In the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew is set forth Jesus' parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise and five foolish. The wise virgins were ready and waiting for the coming of the bridegroom, with oil for light to behold him. Those that were foolish lacked the oil in their lamps, and at the midnight hour, when the cry came, "The bridegroom cometh," they said to the wise virgins, "Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out." But the wise virgins answered, "Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, when commenting on this parable, says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 342): "Seek Truth, and pursue it. It should cost you something: you are willing to pay for error and receive nothing in return; but if you pay the price of Truth, you shall receive all."

Just what is the price of Truth and how do we pay this price? The oil which was so vital in this parable stands for consecration of thought and life, the inspiration of spiritual-mindedness, which is always alert and receptive to the understanding of Truth. We might enumerate any number of ways in which this oil is obtained: proper time and attention given to study and prayer, implicit obedience to Truth and Love, turning from matter to Spirit in all ways, learning to love and to serve patiently in the vineyard of our Lord. Steadfastness, faithfulness, joy, sincerity, purity, gratitude—all contribute to the spiritual light and intelligence by which we recognize and know the presence of Christ and learn of the healing power of Truth and Love.

Discipline of thought is necessary to attain spiritual understanding. In Christian Science we learn that God, the Father and Mother of man, is always blessing His creation with infinite bounty and goodness, for that is the nature of God. But this same divine Love is Principle and, as such, commands obedience to the laws of Truth. It must be understood that God is not "influenced" by mankind, but that mankind reconcile their lives to God by spiritually understanding divine Principle and abiding by it. Having only one God means having only one Mind, and that Mind is not a mixture of good and evil, but is good only. It means understanding God's allness and man's likeness to Him and striving consistently to be conscious of the perfect man of God's creation, that man which embodies the qualities of Spirit, Soul. It need hardly be added that in present experience it takes effort, work, and deep prayer to maintain thought at this point of scientific knowing.

There is evident in mortal thinking the tendency to want to get something for nothing, to avoid hard work, or to lean upon others. This shows up in the quick followings of so-called panaceas, the lures of easy salvation and effortless living. It is also evident in the erroneous interpretation of Jesus' atonement for sin, in which it is claimed that Jesus relieved others of the necessity of working out their own salvation. Salvation is individual, and it is earned; we can never expect to attain it without effort. Jesus pointed the way and demonstrated Truth, but each one must follow in his steps and work out the solution to his own problem.

In the parable of the ten virgins Jesus showed that the foolish had to go and buy their own oil. No one can give consecration to anyone else. Everyone must realize for himself that spiritualization of thought, or that appreciation of good, which lifts human experience into the higher realm of harmony and joy. Each one may have the happy privilege of helping another to see the truth and awaken to reality through healing, but it is the individual's own quickened spiritual sense that carries on the regeneration of thought and life. Only through the accession of love in our own hearts can we feel the presence of that divine Love which includes infinite blessings. "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord" (Prov. 16:1). The response comes in one's own self-conscious communion with God and in one's own spiritual growth.

The only way to be blessed is to be worthy of that blessing. Every advancing step has its price in effort, demonstration, and love, and we must be willing to pay that price. By paying the price we possess the good, and we have the right to possess it. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14). There are no short cuts to salvation. There is no discount in Love's law. When we learn these important facts we shall honestly face up to the task of demonstrating the law of God in our lives.

It will readily be admitted that the necessity for abiding by the rules of mathematics does not limit or deprive one. Rather does it open up the whole field of mathematics to possible accomplishment. The demands of divine Principle do not limit life or experience, but rather do they free our experience from all deception, limitation, sin, disease, and death.

The Bible says (Prov. 4:23), "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." One of the important points which Christian Science makes is that we experience what we think. We cannot escape this responsibility, nor should we ever wish to do so. Here is our ever-present opportunity so to improve consciousness with right understanding and right living that the blessings of divine Love inevitably show forth.

How important it is to understand the nature of God as divine Principle and to conform willingly to the Science of being. Mrs. Eddy lovingly reminds us on page 154 of "Miscellaneous Writings" that "God only waits for man's worthiness to enhance the means and measure of His grace."

The prodigal son had to come to the turning point where he was willing to leave the husks of wrong thinking and living. All evil, including both sin and disease, is in the nature of deception or mesmerism, and human thought must be awakened by the liberating Christ in order to demonstrate the nothingness of error, want, and woe. In this parable the great tenderness of divine Love is manifest when the father, while the son was yet a great way off, went forth to meet him with unmeasured goodness and love.

"If you pay the price of Truth, you shall receive all," is our Leader's assuring promise, and thousands of individuals are proving her words to be true. To leave all for Christ is a completely positive and joyous activity, for it simply means to leave all error for Truth, to leave all sickness and sin for health and harmony, to leave all material mesmerism for spiritual understanding. We lose nothing that is real, but gain unlimited good when we turn willingly from matter to Spirit. To those rescued from hopeless sickness and to those redeemed from enslaving sin, the joy of freedom comes in full measure. Jesus' whole life and mission were directed toward opening to mankind a far more abundant and more fruitful life than they had ever known before.

Since God is all good, oneness or unity with God is the key to oneness with all good and therefore the answer to every problem in human experience. We approach God through prayer—the humble, earnest desire to be and to do good. Our Leader tells us in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 127): "If this heart, humble and trustful, faithfully asks divine Love to feed it with the bread of heaven, health, holiness, it will be conformed to a fitness to receive the answer to its desire; then will flow into it the 'river of His pleasure,' the tributary of divine Love, and great growth in Christian Science will follow,—even that joy which finds one's own in another's good."

Christ Jesus said (Matt. 11:28—30): "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." This invitation of the Christ is always present in every circumstance, and we have the constant opportunity to repent of error and turn to the truth of being. This is not a release from work, but is instead the opportunity to work intelligently, unselfishly, and triumphantly.

Certainly then the price of harmony, health, and freedom is right spiritual thinking and living, constant watchfulness for the coming of true understanding, the consecration of thought and life to that which is good and pure and true, having that Mind which was also in Christ Jesus. Let us be willing to pay the price, to possess the good, and to enter into our God-given joy.