Article September 6, 1941 Issue

The Right Aim

GORDON V. COMER

There may be times in one's human experience when one believes that a continuance of his status quo is desirable, and believing this to be the case, he prays for its continuance. There may be several reasons for his believing this way. He possibly may be apprehensive about a change of any kind in his affairs. He may have a sort of aversion to change, and prefer not to face it. He may believe that although his situation is not altogether to his liking, it might be very much worse than it is, and, for this reason, that it is to his best interest to invoke divine aid in maintaining his present state. Or he may believe himself to be economically secure, his general situation to be happy and propitious, and for these reasons believe it right to pray for a continuance of his present state. None of these attitudes is scientifically right, and the error of such reasoning is made clear in Christian Science, which opens the way for joyful improvement in the experience of everyone.

Absolute perfection is the aim and goal of Christian Scientists. In "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 22) Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes: "It may be that the mortal life-battle still wages, and must continue till its involved errors are vanquished by victory-bringing Science; but this triumph will come! God is over all. He alone is our origin, aim, and being." It therefore is clear that any aim which is less than the demonstration of absolutely perfect being is not the high aim to which mankind should aspire.

Jesus was ever unwilling to accept material appearances as models of excellence. In the familiar story of Martha and Mary there is no evidence to show that Mary was less appreciative of a clean and orderly house than was her sister Martha. Nor is there any to show that Mary had neglected doing her necessary part in keeping the house clean and orderly. But apparently Mary recognized more clearly the need for keeping material duties subordinate to spiritual. She desired to put first things first, and there is no reason for believing that she neglected giving a necessary amount of attention to secondary things by so doing. This explanation would seem to be generally supported by the approval of the Master, who so clearly discerned the innermost thoughts of men. He said that "Mary hath chosen that good part." Mary evidently recognized in some measure that her true abode was spiritual—in Mind, not matter—and she sought to keep her view of it in an ever-ascending scale rather than stationary.

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