Article June 27, 1959 Issue

THE WAY TO TRUE PROFIT

ARNOLD HIRSCH

We can make much more rapid progress in our understanding and demonstration of the kingdom of God if we permit our thinking to be quickened by the spirit of God that is within each one of us. Christ Jesus said (John 6:63), "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

The words "the flesh profiteth nothing" denote that the flesh, or matter, really has nothing at all to impart to us. Mortals employ many devices in their efforts to step up and expand what they regard as their intellectual resources or mind power. Oftentimes they will read anything that comes to their notice, without testing its basic correctness, in the mistaken belief that somehow what they read will better equip them for what they call the battle of life. But unless such study points up a spiritual idea, it may be asked in words from the Scriptures (Mark 8:36), "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

The determining of what constitutes true values and true profit is not the result of mere intellectual devices, but of spiritual unfoldment. Material ecstasy, Christian Science makes clear, tends to becloud spiritual unfoldment. To read the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy merely to acquire an intellectual knowledge does not itself spiritualize thought. Nor will such reading alone bring us closer to God or bring to pass for us the experience of spiritual healing. We do not equip ourselves with words merely to be able to stir up our emotions with regard to God's allness and perfection. The Apostle James said (4:8), "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." We must bring ourselves nearer to God; and the way to do so is the way of "the spirit that quickenetn.

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