Students of the Bible find many a thrill of joy as its spiritual truths unfold to them. In the horror of darkness produced by aggressive war they have remembered that promise from the psalms: "Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness;" and the reasonable basis for this expectation is that the upright man is "gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous." Mrs. Eddy, out of her spiritual vision, has set before us the prospect of joy and light because of her thorough understanding of the Bible. She says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 513): "Advancing spiritual steps in the teeming universe of Mind lead on to spiritual spheres and exalted beings. To material sense, this divine universe is dim and distant, gray in the sombre hues of twilight; but anon the veil is lifted, and the scene shifts into light."
It will not be until future generations occupy this earthly scene that a full understanding of the wonder of the discovery of Christian Science will prevail. We are now emerging from one conflict of light with darkness, conflict which the ancient Persian philosophy held was to continue forever and ever. The promise of Jesus is that light will triumph. He explained his work in the illuminating phrase, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Nevertheless, following the advent of the very light of the world came ages of ignorance and evil doing, when Christianity was displaced largely by superstition. How and why was this? The explanation was already provided by the Master when he said that although light was come into the world "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Church and state were united, and into high places in the church climbed men with cunning and evil minds, seeking material riches and power, and unable to comprehend spiritual power or to value true riches. Dark ages necessarily followed.
This darkness upon the minds of men was not, however, a settled darkness. There were men who through their individual faith were able to understand the words of the psalm which says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Jesus had said, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness," and students of his teachings certainly were not like the walkers in darkness who stumbled and knew not where they were going. The trouble, however, was that these Scriptural writings were inaccessible to the mass of the people.
