Article October 7, 1950 Issue

LET INDIVIDUAL GROWTH TEMPER UNWISE ZEAL

ETHEL A. BRECKENRIDGE

Christian Science is the revelation of the radiant reality of being. It is a religion which lifts thought above the clouds of error into the joyous activity and sunshine of Truth. So great is the spiritual uplift that comes from the study of this Science that it is little wonder we hear new students expressing the wish that they could tell all the world of the great blessing that has come to them. This loving desire to help one's fellow men is praiseworthy, but the student needs to be watchful that he does not allow himself to become overzealous and forget that his first concern is to see that the seed takes firm root in his own consciousness.

In "Miscellaneous Writings" Mary Baker Eddy says (p. 224), "We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest." The new student will be wise to heed this reminder when he endeavors to attract others to Christian Science. The suggestion that he lacks sufficient understanding to convince others that Science is indeed the truth, or that some other student's work is more impressive and inspiring than his own, may arise. The alert student will be quick to silence such suggestions, which would, if ignored, be apt to bring about a sense of discouragement instead of encouragement and a joyous expectance of spiritual growth. He masters mortal mind's negative suggestions with the positive declaration that Mind is omnipotent and that man reflects the perfect knowing of this one Mind.

In her early days of studying Christian Science the writer allowed herself to become very much discouraged because she could not convince certain members of her family of the truth revealed in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. So unhappy did she become that one night she asked God to show her why she had failed, when others seemed to accomplish so much. Immediately, as though someone at her side was speaking, she heard the words, "You are not failing." Then she was reminded of drawing lessons she had had at school, when a model was set in front of the class and each child drew what she saw from where she was sitting. The varied results were graded on the basis of each pupil's effort and application as well as for accuracy and perspective. She saw that now she was working from a spiritual standpoint, endeavoring to express in her human life the spiritual qualities of the one perfect model, and that God would reward according to her motive and effort.

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