As each old year dissolves into the new one, we often look back as well as forward to measure our past progress and to predict the possibilities for future development.

And what is progress?

To many people it may seem unrealistic to say that progress is to be counted only in terms of spiritual unfoldment. But in fact it is. Progress cannot be truly measured by what we accumulate or accomplish materially. Whatever we may achieve in the way of worldly honors or wealth is fleeting. It is liable to burst like a bubble in a moment unless it is the outward sign of inward, spiritual riches—the manifestation of our understanding and grasp of true substance that is immortal, therefore permanent.

Mankind's progress lies in developing in human consciousness the comprehension and expression of God, divine Principle, which are normal to the real, spiritual man who is the reflection of infinite Mind. In this development, that which is spiritually true comes to light in the human mind and displaces false, finite, mortal beliefs. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Progress is born of experience. It is the ripening of mortal man, through which the mortal is dropped for the immortal."' And she continues, "Either here or hereafter, suffering or Science must destroy all illusions regarding life and mind, and regenerate material sense and self." ^{Science and Health, p. 296;}

As we check up on the good we have experienced—the spiritual ideas that have unfolded, the love we have expressed and have had expressed to us during the past year, the added strength we have gained through standing for Truth and acting according to divine Principle—we will no doubt find much for which to be grateful. We will know that we have progressed and will be confident that such development in consciousness of Soul's resources will naturally continue in the coming months.

Progress can always be natural and beautiful. It always would be if humanity would be humble enough to learn through Christian Science all the lessons needed to attain the spiritual ultimate of perfection. But it is the nature of mortal mind to be self-willed— to cling to its own concepts, however erroneous they may be. Error is not supported by Truth, and in order to survive, in belief, even for a time, it must make frantic efforts to bolster up its own pretended identity and justify itself. These efforts can only seem to its own false consciousness to be successful, and they must finally fail because, proceeding as they do from an erroneous source, they inevitably lead to mistakes and the suffering that goes with these.

In the Bible story, an angel wrestled with Jacob, and "when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him." ^{Gen. 32:25;} By weakening his mortal sense of power, the angel caused Jacob to make great strides of spiritual progress. So today, Truth exposes error's falsity and by doing so causes it to be self-destroyed.

If, then, in our end-of-the-year survey of past progress we can detect among the many steps we have taken in the right direction a few also that are apparently headed in the wrong one, we need not be aghast. In fact, if we have suffered as a consequence of these faults we can rejoice, for when on the whole our motives have been good, even errors may be made to count on the credit side. They have, no doubt, helped to teach us needed lessons.

A sincere seeker for truth learns valuable lessons through his mistakes. He need have no regrets or sense of humiliation concerning them when he has retraced his erring steps in humility and made a new start in the right direction. Rather should he be glad to have found out where he went wrong and to have changed his course to a better—a more spiritual—way. He is wise if he now throws his entire effort into pursuing this new path upwards rather than wasting valuable energies in mourning over past errors.

Even the sin that one may believe to be unpardonable can become a stepping-stone to progress. Mrs. Eddy once reproved a student for unchristian conduct, referring to the transgression as an unpardonable sin. She wrote, "Unpardonable sin means one that we are never pardoned of—but taught through suffering that it is a sin." ^{Lyman P. Powell, Mary Baker Eddy: A Life Size Portrait (Boston: The Christian Science Publishing Society, 1950), p. 312;} In such a case, when through the suffering a sin incurs one is awakened to detect the falsity of the error that is to be displaced and destroyed by Truth, the sin is already well on its way to destruction and the individual to forgiveness.

So, as we stand at the threshold of a new calendar year, there is much to appreciate of the past and a great deal to hope for the future. Through Science we have the means to learn the truth of God and man—the abundance of His love, the perfection of true spiritual being. We have before us the glorious possibilities of life lived under the guidance of divine law—which includes the blessing of having uncovered to us the illusions of mortal belief that are to be destroyed. We can gladly follow the direction given by Christ Jesus to his disciples, "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." ^{John 4:35.}

Naomi Price