Editorial October 1, 1932 Issue

The Grace of Gratitude

W. Stuart Booth

When one first feels the healing touch of the Christ, Truth, and has the unreality of disease proved to him by means of Christian Science, he is naturally grateful. But that sense of gratitude may mean no more than appreciation for relief from discomfort. However, as that one then studies the Bible together with the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," in order to learn about God and His law of life and harmony, whereby he has been blessed, a new and higher sense of gratitude springs up in his heart, for he realizes that he has indeed been touched by the hand of God, the power of Love divine. He stands in reverent awe as he glimpses the fact that the healings which have come to him are proofs of God's very presence and are also promises of Love's providence of infinite good.

It may be that soon after beginning his study of Science and Health the student is impressed by Mrs. Eddy's incisive words about gratitude, found in the chapter on Prayer (p. 3): "Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more. Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech." No matter how abundantly we may have been blessed by Christian Science, we shall receive more as we are fitted to receive it by availing "ourselves of the blessings we have"! And everyone desires added blessings, since complete satisfaction is never attained until we awake with God's likeness, as the Psalmist states.

The Wednesday testimony meetings afford opportunities. to voice one's gratitude for Christian Science; and commendable zeal tempered by wisdom may lead one to express his gratitude by voicing a word of encouragement and cheer to those whose need for Christian Science is evident. But we are not merely to talk Christian Science: we must live it; we must let our daily dealings with our fellow men be such that thereby they will be convinced of the Christianizing influence of Christian Science, as well as its healing efficacy.

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