Many individuals regard religion as out-of-date or old-fashioned, remote from modern life and inadequate to cope with present-day problems. But Christian Science reveals that the saving, healing religion of Christ Jesus is the religion not only of yesterday but also of today, vitally applicable to present-day needs.

Mary Baker Eddy says in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 12). "We own no past, no future, we possess only now." While Christian Scientists deeply revere and honor the great achievements of Biblical times, and earnestly look for the ultimate supremacy of God, good, in human affairs, their chief concern is with the present. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation," wrote Paul (II Cor. 6:2). And substantially the now of St. Paul's day is no different from the now of today or the now of tomorrow.

But someone may ask, "How can I be convinced that the power of God is as available today as it was centuries ago?" Christian Science replies: The power of God is the power of divine Love, the power of good, transcending time and materiality. That Jesus' demonstration of this power has influenced the whole world is seen in the very existence of Christendom itself. Men are attracted by and compelled to investigate more deeply the Master's sublime example because it evidences power which is spiritual and eternal, not material and temporal. Christian Science teaches how Jesus utilized this spiritual power. It enables every sincere student of this Science to do likewise, and proves that the power of the Christ is ever present to heal and to save.

Thus through patient and earnest Christlike living it is being proved that the blessings of peace, joy, health, and abundance bestowed upon the early followers of Jesus are just as available today. In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy opens her Preface with these comforting words of assurance (p. vii): "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings." And she continues, "Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away."

The student of Christian Science learns to rely upon the ever-present power of right thinking, upon thought which stems from the one Mind, divine Principle, Love. He constantly relies upon "the sustaining infinite," the now of divine reality. He discerns the fallacy of resting on laurels of the past or of expecting vicarious salvation through the past achievements of others.

Because complete salvation from the ills which beset humanity is available now, Christian Science logically concludes that we need never wait for salvation to come in the future. If salvation were always a future event, it could never be experienced. Through Science we learn to look beyond time to the allness of Mind, God, and His idea, man. In this eternal Being, existence is not marked by the passage of time, but by the unfoldment of good—the uninterrupted outpouring of Love in the form of divine ideas.

Christian Science teaches that just as true religion is not archaic, so also it is not premature. Its blessings are as available today as they were yesterday and will be tomorrow. Referring to the eternal, timeless nature of the Christ, Truth, the Bible declares (Hebr. 13:8), "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

True religion as revealed in Christian Science involves not suppression but expression. Instead of depriving us of many joyous human amenities, Christian Science enables us increasingly to express a greater abundance of good. As we do this, we begin to gain a true sense of substance as spiritual.

To the enlightened consciousness unlimited spiritual riches are revealed. Truth is recognized as meeting every human need. For example, the new student of this Science may find that while objectionable habits such as the use of tobacco and alcohol must ultimately drop out of his experience, he gains lasting spiritual satisfaction. In Science nothing real is given up. He who stops smoking and drinking is not being old-fashioned. He is a pioneer in the realm of Spirit. An infinite abundance of spiritual riches is within his present grasp.

Another misconception often held is that religion is dull and colorless, lacking vitality and joy. Here again Christian Science reveals religion as spiritually vital, living, and colorful. It brings purity, beauty, order, and joyous activity into our human affairs.

The Christian Scientist is not required to change anything good or to deprive himself of it. Hence we do not have to ignore or neglect our present human affairs in order to follow the Christ. Indeed, through Christian Science we yield to the Christ, Truth, and it permeates and governs all the minutiae of our existence. As we do this, Truth transforms and spiritualizes consciousness, elevating, purifying, expanding our human sense of things.

In deep gratitude for the wonderful blessings he had received on commencing his study of Christian Science, the writer desired to devote his whole life to the Cause of Truth. But as he was in young manhood, he felt appalled at the prospect which he mistakenly held of having to deprive himself of all the beauty and joy of his human experience. However, he was at that time a member of the armed forces, and he soon found himself being entertained in the private homes of Christian Scientists. The wonderfully uplifting sense of beauty, joy, and loveliness expressed in these homes enabled him to realize that the practical application of Christian Science involves not suppression but expression.

He saw that devotion to this great Cause requires not gloomy asceticism, nor the neglect of one's human duties and responsibilities, but rather the spiritualization of thought. As he permitted the Christ to enter into his everyday affairs, he began to gain an ever-increasing consciousness of the allness of God, good. Unnecessary, erroneous, and negative habits and tendencies began to drop away. In subsequent years the unfoldment of the spiritual riches of divine Love has brought with it manifold blessings, and every human need has been abundantly met.

Through Christian Science we become modern pioneers in the realm of reality, discovering an ever-widening universe of vital, active, and joyous spiritual ideas. We become religious in the true, scientific sense. Following our Leader's glorious example, we prove that the religion of Christ Jesus is indeed the religion of today.