Article October 8, 1949 Issue

UNCEASING ACTIVITY

KATHRYN PAULSON

A Christian Scientist had been invited, along with several other nature lovers, to watch the opening of a night-blooming cereus in the garden of a friend. Silently and patiently the small group waited; each moment they saw the bud's increasing unfoldment, although, despite the closest scrutiny, there was no perceptible movement of the petals. Finally, however, after several hours, the lovely waxen flower lay fully opened, its delicate beauty amply rewarding the patience of the watchers. To the Christian Scientist, observing the bud's imperceptible, uninterrupted progress to full flowering was a thought-provoking experience.

Often in our human experience we are prone to become discouraged over apparently slow progress. Sometimes it would seem that there is no progress at all, no activity even. But Christian Science teaches that this is only the lie of material sense; for man, as the idea of Mind, God, expresses the unending, irresistible activity of that Mind. There is never a moment when he is not reflecting—showing forth—the qualities of wisdom, alertness, intelligence, for there is never a moment when he is not reflecting Mind, whatever the corporeal senses may claim to the contrary.

If, however, our concept of activity is a wholly material one, if we think of it as a physical and mental scurrying about on worldly pursuits, then this false concept must be healed before we can experience satisfying spiritual progress. If we would give to our search for an understanding of Truth, through the study of Christian Science, half the enthusiasm and persistence we put into business or social matters, we should never have occasion to complain of our lack of progress. Jesus, our example in all things, said (John 6:27), "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you." The spiritual activity here indicated would not lessen our human acumen and achievements; rather would it sharpen and increase them and assure our progress in all human affairs. Even our human supply would be more stable and secure, for we would be consciously working for the "meat," or spiritual substance, which truly satisfies and is imperishable.

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