Article July 31, 1971 Issue

Successive Stages

LORA C. RATHVON

The period of human experience often referred to as "advanced" can be, for everyone, a period of increasing joy and unfoldment. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Each successive stage of experience unfolds new views of divine goodness and love."^{Science and Health, p. 66;} This promises progress, and God's will is that there should be progress. In fact, the law of God carries with it a demand for fulfillment.

We can increasingly demonstrate successive years to be years of advancement, not of stagnation; of activity, not of decrepitude; of increasing interest and usefulness, not of boredom and dependence. In short, we can expect to experience the Bible promise, "Thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning."^{Job 11:17;}

Mankind generally have been seeking what is new, forward-looking, but this is believed to come mainly through material ways and means. When Nicodemus came to the Master, Christ Jesus, he was surprised when he was told that he must be born again. He knew of but one kind of birth, and that was material. But Jesus explained that what was needed was a spiritual rebirth.^{See John 3:1-13;}

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