Spirituality

WILLIAM CURTIS COFFMAN

Much effort has been put forth throughout the centuries to teach human beings how to gain spirituality, but there still remains a general misunderstanding about it. Men have questioned the possibility of its attainment, but this should not be so since the simplicity of Christ Jesus' teaching and living illustrates it. In spite of the world's material thinking and living, however, the spiritual side of existence is asserting itself.

The misunderstanding about spirituality is sometimes due to a misapprehension of the terms used to express its nature and character. Spirituality is not a stilted piety; it is not religious emotionalism. On the contrary, it is the apprehension and application of spiritual ideas, which are the reflection of Spirit, divine Mind. Prayer is communion with God; and as through this communion the student consecrates his daily thinking to the unfolding of spiritual ideas, he attains unto spirituality.

What does it mean to be-spiritually-minded? To be faithful to Principle, to good, to Truth, is spiritual-mindedness. Spirituality is expressed in wisdom, humanity, honesty, justice, mercy, goodness, affection, and compassion. The student does not personalize error, as belonging to himself or to his neighbor, because he recognizes error as unreal. He understands also that good is impersonal. He knows that in his real selfhood he reflects God, good, and that this is true of his neighbor likewise. Should sin of any kind use him, he knows that he must let divine Love enter his thought and wipe the sin out of his consciousness.

Another habit which hinders the gaining of spirituality is that of dwelling upon the discords of mortal existence. The following case is cited to show how a wise mother dealt with this problem. Her son had formed the habit of reading the crime news in a newspaper. She substituted The Christian Science Monitor for the metropolitan daily. After the lapse of one week the boy remarked, "Mother, the world is getting better; not one crime has been reported in the paper for the past seven days."

Mrs. Eddy teaches us that the spiritually-minded are temperate in their conduct in daily life, and that they possess self-control. "Through the accession of spirituality," she writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 204), "God, the divine Principle of Christian Science, literally governs the aims, ambition, and acts of the Scientist."

Paul puts the demands of Spirit tersely in his words to the Galatians, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." After referring to "the lust of the flesh," he adds, "But the fruit of the Spirit, is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." The spiritually-minded express these qualities in simple naturalness. In right conduct, then, may be seen an expression of spirituality.

Mrs. Eddy defines "miracle" in part as follows (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 591): "That which is divinely natural, but must be learned humanly." It may also be said of spirituality that it "is divinely natural, but must be learned humanly." Christian Science will unfold to us how to learn and manifest spirituality.

Spirituality proves its value in human experience. It brings peace to the troubled thought. It satisfies the longing heart. It weans the human being away from wrong desires and sinful practices. It heals the mentally and physically sick. It comforts the weary and heavy-laden. It promotes peace among men and nations. It establishes genuine happiness. All these results are achieved through an understanding of God as Spirit.

On numerous occasions during the world depression, public attention was called to the need of more spirituality as a means of solving human problems. This appeal has been heeded by many, but the world needs to see spiritualization of thought more fully demonstrated. Then spirituality will be more widely desired and sought.

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Changing the Human Concept

July 31, 1937

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