In the eighth chapter of Acts the martyrdom of Stephen, first of many to drink the cup of our Master, is related with brief simplicity. In the narrative, one who later changed his name, in penitence and deep humility, is introduced to Scriptural history in these words: "And Saul was consenting unto his death." Saul, who afterward became Paul, the mighty messenger to the early church, preaching the gospel of life eternal, is first found consenting to that which denied this very gospel, agreeing with those who were being used as active instruments of destruction, submitting to the beliefs which actuated them.
How often are we who have the revelation, through our Leader's writings, of the Science of Life, found "consenting unto...death"? One hears the declaration made all too frequently by students of Christian Science: "Oh, well, so long as we are on this material plane, we can't expect to live forever. Others, who knew more than we, have passed on; and we cannot hope to make the demonstration over death if they could not."
The first statement affirms the old, false-theology concept of a present necessity for material conditions, accompanied by failure, decay, and death, thus denying the most self-evident propositions of Christian Science. The second statement would limit each life-work merely to a personal experiment, instead of acknowledging that each must finally, through Christian Science, demonstrate in ever advancing ratio his unity with the divine Principle of all life and harmony. Even Jesus, our great Exemplar, said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do," indicating that the application of Principle was unlimited in range, and that continually greater demonstrations of divine power must be expected by all who consecrate themselves to the acquirement of spiritual understanding. The world has advanced in the proportion that each succeeding generation has builded on the good already established; and it has failed to advance whenever held by the belief that the acme had been attained in any given line of human endeavor; and that, therefore, further effort would be useless or unnecessary. As popular thought is more and more pervaded by the leaven of Truth working through the channels of Christian Science, even if not yet acknowledged by name, that which yesterday was considered impossible of accomplishment, and which today is debatable, to-morrow will be found entirely within the realm of the possible, the reasonable, and the actual.
