Editorial February 21, 1970 Issue

Spiritual Sense Necessary

William Milford Correll

The way one begins to recognize and to feel the presence of God is through spiritual sense or spiritual understanding. This sense is entirely separate and distinct from the ordinary material senses, for it is a reflection of the divine Mind and not of the mortal or material mind. It comes to us as an awakening to the reality of Spirit and the spiritual universe, to the substance of Mind and Mind's ideas. And this awakening is known as the new birth, an event that reveals the new man made in God's image and likeness.

In explaining Christian Science to a newcomer we can present very cogent and logical arguments, and we can fortify our presentation with many instances of healing. But until the spiritual sense of the individual is awakened, we may have little success in convincing him. This sense is born when one is ready to let go of materialism and to reach out for the spiritual. What brings one to this point of development may vary with different people. Sometimes it is a spiritual hunger—either a natural desire or one derived from dissatisfaction with materiality. It may come from necessity when one is driven by suffering to seek a higher recourse and way of life. Whatever the motive, such a change must take place. It may be gradual, or it may be sudden; but come it must.

Examples from the Bible include Moses' experience. After his sojourn in the wilderness he came upon what looked like a burning bush. The flame appeared, but the bush was not burned. Evidently this was a spiritual phenomenon, and Moses' ability to see this indicated spiritual receptivity and led to his discovery of God as the great I am. Paul, of course, is another example. He had a deep sincerity which, though misdirected, was still susceptible of the new birth. In his experience on the road to Damascus he was able to see the light of Truth and hear the voice of the Christ speaking to him. When the learned Nicodemus came to Christ Jesus by night, the Master told him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."^{John 3:3;} The new birth transforms the individual, and he is able to perceive an entirely new sense of existence, the spiritual reality of being.