Editorial August 12, 1950 Issue

THE SPIRITUAL FACT AND HUMAN PROGRESS

Richard J. Davis

The desire to progress is natural with every human being. Behind this desire lies a divine fact, the spiritual truth that man in his only true being has never fallen from a state of perfection but is, as the infinite idea of God, ever revealing all the qualities and attributes of divine Mind, the one self-existent cause. What appears as human progress has its basis in the fact that Spirit, God, being the only cause, every effect emanating from that cause is as perfect as its origin. Speaking of this, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 170): "Spiritual causation is the one question to be considered, for more than all others spiritual causation relates to human progress. The age seems ready to approach this subject, to ponder somewhat the supremacy of Spirit, and at least to touch the hem of Truth's garment."

As the teaching of Christian Science brings to one an understanding of his spiritual sonship and his inseparable relationship to God, there is a quickened desire to reach out for their full attainment, and this impulse is naturally expressed as progress. The student begins to have a glimpse of man's true greatness and of what may be accomplished through scientific thinking in demonstrating that fact.

True progress, then, is spiritual and comes with the understanding of the present and forever perfection of both God and man. Consciousness of perfection is heaven. It is the realization that Soul is ever revealing itself in multifarious and perfect ideas of harmony and intelligence. This forever revelation of perfection in individual consciousness constitutes the only real progress. But, as Christian Science teaches, man is ever unfolding as the idea of Soul. He is ceaselessly revealing more and more of God, of Soul, and therefore more of his own true being.

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