In the first chapter of James we read, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." In one of her earlier messages to The Mother Church, Mrs. Eddy says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 127): "One thing I have greatly desired, and again earnestly request, namely, that Christian Scientists, here and elsewhere, pray daily for themselves; not verbally, nor on bended knee, but mentally, meekly, and importunately. When a hungry heart petitions the divine Father-Mother God for bread, it is not given a stone,—but more grace, obedience, and love." This vital message of our Leader was also read at the laying of the corner stone of the extension of The Mother Church, thus emphasizing its import to Christian Scientists.

While looking up some references on the subject of prayer, the writer was much impressed by the above message; and especially did the word "importunately" stand out. The word means "urgently," or "to urge persistently." As the definition was pondered and the message read over and over again, it became clear to the writer that she had not been doing what our dear Leader had requested. The questions, therefore, presented themselves. Are you always consciously desiring to know more of God, good? Are you longing "importunately" to know His will and how to obey it? And she knew she was not.

Then how was this to be attained? The answer came, Pray for it. Then she turned again to the message and read, "If this heart, humble and trustful, faithfully asks divine Love to feed it with the bread of heaven, health, holiness, it will be conformed to a fitness to receive the answer to its desire." So, one must be prepared to receive the answer to his desire; and this preparation is made through prayer.

Beginners in Christian Science often get the impression that they must not offer prayers of supplication. But James explicitly tells us to ask for wisdom. He also says, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss," implying that the harm is not in the asking but rather in what we ask for. It is surely not wrong to petition, as did Solomon, for wisdom and an understanding heart.

The moment one turns to Christian Science, old things begin to pass away; and one of the first to go is the old concept of prayer. One learns that he does not have to plead with God to give him this or that material thing; but rather, he must know that God, being omnipresent, omnipotent Love, has already bestowed all good on His children, and that this good is ours when we avail ourselves of it. This new sense of prayer so uplifts him for a time that usually he is content to bask in the sunshine of the sweet assurance. It is all so wonderful to him, almost beyond words to express,—the joy of having found that God really answers prayer. Sometimes he is content with letting a practitioner do his praying for him; but the time comes when every one is forced to work out his own salvation and to do his own thinking. When this testing time comes, one should watch that he does not try to put off what is good in the old faster than he puts on what is better in the new, remembering Paul's injunction, "Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."

In this connection, the writer recalls an experience which she had while taking lessons in singing. She had begun to study with a new teacher; and she quickly grasped the new idea of singing which he gave her. She practiced faithfully, and for a time all went well. Then, one day, discouragement crept in; and she found to her dismay that she had no desire to sing. The reason for this was that she saw the error in her former teaching and no longer wanted to sing that way. Her knowledge of the new method was so limited that the result was not satisfying, so she decided she would cease trying to sing. When she went to the studio and told this to the teacher, to her surprise he laughed heartily, then patiently and lovingly explained that she had come to the parting of the ways. He told her to keep on singing, using as much of the new method as she understood. He assured her that the old habits would gradually fall away and be replaced, almost imperceptibly, by the better way. She followed his advice, and found his words to be true.

Let us not think that because we have turned to Christian Science and have begun to know that "desire is prayer," as Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 1), we have learned all there is to know about prayer. If we do not learn readily how to pray in the new way, let us continue to pray in the old; but, by all means, let us continue to pray.

The writer recalls with tenderness a stanza of an old hymn that her mother used to sing:—

Christian Scientists have learned that the virtue of prayer does not lie in the mere bending of the knee. But none know better than they the calm relief that comes from prostrating the false sense of self before the conscious realization of the ever-presence of divine Love.

As we pray devoutly and habitually, we shall find the graces of obedience and love manifested to a greater degree in our daily living. And as we turn more and more frequently for secret communion with the Father, the "Father which seeth in secret" will reward us openly. This reward is the healing of sickness and sin of every name and nature. As we dwell in the conscious desire to exalt the Father, even as Christ Jesus exalted Him, we too shall be able to say: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always."