The First Step

SARAH EDITH WELTI

When Christian Science enters one's life, one soon finds his viewpoint on many subjects changing; and an entirely new standard has to be reckoned with. Instead of the limited prospect of a few years to live, and of uncertainty concerning what then awaits him, one finds hope springing up and broadening his view, giving joy and bright promise. As one advances in understanding, burdens of fear begin to lessen, and a truer sense of life unfolds with every step. With new understanding one realizes the meaning of Jesus' words, "With God all things are possible."

Christian Science gives a new synonym for God, namely, divine Mind. This does away with the old concept of a manlike God; and the student begins to realize that it is this divine Mind, this divine intelligence, this infinite Life and Love that created everything "very good," and made man in God's own image and likeness, as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. The sincere seeker for Truth begins to discover the real man as a spiritual, divine idea, reflecting God, and commences to build on a true spiritual basis, with right reasoning.

If God is infinite Mind, how can the real man have a mind separate from and unlike that of the creator, in whose likeness he is fashioned? Oh, the joy of true spiritual knowledge! Where do evil and limitation go? They never were created, and therefore have no existence apart from conjecture. Belief in the existence of two opposite powers is the forbidden fruit of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" whereof God said, "Thou shalt not eat of it." This false knowledge is mortal, because it is erroneous, suppositional. It starts from a false material basis, from a false premise, namely, the belief of life in matter. Did not Jesus tell the people not to judge "according to the appearance," but to "judge righteous judgment"?

Now, where does correct knowledge, or Christian Science, lead one who is in trouble, be it in his business, in his home, or in social life? Take for example one who has bad habits and does not seem able to cast them off, but sinks lower and lower in them. Perhaps in his trouble he discovers the new-old truth about God and man, and learns that "God is no respecter of persons." This gives him new hope. He finds that he can now begin to change his ways at once, by realizing that God is willing and able to give him all the power he requires to reform himself. He reads the wonderful Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy; and as he does this he grows stronger, morally and physically, and the false appetite or bad habit begins to diminish until, finally, it leaves him altogether.

Christian Science shows the impossibility of God's image and likeness being a sinner, or a believer in evil. One's desire for reform, which may lead him to Christian Science, is prayer, though he may not know it. On the first page of Science and Health we find the statement, "Desire is prayer." This is the first step in the right direction. One turns to seek God; patience and courage gradually awaken increased interest in the truth, and perseverance in the search brings freedom. Now one can look fearlessly into the future. He requires divine qualities to work with, such as honesty, hope, faith, perseverance, courage, and love, all of which belong to God's children, though this fact is not realized while one is indulging in the forbidden fruit "of the knowledge of good and evil."

One must put into practice all the good one understands, and persevere in his endeavor to increase this understanding. All that is worthless has to be cast off, such as bad habits, material theories, erroneous criticism, condemnation, envying, hating; for, as Paul says, "if we live in the Spirit," we must "also walk in the Spirit." This spiritual growth leads out of the darkness of sin and ignorance into the promised land, where is found the "fruit of the Spirit ... love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."

In Science and Health (p. 199) Mrs. Eddy says, "The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible." In another of her works, "Miscellaneous Writings," she writes (p. 340), "Be active, and, however slow, thy success is sure."

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