Editorial March 26, 1927 Issue

Consecration

Duncan Sinclair

Every conscientious student of Christian Science knows that there is only one way whereby a progressive understanding of God can be obtained, the way of consecration. At the very beginning of one's study of Christian Science great spiritual illumination may be received,—great, that is, by contrast with one's previous material darkness,—and a healing may be the result; but at this point, how short is the distance that has been traveled along the eternal road! God is infinite. The universe of His creating, the spiritual universe, is infinite. To understand God and His creation fully will therefore require eternity. As Mrs. Eddy puts it in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 3), "To understand God is the work of eternity, and demands absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire."

Now Mrs. Eddy's words are true; and there can be no getting around them. The demand for "absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire" upon those who would understand God is indeed a comprehensive one, so comprehensive that it leaves little or no time for anything else. But does not the Christian Scientist who is devoting himself to the study and practice of Christian Science feel that if with his whole heart he desires to know more and yet more of God, praying constantly with this in view, and if he gives earnest thought to the things that pertain to Spirit after he has learned of them, he is dedicating his life to divine pursuits, and that practically his whole time is being given to Christian Science? All Christian Scientists have the same problem, namely, to know God better and to demonstrate their increasing understanding in the overcoming of false material belief—the world, the flesh, all evil. No one can dogmatically tell another exactly how he shall proceed; that, each one must determine for himself. But this is certain, that all have to decide very definitely to set aside time for study of the Christian Science textbooks—the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings. All must constantly have recourse to these books, because they contain the Word of God, which when understood reveals the nature of God and man, and also of spiritual law, obedience to which insures the victory over materiality.

And study must be accompanied by practice, the practice of healing the sick and the sinning. Is not every Christian Scientist under this obligation? What would be thought of a person who knew the rules of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, but did not use them? One learns these rules that they may be of service to him in solving arithmetical problems. Similarly, one learns the rules of Christian Science to be able to solve the moral, ethical, and health problems which he may encounter. And to do this efficiently, "consecration of thought, energy, and desire" is absolutely necessary. No one can play with Christian Science, as a child with a toy, and expect to progress in spiritual understanding; no one can be other than consecrated in the application of the spiritual understanding he has acquired, and expect to be successful in the healing work. As it is written in Science and Health (pp. 261, 262), "Good demands of man every hour, in which to work out the problem of being."

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