Article July 24, 1948 Issue

PROGRESS IN UNDERSTANDING

JEANNE STEELY LAITNER

Every individual who is striving earnestly to work out the problem of being in Christian Science must inevitably progress from that state of mind known as faith to the higher, Soul-governed consciousness called understanding. In a letter to a branch church Mary Baker Eddy thus defines progress and the method of its attainment (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 181): "Progress is spiritual. Progress is the maturing conception of divine Love; it demonstrates the scientific, sinless life of man and mortal's painless departure from matter to Spirit, not through death, but through the true idea of Life,—and Life not in matter but in Mind."

Progress, then, for the individual Christian Scientist is an increased understanding of God as Life and Love, and a translation of this understanding into daily words and actions. It is grasping and proving the scientific truth that Life never resides in matter, but always in Mind, and is ever being manifested by Mind's idea, man. Such true progress is a glorious experience, a marvelous awakening to the eternally harmonious nature of God, man, and the universe.

An individual often first becomes interested in Christian Science through experiencing, or witnessing, a beautiful healing. Aglow with gratitude and joy at having found the truth, he starts attending church and daily studying the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly. But sometimes we hear such a student later ask with discouragement, "My healings came so easily for years; why is that not true now?"

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