Article April 19, 1952 Issue

PRACTICING CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

WILFRED S. THORPE

A Host of persons are devoting their entire time and energy to the practice of Christian Science. And there are many more Scientists than those whose cards appear in The Christian Science Journal who do very fine healing, but do not find it expedient or possible to give their entire time to the work. But are we not warranted in going a long step farther and saying that in a certain sense every loyal student of Christian Science is a practitioner? For is not a practitioner one who regularly and systematically practices?

Concerning practice, a lesson may be taken from the musician. How faithful he is! He may go over and over one short phrase until to some extent he has mastered it; then he works on a longer passage until finally the whole composition has been carefully studied, faithfully practiced, and made ready for rendition. However, no matter how long he studies any work of a master, he will never feel quite satisfied; he will try constantly more accurately to interpret the message the master musician had in mind.

When it is found necessary to work so persistently to attain some degree of proficiency in one of the arts, is it not sensible to suppose that to understand the Science of all creation, which includes a true sense of all the arts and of all the sciences, must require diligent study and unswerving application? What a joyful moment it is for the student of Christian Science when he gets his first glimpse of a spiritual idea! However, he must not rest, but rather must make a determined effort to keep this heaven-found revelation foremost in his thought until it has been fully assimilated. The joyous process of study, revelation, and practice will provide constant unfoldment of ideas.

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