The first sentence in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, reads (Pref., p. vii), "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings."

Confidence, trust, faith, humility, purity, joy, love, expectancy of and reliance on good, are the natural heritage of childhood. The child rightly instructed readily leans—depends—on God in full expectancy of His blessings of health and harmony. We may be inclined to think that a child's faith is a blind faith, but as we become closely associated with children in the Christian Science Sunday Schools we soon see something of the meaning of Jesus' words, "Their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." In "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy asks (p. 179), "What is it that seems a stone between us and the resurrection morning?" And she answers, "It is the belief of mind in matter." Matter being but false belief, the purity and clarity of the true child-thought readily penetrates its seeming veil, beholds divine reality, and becomes conscious of God's presence here and now.

A small boy of four was alone with one who called upon him to help her. The child had been taught in Sunday school the Lord's Prayer with its spiritual interpretation (Science and Health, pp. 16, 17). She was soon relieved, and as she reëntered the room she found the child repeating this prayer. His face was radiant, and he said, "I knew when God did it." Teachers in Christian Science Sunday Schools throughout the world can tell of similar instances of the healing of physical ills and wrong traits of character.

A child must be shown among his first lessons that obedience is required. Without obedience neither the child nor the Sunday school teacher can accomplish much. The parents' coöperation here is of the greatest value. The child should be shown that selfishness is unlike God and does not belong to His children. He must be aroused to resist evil and to see how to exercise his God-given dominion; and his sense of honor and love of good must be encouraged.

The Christian Science Sunday School is a sacred meeting place for child and teacher to learn together how to forsake material thinking and to enter into the Holy of Holies, where divine reality is revealed, where uplifted desires ascend unto the Father to receive the blessings of spiritual good and understanding.

Parents are devoting time and money, making sacrifices, if need be, that their children may receive an education. Our Leader says (Science and Health, p. 195), "Academics of the right sort are requisite." But more important still is a desire for the knowledge of God and His laws, the knowledge of true spiritual selfhood through the Science of Life.

Children need the moral and mental support of their parents as well as of their teachers in the pursuit of spiritual truth. The tender story of Hannah consecrating her much loved child, Samuel, to the Lord may be profitably studied by every mother. The Bible records these words of Hannah: "Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord." Later, the child was responsive to the call of God, saying, "Speak; for thy servant heareth."

In our own time another consecrated child heard the call of her Father-Mother God. This child, Mary Baker, later to be known as Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, also had a mother who was keenly alive to the need for spiritual education and spiritual living.

Some children attending Christian Science Sunday Schools, who come of their own volition, do not have the help and support of their families or friends. But the Father's loving care is ever with them, and in the Sunday school they may learn self-reliance and gain spiritual strength; yet they need encouragement from their elders. The world's attractions are legion. Pleasant pastimes, inexpensive and close at hand, may seem alluring; but even though recreation be clean and wholesome, if indulged in to the exclusion of time for the consideration of the things of God, it becomes a robber. True spiritual attraction, if realized by teacher and parent, will bring the children to their Sunday school classes; and they will form the good habit of punctuality and uninterrupted attendance.

Each teacher must know for himself and the pupils that "they shall be all taught of God." His work is not based on a false sense of personal responsibility, but on God-given ability, wisdom, and intelligence; for only thus can he impart the true facts of spiritual being according to the child's ability to understand and assimilate them. The teacher's work is one of unselfed love, necessitating the giving of time and quiet study and prayer during the week days. The parents' part is loving coöperation in encouraging the child to obedience and study.

God's ideas are all living in harmony, being guided by the one divine Father-Mother Mind. Understanding this unites us all in one grand purpose, the unfoldment of spiritual good to human consciousness. The storehouse of true spiritual ideas is full and overflowing, waiting to be appropriated and to be made manifest in our lives. Christian Science is practical. Mrs. Eddy says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 365), "If Christian Science lacked the proof of its goodness and utility, it would destroy itself; for it rests alone on demonstration." Each individual Christian Scientist has his part in establishing this redeeming truth in the thoughts of men; and each may well consecrate his own thoughts to the Lord, to be used in His service, in the spreading of the good tidings of the heavenly vision.