The statement that the evening in the Biblical record of God's creation (see Genesis 1) precedes the morning challenged the thought of a student of Christian Science and brought enlightenment that resulted in healing for one who was in great need. Usually when thinking of day it seems natural that it begin with morning and end with evening. But in the one and only true record of creation, the evening precedes the morning.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 504), "The successive appearing of God's ideas is represented as taking place on so many evenings and mornings,—words which indicate, in the absence of solar time, spiritually clearer views of Him, views which are not implied by material darkness and dawn." This is further clarified in the Glossary of Science and Health (p. 586), where we find "evening" defined spiritually as "peace and rest." Also on page 591 Mrs. Eddy defined "morning" as "light; symbol of Truth; revelation and progress." In Christian Science we learn that day is a spiritual idea, expressing the activity of Mind, God's unfoldment of His goodness to man and the universe.

Let us consider evening as symbolizing a state of consciousness. The recognition of God as the source of all true being and the natural acceptance of God's thoughts and ideas of peace, tranquillity, and clearness result in a morning experience, or the manifestation of the good that divine Mind is revealing. Therefore it is plain to see that the right concept of evening, the consciousness of peace and rest, must and does precede morning, the experience or evidence of good. And there is no night there.

Naturally the time element does not enter into, delay, or hinder the evidence of consciousness. That is, we do not need to wait until the so-called evening hour of six o'clock to become conscious of serenity and rest and then wait until the morning hour of six o'clock to experience its rewards. For consciousness and evidence are one.

When the disciples, fearful of perishing because a storm was beating the waves into their boat, pleaded with Jesus to save them from perishing, Jesus did not ignore the fearful beliefs they had accepted or urge them to struggle through the storm, His clear awareness of eternal safety and security dissolved the fear and confusion. And his immortal declaration (Mark 4:39), "Peace, be still," calmed the wind, assuring a tranquil sea and safe journey for all. This incident proves that our consciousness must be at peace before we are ready to comprehend the way that God is revealing.

Do we sometimes wonder why God's direction seems to be obscured or unattainable? Then we should ask ourselves, "Are we accepting the mortal mind belief that the day's activity must bring on, or end with, frustration or fatigue?" The hourly claiming of man's God-given ability to reflect the omniactive peace that divine Mind knows is of vital importance. Certainly the inspired Word of the Bible (Isa. 26:3), "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee," is demonstrable. Crowning achievement is not attained while beclouding fears, disturbing or conflicting suggestions, are entertained. The mindfulness of peace and tranquillity precedes fulfillment.

The consciousness that is tranquil is a clear transparency for the omnipresent harmony and perfection of God. This spiritual fact was applied and proved to be true in the case of a young woman who asked for help in Christian Science. She had suffered from a nervous condition for over twenty years. After the passing on of her father it was impossible for her to leave home for fear of collapsing in public. She seemed to be doomed to a life of seclusion and despair. The practitioner knew that no matter how overwhelming the suggestions of weakness, separation, uselessness, and inferiority seemed to be, they were products of a deluded thought, mortal belief claiming to produce a night of black experience.

It was evident that the right concept of evening needed to be established in the patient's thought; so she was requested to study thoroughly everything that Mrs. Eddy has to say in her writings on peace, rest, serenity, purity, clearness, and strength. The practitioner recognized the immortality of these qualities of God and claimed man's eternal embodiment of them as the image and likeness of God.

At the end of the week the patient was asked to study Mrs. Eddy's references to light, revelation, and progress, the true idea of morning, in order to complete her understanding of God's day. The patient was so zealous of knowing more that she could hardly lay the books aside. Before three weeks had passed she came to the practitioner's office completely healed, rejoicing in her newly found freedom.

Certainly the understanding that evening, or the consciousness of peace, is inseparable from morning, or progressive experience, was demonstrated. The gratitude felt by these two individuals is best described by the first stanza of Hymn No. 94 in the Christian Science Hymnal: