"Let us joyfully acknowledge that the promise of the daystar is fulfilled"

Have  you ever watched the dawn and seen the morning star? Perhaps you have risen long before daylight and have seen in the east, high in the heavens, glowing above all others, one specially brilliant star. If you are at the shore, perhaps the light of this star reflects itself in a quiet pool in the rocks at your feet. It is the morning star heralding the fact that the sun will soon appear.

Gradually the daylight breaks. One by one the stars disappear. A rich warm glow comes over the heavens. But the morning star still shines. The little rockbound island at your left is like black velvet against the glowing sky. A gull or two flies silently by. The morning star shines on. The light becomes stronger. Along the horizon the deep glow gives place to radiant pink. Overhead the sky is clear pale blue. Is the morning star still there? Yes, you have to look hard now, but there it is, an almost imperceptible dot. Any moment the first strong ray of the rising sun will pierce the sky. And then, the promise of the star is fulfilled; the day is here!

In the closing chapter of the Book of Revelation, the Revelator ascribes to Jesus the words, "I am ... the bright and morning star." Thus John tells us that he did not regard the Master's sacred ministry as an era of unparalleled glory in the past but as the promise of an infinitely greater glory yet to come. The Master himself promised this, for he said: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:12, 13). He named this "Spirit of truth" the Comforter, which he described as the continuity of his own mission, and said (John 14:18), "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

It is significant that of all the apostles, John alone recorded in his Gospel the coming of the Comforter. Apparently he alone foresaw the glorious fulfillment of the Master's mission in the fuller revelation of the Christ, which Jesus himself promised was yet to come.

In later years, banished to the isle of Patmos, a prisoner for his faith, John addressed a message to the churches in Asia, which is known to us as the Book of Revelation. Here in eloquent symbolism he describes the tumult and resistance he sees in mortal mind as human belief yields to Truth, and he sees also the New Jerusalem, rising in nightless radiance above the conflict. Within this radiance kings and nations lay down their glory and honor. It is here the Revelator describes the Master's brief, triumphant ministry as "the bright and morning star"—a star which points to the full effulgence yet to come.

Today the promise is fulfilled, the fullness of the Master's mission has appeared, the Comforter is here. The discovery by Mary Baker Eddy of the Science which underlay the Master's mighty works was the rising sun of God's eternal day, a day which throughout eternity will glow in noontide grandeur.

Mrs. Eddy writes in "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 93): "Christ, or the spiritual idea, appeared to human consciousness as the man Jesus. At the present epoch the human concept of Christ is based on the incorporeal divine Principle of man, and Science has elevated this idea and established its rules in consonance with their Principle. Hear this saying of our Master, 'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.'" She further states in her poem "Christ and Christmas" (p. 53),

The Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, is the divinely written page, the inspired record of the Christly rules of healing and salvation which were practiced by the Master. This textbook will stand forever in the language and form in which God revealed it to our Leader. It is her priceless legacy to the world. Her last revised edition of Science and Health will go on through the ages unharmed, exactly as Mrs. Eddy left it.

We can trace the completeness of the divine idea to the first chapter of Genesis, where it is stated that "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." The ideal man appeared to humanity as Christ Jesus, who taught and demonstrated the fatherhood of God. The ideal woman has appeared as the Science which, discovered and founded by the woman, Mary Baker Eddy, reveals God's motherhood. Thus is the divine completeness manifested. Spiritual completeness underlies the establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth.

To the Master, Spirit was All; Spirit was substance; matter was nothing. He understood this truth and lived it. Hence evil in its most aggressive and malicious forms neither deceived him nor touched him. He made no concessions to matter. He was never fooled by materialistic dogmas or deceived by baseless theories; he was never tempted to resort to material medicine or methods for healing. His demonstration of the omnipotence of Spirit was the radiance of his ministry. In the crucifixion he proved for all time the powerlessness of human hate. His resurrection and ascension were the proofs he gave to mankind that Love is triumphant and Life continuous.

In appealing language our Leader tells us in "Retrospection and Introspection" of her own emergence into light (see p. 31), of her struggles and victories, and of the crowning glory of the revelation. Like the Master, she saw—and proved—the allness of Spirit and the nothingness of matter. She lifts the understanding of the universe to Mind and reveals man as God's pure and perfect idea, whole and free. She exposes the very depths of evil, its subtle workings and hideous lies, and she points to the fact that trust in matter, the belief that matter exists and is substance, is the fundamental error which defies Spirit and obscures scientific demonstration. These timely warnings are clarion calls to the student of Christian Science.

In "Miscellaneous Writings," Mrs. Eddy says (p. 375), "The truest art of Christian Science is to be a Christian Scientist." To be a Christian Scientist demands diligent self-searching, untiring watchfulness, fearless obedience, integrity, humility, and love. It demands taking up the cross as did the Master and our Leader that we may rise with them to the meridian of Truth's eternal day. Well may we each ask ourselves: Am I willing? Am I ready? Do I love?

We have but begun to touch the possibilities of Christianly scientific demonstration in the healing of sickness and the destruction of sin and death. Great spiritual growth and a mighty self-purification must mark our progress. An immense work lies before us, a supreme victory remains to be won. There can be no turning to the right hand or to the left. Diligent study of the Bible and of our Leader's writings and strict adherence to the rules laid down are the indispensable guideposts to success. Christian Science is for the salvation of the world. It will glow with increasing grandeur as its mission is accomplished and its fullness appears.

With spiritual determination and zeal, with songs of praise and hearts of gratitude, let us joyfully acknowledge that the promise of the daystar is fulfilled. The day has dawned—the day of Truth's full-orbed appearing, and the meaning of the Master's holy mission shines in new light. The prophet Zechariah wrote (14:7-9): "It shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night. ... And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one."