Article March 22, 1947 Issue

The Way of Spiritual Progress

HOUGHTON FURR

The awakening of mortal mind to the grand verity of being— one infinite God and His perfect creation—is more and more apparent to Christian Scientists, who note the growing awareness of humanity's great need for spiritual values. This circumstance poses the problem of how farther to spread the good news of Christian Science, the gospel of Love that ends discord among men and nations. As we continually and earnestly strive for individual progress, Love unfolds its own allness to our consciousness, and we are progressively more able to communicate abroad the word of Truth and help in solving the problems of nations.

Mary Baker Eddy clearly points out the steps of progress on pages 115 and 116 of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Here are noted the three degrees in the scientific translation of mortal mind to the apprehension and demonstration of the one true Mind. Mortal mind is represented by depravity and all error, the belief of physicality. But progress causes these false beliefs to disappear, replacing them in human consciousness with the transitional qualities, or moral virtues, such as faith, honesty, and compassion. Finally, progress brings us to the third degree, that of understanding, the spiritual realm of reality expressed in "wisdom, purity, spiritual understanding, spiritual power, love, health, holiness." Mrs. Eddy writes of the attainment of this goal. "In the third degree mortal mind disappears, and man as God's image appears."

In the healing of the man blind from birth, it is recorded (John 9) that the Master anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay and then sent him to wash in a certain pool. After this man had cleansed himself in accord with Jesus' instructions, he was completely and instantaneously healed. After we have found the healing Christ, we must cleanse our thought of false dependency on material ways and means and replace such trust with reliance on divine Mind. This may require much study and prayer. While healing is important, the ultimate of progress is the unfolding spiritual understanding and reflection of God which demonstrates the present eternal reality of the kingdom of heaven, harmony.

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