Article October 20, 1934 Issue

Improving "earth's preparatory school"

[Written Especially for Young People]

MADELYN G. COBHAM

In schools and in colleges the world over, the main thought of every student who really desires to advance is to do all he can honorably do to gain high marks and to pass his grade. On page 486 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy says, "Earth's preparatory school must be improved to the utmost." Without doubt, Christ Jesus' life and work for mankind stand as the most perfect example of what it means to improve "earth's preparatory school" to the utmost.

In "earth's preparatory school," obstacles present themselves which must be met and overcome before the student can march ahead. Mortal mind gives them names, but by whatever name they are called, the first step in the overcoming of them is to realize that God, the all-knowing Mind, knows nothing about them. It is a beautiful truth to ponder: God knows nothing about error. He made everything that was made, and found it "very good." All right ideas are His, since He is the only creator. No wrong idea, then, ever was created. If we connect this statement of spiritual fact with what we know in Christian Science to be the truth, namely, that the real man is the idea of God, the expression of His infinite perfection and wisdom, we shall realize that as we reflect Mind we too can know nothing of these erroneous obstacles as real hindrances. They, therefore, must be the unreal, untrue concoctions of mortal mind. When they are recognized as such—as nothing—they can be promptly and completely overcome. The divine Principle of right is beautiful in its simplicity.

Let us consider the error called impatience. Perhaps a student finds a statement in school difficult to comprehend, and grows impatient because without an understanding of it he cannot go ahead. This impatience, if indulged, appears to become a wall dividing him from the solution of his problem. Instead, he must learn that there is a spiritual law of unfoldment operating; that there are oftentimes certain intermediate steps of development which he must take through understanding, before the statement can be fully grasped. Then, as one often finds is the case in studying the Christian Science textbook, when each step has been taken, suddenly the whole solution of the problem is unfolded to him, clearly and understandably. Had he yielded to impatience, he would only have postponed that exquisite uplifting moment of complete unfoldment. God knows nothing about impatience.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Poem
The Oil of Joy
October 20, 1934
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit