Article September 10, 1927 Issue

The Divine Purpose

DOROTHY R. SEXTON

On page 154 of "Miscellaneous Writings" our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, states, "It is the purpose of divine Love to resurrect the understanding, and the kingdom of God, the reign of harmony already within us." In the first flush of the joy occasioned by the wonderful revelation in Christian Science of man, spiritual and perfect, made in the image of God, the beginner in the study of this Science is apt to overlook the fact that although this is the absolute truth about man, each one must so strive for the complete realization of it as to prepare the way in his own experience for that mental state in which matter, or material thinking, has no place—where God is All-in-all. This process must be a gradually progressive one; and it is attained only by a consecrated and regular study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and a daily and hourly striving to demonstrate, if only in a small degree, the greater spiritual understanding which unfolds to the awakened thought.

Sometimes the young student is prone to be discouraged when so-called problems crowd thick and fast upon him, failing to see that these are really opportunities to prove the truth for himself. Great encouragement and enlightenment may be gained by studying the story of the journey undertaken by the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

The Egyptians had so overburdened the Israelites that the latter were eager to escape from their taskmasters into the land promised by God to their fathers. But turning to the truth in their case was not sufficient, even as it is not sufficient for the Christian of to-day. A long journey lay ahead; and, following the "pillar of the cloud by day" and of "fire by night," they passed through many difficult places, with their enemies, the Egyptians, close behind them, endeavoring to draw them back into captivity. Weary they were, fearful and bewildered; but all the time divine Love was guiding, guarding, protecting them. How else could they learn that implicit, childlike trust in God which alone leads to spiritual joy, save by the compulsion to utilize these opportunities for proving His ability and willingness to supply their every need? How else could they realize the utter futility of a dependence upon matter to aid them?

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