The modern philosopher who spoke thus to a friend, "Tell me of your beliefs; I have doubts of my own," was unconsciously voicing a wide-spread appeal. What he intended to convey was, that doubt, being negative and destructive, is useless for any high and holy purpose. It stands for failure; it has in it all the elements of weakness; it cannot claim to do anything; it rests on no solid basis, has no defined object, no sense of strong conviction, and is therefore impotent. To achieve anything worth doing means the displacement, the overcoming, the destruction of doubt. Let us see how this proposition works out in Christian Science.
There are those who are troubled because they have so little knowledge of the truth which heals and saves, though they admit that they have some knowledge, because they have had the proof of it in improved physical health and in the opening to them of a new world of gladness. Here is a foundation of fact upon which to act. Common sense, based upon this more enlightened thought, would say, Hold on to this, and when the opportunity comes, voice your victories and not your failures. Alas! it is not always thus. The serpentine nature of mortal thought intimates that it is too soon to begin to speak with confidence; better to wait until evidence has accumulated, until experience has ripened, until demonstrations are so clear, and so based upon the irrefragable testimony of spiritual sense, that there will be justification for taking up an attitude of unequivocal belief in all the asserted laws of divine Science. This is a subtle device of the enemy which, if followed, may lead to protracted delay in one's own spiritual growth, and perhaps have some untoward influence upon others. Why not make the most of the little faith we have? Some day we all believe we shall have such faith that we will be able to remove mountains of error and scale the heights of perfect demonstration. In the mean while we must walk, but not attempt to leap.
Some one, when we were suffering, and when the prospect was seemingly growing darker and darker by reason of the hopelessness of recovery, was good enough to remind us, in tones which were gentle but strongly imbued with conviction, that God still lives; that He never forgets His children, and that He is always ready to help them in their direst need if they will but look to Him and trust Him.
