Article October 31, 1925 Issue

Thoroughness

LAURA DUNBAR HAGARTY

Revelation floods consciousness with light and joy. Spontaneous, unlabored action accompanies this welcome visitation of divine favor. The path leading to revelation is, however, one in which earnest, consecrated effort is necessary. In the pursuit of the spiritual goal, persistence, inspired by a deep desire for holiness, becomes indispensable.

Over and over again Scriptural narratives and admonitions enforce the importance of strict adherence to a right purpose in its every detail, in order that the purpose may attain fruition. Conspicuous in this regard is the record of Moses in leading the Israelites from Egyptian bondage to the land of promise. Because of its simplicity, it lends itself to the ready comprehension of the most untrained thinker. The story graphically sets forth the tenacity with which Moses clung to his mission during the years of testing, no mention being made of any deflection on his part on account of the spiritual dullness of his people, nor even on account of the apostasy of Aaron and Miriam. Steady, unswerving thoroughness from Egypt to Canaan was Moses' grand achievement.

At the time the King James Version of the Bible was given to the English-speaking world, the word "thorough" was another form of the word "through," meaning from beginning to end, a significance which exactly fits when the word "thorough" is applied to mental work in Christian Science. To illustrate: When an appearance of error flaunts itself, it is not sufficient to think or to say, That is a belief of envy, resentment, greed, senility, or whatever the case may indicate. The mental work must be pushed farther than that. It must include an active declaration and realization of the reality of good and the unreality of evil, the absence of evil from the man of God's creating, whatever the specific form that declaration may demand. To discontinue mental work after error has been traced until it can be definitely named as envy, resentment, greed, senility, or what not, is to fall short of possible demonstration. Such a course may even arrest one's thought at the point of "belief"; whereas the completing of the work by pondering the allness of God leads thought to where arrested development is an impossibility.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Poem
Consecration
October 31, 1925
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit