Article February 21, 1920 Issue

Demonstration

GERTRUDE GOODING MC CLOUD

When one is first reaching out for an understanding of Christian Science with which to overcome disease or some other discordant condition, his thought is held, from the opening line of the Preface of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, by the possibility of immediately putting into practice the rules of divine healing and thereby gaining without delay the good promised as a result of this practice. In proportion to individual receptivity to the truth, one begins to demonstrate in a degree these rules of Christian Science as they are unfolded to his consciousness; and when the "willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new" (Science and Health, p. 323) is earnest and sincere, healings of mind and body at once take place.

As the study goes on, the student sees that something more than mere acceptance of the words contained in his textbook is required. He finds that it is not always easy to adhere strictly to the rules laid down for his daily living and thinking; and right at this point come the temptation to say to one's self: "These teachings are beautiful to read, and if they could be constantly lived they might actually bring out all that they claim to do; but they are too idealistic for this age. It is impossible on this plane of existence to conform to the requirements of Christian Science." This attitude may be likened to that of the child who has begun to learn the rules of mathematics. The work of committing to memory the rule for demonstration is successfully done, and then the child is given a problem to work to prove the rule. If he looks at the problem and the rule as two distinctly separate ideas he may say, "I know the rule, I can repeat it perfectly; but I do not know how to apply it; therefore I cannot solve the problem." When it is understood that the rule and the problem are indissolubly connected, that without the rule one could never scientifically work a problem, and without a problem one need never have studied to learn the rule, it is seen that the task of solving the problem has become an unescapable duty. Then the student knows that if he must, he can; and he begins his work. By following out each separate point in the rule laid down, sometimes slowly, but always accurately, the demonstration is finally made, and the student gains courage to attempt the solution of the successive problems.

Continuing the comparison between the student of Christian Science and the child, let us suppose that one makes a mistake in the first part of his work, and, unconscious of having done so, goes on to the next part. Although each succeeding step may be carefully worked out, when the end is reached the result is wrong. Does the student, after discovering that he has not obtained the right answer, say: "There! I have obeyed the rule and yet the result is imperfect. It is clear that this so-called science is not a science at all, because its rules are not infallible"? No. He reasons that, since he knows the rule to be exact, it must be his own mistake in its application which is responsible for his failure. Clearly, the only way to remedy the matter is carefully to go over each step in the problem, watching closely to discover where the error lies. When he finds his mistake he does not sit back in a self-satisfied way, content with himself for having discovered the error; he does not feel ready to go on to a higher problem until he has not only seen but corrected the mistake, and followed out the succeeding steps according to the correct rules. Having done this, he is finally rewarded by seeing his scientific work demonstrated in a right result.

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