Article February 9, 1929 Issue

Painless Progress

MABEL SPICER GILL

God , divine Mind, is expressed in perpetual activity; and progress is God's law for all His spiritual creation. To spiritual sense progress can mean only a continuous going forward through the perpetual exercise of the divine qualities. To human sense, progress indicates increased proficiency, advancement, betterment, working toward the goal of perfection.

Speaking of the progress of mortals, Mary Baker Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 296): "Progress is born of experience. It is the ripening of mortal man, through which the mortal is dropped for the immortal. Either here or hereafter, suffering or Science must destroy all illusions regarding life and mind, and regenerate material sense and self." This assurance that all evil will finally be destroyed is exceedingly precious. And how loving the method—not necessarily by suffering, but by Science, the knowing of the truth!

To a large degree the choice of methods rests with us. Progress that is born of experience may be either painless or painful. We may not know enough of Science at first to make our progress entirely painless; but our efforts to solve our problems by Christian Science result in that "ripening of mortal man" by which material sense is laid aside for spiritual sense, which is ever at peace.

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