Article January 26, 1924 Issue

On Practicing What We Have Learned

GEORGIA H. REYNOLDS

A wide-awake, attractive little boy was met by his parents at the close of a Christian Science Sunday School session. As they journeyed homeward, a member of the party remarked, "I wonder what you learned to-day?" "Oh, I learned about God," was the immediate reply. "Yes," said the mother, "you learn something about God every Sunday; what did you learn about God to-day?" With an earnestly responsive expression and attitude, he promptly replied, "I want you to wait, mother, and see me practice what I learned to-day."

Unwittingly the little seven-year-old child had voiced the keynote of the great essential in the life of a follower of the Nazarene,—to practice what we have learned! No one recognizes in greater degree than the student of Christian Science the incomparable debt he owes to our revered Leader, who so perseveringly and patiently proved to her followers, through precept and example, the necessity of faithful and continuous effort to make what we are learning of practical value in our daily lives. Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 15), "Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings." Christian Scientists are finding that a hasty perusal of the Lesson-Sermon each day, merely that they may have the satisfaction of knowing they have read it in its entirety, is by no means sufficient; just as the merely superficial study of a prescribed number of chapters in the Bible or a certain number of pages in our textbook is not the proper prelude to a day of usefulness.

One sometimes hears: "I certainly do want to understand more of Christian Science; but I have so much to do. It is impossible for me to read or think until my house is in order, and the necessary work finished. Some day I am going to have more time to myself." What a mistaken attitude! How the mental recognition of God's ever-presence is needed while putting a house in order! How much headway might be gained if all the "necessary work" should be done to the accompaniment of the precious statement, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"!

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