The Right Aim

GORDON V. COMER

There may be times in one's human experience when one believes that a continuance of his status quo is desirable, and believing this to be the case, he prays for its continuance. There may be several reasons for his believing this way. He possibly may be apprehensive about a change of any kind in his affairs. He may have a sort of aversion to change, and prefer not to face it. He may believe that although his situation is not altogether to his liking, it might be very much worse than it is, and, for this reason, that it is to his best interest to invoke divine aid in maintaining his present state. Or he may believe himself to be economically secure, his general situation to be happy and propitious, and for these reasons believe it right to pray for a continuance of his present state. None of these attitudes is scientifically right, and the error of such reasoning is made clear in Christian Science, which opens the way for joyful improvement in the experience of everyone.

Absolute perfection is the aim and goal of Christian Scientists. In "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 22) Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes: "It may be that the mortal life-battle still wages, and must continue till its involved errors are vanquished by victory-bringing Science; but this triumph will come! God is over all. He alone is our origin, aim, and being." It therefore is clear that any aim which is less than the demonstration of absolutely perfect being is not the high aim to which mankind should aspire.

Jesus was ever unwilling to accept material appearances as models of excellence. In the familiar story of Martha and Mary there is no evidence to show that Mary was less appreciative of a clean and orderly house than was her sister Martha. Nor is there any to show that Mary had neglected doing her necessary part in keeping the house clean and orderly. But apparently Mary recognized more clearly the need for keeping material duties subordinate to spiritual. She desired to put first things first, and there is no reason for believing that she neglected giving a necessary amount of attention to secondary things by so doing. This explanation would seem to be generally supported by the approval of the Master, who so clearly discerned the innermost thoughts of men. He said that "Mary hath chosen that good part." Mary evidently recognized in some measure that her true abode was spiritual—in Mind, not matter—and she sought to keep her view of it in an ever-ascending scale rather than stationary.

In the experience of human life, mankind fears many things. For one, it is anxious about letting go of what it has, even though the assurance of something better is at hand. It perhaps may be argued that this is a common sense position, but it also is a common sense position, as well as a Christianly scientific one, to recognize that only as one lifts his thoughts above the material sense of himself can he improve, and that the good available in that way is not limited. In "Unity of Good" (p. 61) Mrs. Eddy writes, "Our highest sense of infinite good in this mortal sphere is but the sign and symbol, not the substance of good." If, then, one's highest sense of good is but a promise of the real, can he afford ever to lose sight of the perfect model? Wisdom would not lead one to desert a bright promise of good for a speculative venture with no assurance of something better; but neither does true wisdom approve of smugness, or self-complacency, or satisfaction in matter. If, then, true wisdom disapproves, it must be error which suggests these qualities of thought, and consequently Christian Scientists would have nothing to do with them. The true Christian Scientist is grateful for every material evidence of good, but he is not deceived into believing that materiality is real. He recognizes that, at best, material appearances can only hint the real. He thanks God that, to use a phrase of the poet Whitier, his "inward sight" is clearer. But he ever strives to keep on clarifying it by holding the perfect model before him.

The aim of a true Christian Scientist is high indeed. None of us has reached this great height, but this must not be allowed to discourage us; it should spur us on to greater effort. It should not settle us down to material satisfaction in what we have gained. One need not fear that by claiming the completeness of his heritage as a joint heir "with Christ" he can possibly place in jeopardy whatever of good he thus far has realized. It is not so in the divine law of Love. By constantly looking up and claiming the spiritual good he discerns, one gains everything and loses nothing that is real or lasting. Yes, he secures to himself, by more clearly realizing its true nature and source, all that is genuinely desirable.

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