STUDY THAT SATISFIES

MARY LLOYD MC CONNEL

Scattered over the world to-day are men and women more or less isolated from society. It may be they dwell in western mining camps, on Canadian ranches, on sheep-farms in the Australian bush, or even in secluded hamlets of rural England. They have once lived in cities with large possibilities of education and of culture, and now. side-tracked from the world, they feel stirring within them the fear of stagnation and mental deterioration. There are no picture-galleries to visit, no lectures to attend, perhaps not even congenial society to frequent. Under such circumstances they imperceptibly fall into slipshod mental habits. The daily routine of work is performed mechanically. "The daily round, the common task" seem to furnish the sole outlet for energy. For them life loses its zest. There is no guerdon for ambition. Too often a dull discontent with a monotonous existence takes the place of hope, vitality, and strenuous endeavor. The body responds to the depressed mentality; physical ills follow; relief is sought in materia medica or alcoholic stimulant, until "the last state of that man is worse than the first." Now for this false condition of things a sure and simple remedy is at hand,—within the reach of every man's time and means.

God never intended a daily round of monotonous work to satisfy man's immortal cravings for something beyond the material; but society functions, visits to art-galleries, or attendance at learned lectures are not necessary to keep us mentally awake, improve diction, feed imagination, cultivate the intellectual faculties—in short, to educate us in the truest sense and give supremest culture. The systematic study of the Lessons given in the Christian Science Quarterly proves of untold benefit, enabling us not only to overcome illness should it present itself, dispel fatigue, and guard against contagion, but the concentration of thought necessary to find the consecutive "steps" which build up each Lesson proves also of incalculable educational worth.

No magazines that come into a home can uplift, calm, and strengthen as do The Christian Science Journal and the Sentinel, bringing periodically their messages of earnest personal endeavor, intimate correspondence, and helpful editorials. The reading of one of the Christian Science pamphlets in our isolation will bring a sense of satisfaction and of peace not to be obtained from merely personal preaching, and lastly, the daily reading in the Bible and in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." and "Miscellaneous Writings" by Mrs. Eddy, opens vistas of mental growth undreamed of before. Our lives cannot become narrow, routine will not degenerate into a rut, nor our vocabuiary grow circumscribed. where these marvelous books are studied. Besides bringing us physical healing and spiritual regeneration, they prove supremely interesting as educational factors. Thought grows more harmonious and less chained by outward circumstances. Language becomes gentler and more refined. We no longer sigh over neglected opportunities of the past, or over present limited environment. Religion takes on a new meaning and becomes for us not a matter of creeds or sects, but universal and soul-satisfying.

As we go about our daily avocations, after the study of the morning's lesson, we remember that to partake of the true Sacrament the first step necessary is the purification of sense and self, to attain which humility and repentance are needful. These lead to confession of sin, reformation and amendment of life, watchfulness and prayer, culminating in regeneration and a rising into newness of life. As we ponder over the synonyms for God which illumine the pages of Science and Health, we thereby realize how much our mental horizon has widened since we commenced the study of Christian Science. God is no longer the Deity of Milton or of Dante. We have learned that God is Life, that Life is Truth, separating the false from the true; that an understanding of divine Principle even in part heals the sick and casts out sin; that Truth must be demonstrated and not merely believed.

It takes seeking and striving to gain an understanding of Truth that will overcome sickness and cast out sin, but we learn that Truth "endureth for ever" and must ultimately triumph over all error, and as we realize that God is Love, Love leads us out of matter into Spirit. Love purifies our affections and renders them spiritual. It demands the sacrifice of self, the giving up of all for Truth, and thus only can we realize that God is Love and Love is All,—that Soul governs man by spiritual laws; therefore the real man is governed harmoniously and is not subject to the laws of materia medica or orthodox theology. We thus come to see that our work is the recognition of spiritual existence here and now, the overcoming of the false testimony of the senses which leads us to believe that we live in material conditions. Through purity of thought alone can we gain this realization. and sin has to be cast out and demonstrated over ere we reach perfection. By this most satisfying study of Christian Science, life on the lonely ranch or in the secluded village grows wide beyond all narrow limits. We recognize ourselves as dwellers in the realm of divine Mind, happy children of the one Father, possessed of all things good and needful.

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THE LARGER FRATERNALISM

October 20, 1906

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