Article January 15, 1921 Issue

Progress

CLARA DENNY HAMPSON

The writer has often been impressed with the likeness of the study of Christian Science to arithmetic. When we first look into Christian Science all seems addition. Health, friends, prosperity, and other blessing pour in on us until we believe all of our problems are in addition and can there be solved. We are satisfied, and hasten to tell our friends, often urging them to join us—for there is only addition and nothing to lose.

About this time we receive a shock. Some difficulty arises that does not respond to the rule of addition. What is the trouble? We begin to doubt, and suspect some evil from others. Some students become superstitious at this stage of progress, while others may fall away from Christian Science. Let us look into the matter. The page has been turned, and behold—subtraction. Many of the difficulties we thought were removed by addition have only been covered up; they are still there. The earnest student now ceases talking and settles down to study; he roots out the false beliefs,—subtracts.

It is sometimes a painful process, but not to be avoided if we desire to go higher. The progress is slow or fast according to the thoroughness of the work; but at last we begin to understand the necessity and patiently labor on until one day we find we have turned another page—to multiplication. With meekness, humility, patience, love, charity, gained through the process of subtraction, we acknowledge God as All-in-all and begin to multiply the exalted thoughts that come to our chastened consciousness. At first we adore secretly, almost afraid lest we have left subtraction too soon and may have to retrace our steps.

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