There
can be no question that mental and moral strength is indispensable to human progress, but not all are willing to rouse themselves to make the effort needed for its attainment.
It
is no less surprising than true, as one comes to think of it, that the average man finds it much easier to believe in God, of whom physical sense gives him no knowledge whatever, than to disbelieve in matter, for supporting evidence of which he must look to physical sense alone.
In
the Wednesday evening meetings and in the testimonies published in our periodicals, frequent mention is made of the reading-rooms which are open to the public in all the cities and towns where branch churches are located, and in many others where as yet the progress of the Christian Science movement has only justified the formation of a small society.
In
the gospels we find a number of strong statements as to what is possible to those who let go of the mortal, material sense of things, and lift their thoughts to God as the source of all that is real and harmonious.
We
read in the gospels that when Jesus chose those who were to carry on the work of preaching and healing which he was about to inaugurate, they forsook all to follow him, and throughout the time he was with them we find him impressing upon them, again and again, the necessity for faithfulness in their high calling, even to that sorrowful rebuke to Peter, "Couldest not thou watch one hour?
There
was never a time, surely, when the world was in greater need than it is today of witnesses to the truth, those who in humble walks and ways make it convincingly appear to men; and whatever our own sense of delinquency, we may rejoice that consecrated Christian Scientists are bringing this about, and that every one of us may have a part in this great achievement for God.