Article February 7, 1920 Issue

Progress

MARY JONES

From beginning to end the Bible portrays in unmistakable language that the law of God demands progress. The Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, explains this law of God. One of the many references to this law occurs on page 240 of Science and Health, where we are told to "remember that mankind must sooner or later, either by suffering or by Science, be convinced of the error that is to be overcome." When the deep meaning of the passage referred to is grasped, especially the latter part, giving the happy assurance that error "is to be overcome," it will be found to be a ladder, the top of which reaches heaven. Moreover, it is a ladder which either here or hereafter all must climb, for in no other way can heaven, harmony, be attained. We may not be ready to admit this fact; but the law of progress, God's law, cannot be evaded or ignored.

On the upward journey we are never alone, for angels, God's thoughts, are ever with us to guide and guard our footsteps. An instance of this may be given: The writer, like many others, had been taught when a child to believe that God, who the Bible declares is Love, was responsible for all the sorrow and sickness of earth, and that at the end some of us, indeed most of us, were destined to be eternally punished. The horror of this false teaching clouded her childhood, resulting later in ill health and fits of depression which became most terrible, until healing came through Christian Science. The joy that came with the realization of the falsity of this earlier teaching was so great that she was content to remain there; but Love, being ever active, compels us to go up higher, until we awake in His likeness and are completely satisfied. When this healing was related to a Christian Science practitioner the question was asked, "Are you still content to take all and give nothing in return?" Following closely on this loving rebuke came the desire to know how the healing had come, so that others might be helped, and slowly but surely the doctrine Jesus promised we should know of if we do God's will was unfolded. This truth as taught in Christian Science is for all to understand and to practice, for "God is no respecter of persons;" but the revelation did not come to the writer until she had learned to pray, at first haltingly and then with deepest desire: Take away all that would come between Thee and me. As a result of early training, there was a kind of fear at first that something essential to happiness would have to go. This was not so, for as some one has pointed out, it was materiality that Abraham was called upon to sacrifice. It is ever thus, and the loss of materiality is indeed gain.

For the fuller understanding of God that is unfolding to the world to-day, we owe a great debt of gratitude to our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, who, following closely in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, could hear his voice, understand and obey the command: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;" "Heal the sick." This glorious truth of Christian Science is for all; it is so simple that a little child can understand and apply its teachings, yet so powerful that it destroys all human woe. It is the new birth which must go on until, in the words of the apostle, "we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."

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