True knowledge dwells in real consciousness and is the expression of Spirit. From the standpoint of absolute Christian Science it is not acquired. It is an essential characteristic of Mind and belongs to each of us by virtue of his demonstrable sonship with God as His reflection.

God is the source of all ideas, and these ideas are always active and at hand. The universe of Spirit is clearly discerned by the real man. Actually man's perception of spiritual reality is constant, continuous, and uninterrupted; his background is that of endless perfection, his future that of unfolding glory as the forever reflection of his Maker.

Through the perception and demonstration of these spiritual facts we are led to fruitful cultural and educational experience in our human living and find ourselves enriched and blessed thereby. Through human education we often find those footsteps which, in our own experience, prepare the way for the Christ; we find helpful concepts of order, beauty, and law. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 195): "Academics of the right sort are requisite. Observation, invention, study, and original thought are expansive and should promote the growth of mortal mind out of itself, out of all that is mortal." Human education must be well founded on Christian ideals and thought left free to advance to higher good. The search for truth is always commendable, and advancing footsteps lead us to greater heights.

In the present stage of development the maintenance of law, order, and purposeful activity through right modes of human thought and conduct is unquestionably essential. In this activity right human education has its place. There are current traditions and methods which we have inherited from the past. The criterion of thought and action is always the Christ-ideal, but in the proper evaluation of the concepts and modes in contemporary and past human consciousness the usefulness of rightly guided human education is again apparent. The times in which we live demand of us this right and proper appraisal that we may work out the greatest good both to others and to ourselves.

The bulwarks of cultured and uplifted thought, rightly directed, form a pattern of usefulness to mankind today. The tools of language and law and all the resources of humankind applied to good and progressive ends have their part to play in the common goal of greater spiritualization of thought, purpose, and endeavor.

But human education is of value only as it leads thought higher or lays the groundwork for advancing perceptions of Truth. Hence the value of human education is in proportion to its embodiment of moral and spiritual values. That pursuit or activity which elevates thought most rapidly is the most truly educational.

Ideas emanate from Mind, or God, and their unfoldment or revelation is guided and governed by Him. Thus spiritual sense reveals to us that God is truly our only teacher. The Bible assures us (Prov. 1:23), "Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." In all experience God is constantly teaching and guiding us if we listen for His voice.

As Christian Scientists we know that there is but one Science, the emanation of Principle, God, and we see true art as the reflected beauty and order of infinite Love. From this vantage point of inspiration we find in Christian Science the highest and greatest education. As we gain the understanding of eternal Truth we find ourselves truly educated, with this education divinely endowed and humanly acknowledged.

Christian Scientists, through their daily study of their textbooks, the Bible and Science and Health, are having bestowed upon them the greatest education ever known to humankind. They are daily demonstrating the practicality of Christian Science in the healing of disease of every sort and in the destruction of sin. They find their diploma, or witness of fruitful experience, in their lives of peace and happiness, in every loving thought and deed, in each healing done for the glory of the Father.

The purpose of true education can be said to be this: to bring about in the mind of the student a true and accurate understanding or knowledge of God and man. Inasmuch as all things are primarily spiritual, true understanding must be that revelation of spiritual law, order, and reality which is forever unfolded from its eternal source. We find in the book of Proverbs an inspiring statement of this fact (9:10), "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." True understanding proceeds from Truth, God; and all law, reality, substance, cause, and effect are emanations of the one Spirit. Spiritual discernment alone perceives them. True beauty is the beauty of holiness and characterizes all that emanates from God.

Conventional education begins with the observation of effect and by the process of reasoning proceeds to determine the nature and to establish the existence of Principle, or ultimate cause. Spiritual discernment, resting upon the facts of Christian Science, begins with the understanding that there is but one Principle, one cause, one intelligent Being, and that this Being is the infinite source of all creation, law, effect, reality, and unfoldment. Hence, spiritual discernment or the perception of spiritual fact, or reality, is the ultimate of education in every field of human endeavor; and the advancing footsteps of our present educational methods must approach this ideal. The eternal Godhead or Ego must some day be found to be the interpreter of His own spiritual universe.

In our consideration of all aspects of this subject the educational value of experience is not to be underestimated, for often it is the false experiences of mortality that disillusion us and cause us to search more diligently for the spiritual ultimate of all things. Experience can lead us higher because in every state of human consciousness we are free to choose our highest ideal and can thus enrich our present living through ever higher thoughts, motives, aims, and experience.

We must be careful to draw the proper lessons from experience, lest the past repeat itself. We must constantly strive for growth in grace and for more advanced perceptions of Deity. We must be ready for growth and not be found wanting when the moment of outward progress comes. Unfolding horizons are always before us, and the ready heart discerns and improves every opportunity to glorify God and to exalt His Christ.

To discern the needs of others and of the world we need love more than purely intellectual apprehension. Truth is often felt when not yet fully understood. Both in our academic education and out of it we must cease to cultivate merely the intellect and must learn what true wisdom is. An idea is more than an intellectual perception; it is a spiritual reality. From this we see that Science and Christianity are inseparable and that Mrs. Eddy's term "Christian Science" embodies the twofold nature of divine law as revealed to human consciousness. Intellect is not capable of truly grasping an idea; it takes spiritual discernment. Mind and Love are terms referring to the one and only God. Some day we shall come to see that wisdom and understanding are equivalent to love and goodness in characteristics and in quality. A one-sided approach to God is neither Science nor Christianity.

In the Bible we have the greatest educational record of all time, the spiritual idea shown unfolding from its eternal source. The record of inspiration and experience is laid before us as our guide from sense to Soul. Our Leader gave us our textbook, Science and Health, that we might understand the Bible and advance from fundamentals laid down. God is truly the great educator, and Mrs. Eddy's obedience to His guidance and direction has wrought for mankind today the greatest educational institution on record; namely, The Mother Church, with its Bible Lessons in the Christian Science Quarterly, its Sunday School, Christian Science teachers, lecturers, and Publishing House.

Jesus said (John 8:32), "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." To know the truth is the only educational experience there really is, and this is the perpetual activity of the Scientist. Thus do we find ourselves free, free to move in the infinite realm of Mind, unchecked by mortality and in obedience to the will of God.