Article November 19, 1949 Issue

THE NEED OF PREPARATION

LINDEN E. JONES

The expert campaigner equips himself to master adverse circumstances. The successful actor adapts himself to the part he is to play. The university graduate fits himself to qualify for his honors degree. Right-thinking parents, neighbors, citizens, realize their need for preparation to fulfill their respective obligations.

The Christian Scientist has the same need for preparation. But with this difference: he is preparing not for mere human achievement, but for spiritual attainment—the demonstration of life in Spirit. Knowing that Christian Science, as discovered and founded by Mary Baker Eddy, is a final revelation, he looks for no short cuts to its demonstration. In Mrs. Eddy's writings the allness of God, good, and the nothingness of evil are fully elucidated, and the scientific method for demonstrating her revelation is completely set forth. In abiding by the rules laid down and imbibing deeply of both the spirit and the letter of this Science, the student is being prepared of God for the unfolding in his consciousness of the Christ-idea. That this is the way our Leader walked is evident. Referring to her discovery of Christian Science and the healing power it conferred, she writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 107), "God had been graciously preparing me during many years for the reception of this final revelation of the absolute divine Principle of scientific mental healing." Pointing to the need of each one growing into the requisite fitness for correctly knowing, honoring, and adoring God, the Bible declares (Prov. 16:1), "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord."

The runner in a race does not ignore obstacles in his path. So, in preparation for the ministry of spiritual healing, aggressive arguments of self-love, self-condemnation, inability, or lack of right environment are obstacles that must be surmounted. We do this by recognizing man as never the material manifestation of procrastination, inertia, or ignorance of God, but as ever the spiritual expression of Love's loving, Life's living, Mind's knowing. Christian Science inculcates in us this spiritual fact and so prepares us for its daily demonstration. Great is our need of hourly preparation for the coming of the Christ, Truth, which brings the consciousness of the impotence of evil, the omnipotence of God, the unreality of mortal existence, and the allness of divine Mind and its idea.

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