If Christian Science were not practical, it would be of no use to any one. It is often said that Christian Science and common sense are one. Common sense from a human standpoint may not always be Christian Science, but Christian Science practically put to use must be common sense, which is defined as "intuitive perception; sound or natural judgment; good sense; sound judgment, especially in the ordinary affairs of life." Then to have common sense means to have sound reason and good judgment. On page 105 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says: "Science would have no conflict with Life or common sense, if this sense were consistently sensible. ... It upholds being, and destroys the too common sense of its opposites—death, disease, and sin."
When first beginning to study Christian Science some jump to the conclusion that if God made everything, and made everything perfect, then everything is already done, every problem is already solve, and so there is nothing left for us to do. They fail to grasp this fact, namely, that while all this is divinely true, yet each one must still work out individually each problem and thus prove the truth to himself. They must get rid of the old scholastic teaching that because Jesus died we are already saved, and must learn that Jesus the Christ must not only be believed in, but also that he came to show us how to do the works which he did, and that as a child is given rules at school and must then work out the problems, and advance as he learns and proves, so must we all do in order to work out our own salvation. The beginner must also learn that working out this problem step by step does not by any means involve will-power, even though it involves effort.
In taking steps in Christian Science one cannot expect to manifest perfection immediately, to find it all plain sailing, or even to achieve at once what will later become a natural thing to do. A child born in a Christian Science home must learn to talk and walk as other children do, except that he should talk better and walk better, and manifest greater intelligence in every direction; but he does not spring full fledged into speech and probably he goes to school with other children. A singer, even though he may know that God is the only Mind and that he is simply the reflection of that Mind, will have to practise the solo for the Sunday service and may even take instruction as well. He learns to sing with greater intelligence because he knows he need not suffer under the old laws made for singers.
