Many individuals today are beholding the healing and redemptive works of Christian Science, and long to partake of its blessings. Many others are experiencing its spiritual fruitage daily.

All are as children in a great school, learning of Spirit. All must begin with rudimentary facts, and obey the injunction, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Hear this inspiring promise, expressed by Mary Baker Eddy in her textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 326): "The purpose and motive to live aright can be gained now. This point won, you have started as you should. You have begun at the numeration-table of Christian Science, and nothing but wrong intention can hinder your advancement." What glorious avenues of good this statement unfolds to the hungry seeker after spirituality! "The purpose and motive to live aright"—the open door to happiness, health, and harmony!

One who thus starts aright in his study of Christian Science is in much the same position as the child who, in his study of arithmetic, starts with the numeration table. This exact foundation is indispensable if the child is to work out the more difficult problems of higher mathematics. He learns that twice two is four, thrice three is nine, and so on. As he works according to rule, his work will be correct.

So it is with the student of Christian Science. He accepts the facts that God is Spirit, is good, is All; that God has made man in His image and likeness; that man is therefore spiritual, and perfect, even as the Father is perfect. Working from this basis, he finds that these spiritual truths include the solution of all human problems. The demonstration of their eternal verity brings buoyant health, abundant supply, and, most of all, a greater understanding of God and more love for God and man.

But what of the individual who seems not to have "the purpose and motive to live aright"? How does Christian Science supply them? One who appears to lack, wholly or in part, the good purpose and motive, is not beginning with "the numeration-table of Christian Science." In his experience he has been unaware of true existence. At some point he has permitted entrance of the false belief that God is not All; that matter has a place in the infinite plan of Spirit, or even that matter exists outside of infinity. It is the illusion that man is not the full image of infinite Spirit that wreaks havoc with his finding the perfect answer to his problems. But this is only false belief, which needs to be corrected, and so destroyed, with the truth about man's relationship to God. The study of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings, accompanied by whole-souled, affirmative prayers of thanksgiving, will prove to the seeker his inseparability from God, and harmony will result in experience.

A quality heartily needed in this work is patience. When the writer was in school, the teacher had a book which contained the answers to the arithmetical problems. How the pupils wanted to skip over the actual work and see what were the answers in the book! But such was not possible. Each one had to work out the problems according to the rules, patiently and painstakingly. In our spiritual work, patience is a factor in the unfoldment of joy. James admonishes, "Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

And let it be noted here that patience is allied to confidence. The unwavering trust and faith in the omnipotence of good demonstrates good. When working those arithmetical problems, we needed confidence in the rule. We knew that we had worked according to rule, so we patiently and trustingly adhered to what we knew to be right; whereupon, the teacher lovingly announced that our work was correct, and once again the mathematical rule was vindicated.

Thus it is with our spiritual progress. We must cling to the rule of perfect God and perfect man, in spite of the clamor of the senses; and as we do so, our advancement will be joyous and liberating, and those who walk with us along the way will be benefited by our reflection of Truth. The divine Principle, Love, which creates, supports, and governs God's universe, vindicates the rules of perfection, and God is glorified. Christian Science can be demonstrated only on the simple basis of perfect Principle and idea.

In her Message to The Mother Church for 1901, Mrs. Eddy presents a clarifying discussion of the rule which demonstrates eternal Principle. In one deeply humble statement she says (p. 22), "I begin at the feet of Christ and with the numeration table of Christian Science." What our Leader does, her followers should, must, do. Let every follower remember always to begin at "the numeration-table of Christian Science," if he would ensure the perfect result and experience harmony—heaven—here and now.