. Quality not quantity characterizes God's eternity, and in this the real man has all and abides forever. Therefore in speaking of times and seasons the Christian Scientist quickly learns to replace solar years by the achievements of spiritual sense, as we read in the Glossary of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 584) under the definition of Day: "The objects of time and sense disappear in the illumination of spiritual understanding, and Mind measures time according to the good that is unfolded. This unfolding is God's day, and 'there shall be no night there.'"

There has never been a time when God's creation was not perfect, when His glory did not mean joy eternal. His ways are ways of spiritual blessings,—His cup overflows with spiritual rewards. Christian Science teaches humanity that its expectation of ultimate perfection is in reality justified by an ever present perfection. Under the happy impulsion of true Science the blind can use spiritual sight and see now, the deaf can listen to the still, small voice and hear now, the stubborn can unbend to divine Love and become flexible now, thereby becoming willing instruments of God's power.

The beginner learning the multiplication table and his A, B, C seems to make slow progress at first, but later he uses this knowledge with dexterity, hardly realizing that he is using it. So in acquiring foreign languages individuals may seem to require much time, but the language of Spirit is quick and powerful. It matters not whether one's response is slow or fast, as long as the response comes. Different flowers unfold to the sunlight differently, some slowly, some rapidly, but there is no doubt that they will bloom if they are given proper care. In this way proper attention given to the daily study of Christian Science and to its practice brings sure reward.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Times and Seasons

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access