THE true basis of civilization is undoubtedly the fact of the perfectibility of humanity. Without the recognition of this, reformatory efforts are uncertain, even so far as the amelioration of sin and suffering is concerned. No professed follower of Christ Jesus, and no true humanitarian, can consistently deny that perfection is attainable, and that no one can find it who does not seek it. It would also seem that both of these should be ready to contend for freedom to seek and to find perfection in the way which brings the best results; and to the professed Christian this would surely mean his Master's way. Now the Master found among his own people very definite views as to the service of God and the relations of men to each other, but he pronounced all of these imperfect, because material. He contended for the worship of God "in spirit and in truth," and he not only insisted upon the recognition of Truth as the only reality and power, but he proved the availability of this power in the midst of conditions which were, humanly speaking, hopeless,—he gave sight to the blind; he healed those who had for long years sought help in vain through material means; and he raised the dead. He had at the start declared that the Father in heaven is perfect, and that, therefore, all His children must be perfect, that they could not be the victims of sin, disease, or death.
Strange as it seems, this glorious teaching and its glorious results were repudiated by those who claimed to have clearer views of God than had any others. They even said of this Teacher, "Away with him." And why? Had he not denied the very testimony of the senses, saying of one who lay still and silent before them, "She is not dead"? Did he not also say, "Having eyes see ye not?" They certainly did not see that which he saw; namely, spiritual realities, hence they rejected his teaching, as material sense rejects it now when demonstrated in Christian Science.
Material sense says to-day through its apologists, even as it said then, "Anything but this. We are willing to grant the spiritual a place, but not the whole place; we want room for the material, and a good deal of room at that." To this Christian Science answers that perfection can never be reached unless we have the true foundation,—unless we admit the allness of the divine Mind or Spirit, and the divine Life as the "origin and ultimate of man" (Science and Health, p. 487). This of course involves the recognition of Science as spiritual, not material, for a material science could not explain spiritual creation or the spiritual laws governing man, by obedience to which perfection is reached.
