Article September 27, 1947 Issue

NULLIFYING OBSTACLES TO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

MYRTLE A. CASH

"Every day makes it demands upon us for higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power. These proofs consist solely in the destruction of sin, sickness, and death by the power of Spirit, as Jesus destroyed them. This is an element of progress, and progress is the law of God, whose law demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil." So writes Mary Baker Eddy on page 233 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

To bring about the fulfillment of this law in human affairs we must relinquish the evils of self-will, self-love, and self-justification, which would obstruct the operation of God's law, and have the openminded teachableness of a little child. In the process of giving up all that would hinder our spiritual advancement we shall be blessed, for desire does not hold to an ego apart from the one "I, or Ego," which Mrs. Eddy defines as follows (ibid., p. 558): "Divine Principle; Spirit; Soul; incorporeal, unerring, immortal, and eternal Mind. There is but one I, or Us, but one divine Principle, or Mind, governing all existence." Farther on in this definition she says, "All the objects of God's creation reflect one Mind, and whatever reflects not this one Mind, is false and erroneous, even the belief that life, substance, and intelligence are both mental and material."

Mrs. Eddy knew that in reality man is the spiritual idea of God and exists at the standpoint of eternal perfection, with no interim of growth or preparation separating him therefrom. Her life and works prove that she recognized that in refuting the evil beliefs of material sense we go forward, not backward. We cannot stand still, for thought is ever active. If we would see our Cause make the rapid progress that is possible when we work together in oneness of purpose, we have no choice but to rid our consciousness of the hidden sin, the recurring bad habit, the chronic illness, and the spiritual blindness that retard growth Truthward. God's law demands of us that we cast these beliefs into the balance of Truth, and, finding them wanting in spiritual reality, eliminate them, thus making each day a steppingstone to progress.

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