The Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, make plain that earnest, faithful labor is necessary in order to attain to spiritual discernment. And whenever a student of Christian Science begins to discern the certainty, power, and availability of spiritual law, there commences in his life a wonderful period of growth and demonstration.
Onpage 495of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, the question is asked how one may most rapidly advance in the attainment of spiritual understanding. The reply in part is, "Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit." Here we note that "study" precedes "imbibe." "The spirit" cannot be gained without the preliminary step of study; and one can scarcely make a thorough study of any subject and not gain at least some understanding of it. Along all lines of material learning, students are required diligently to study their textbooks in order to gain the ability to put their learning into practice. This is equally true of spiritual teaching and growth.
The value of systematic study of the Bible, together with the Christian Science textbook and other writings by Mrs. Eddy, and growth in understanding as a result thereof, were illustrated to the writer in a recent experience. On a Saturday afternoon, just as she was turning a rather crowded corner on a busy street of a western city, a person came along, roughly pushing his way through the crowd, apparently with the idea that in no other way would he be able to reach his destination quickly. He bumped into other pedestrians without even so much as an "Excuse me." The writer's first thought was one of astonishment that any one could get into such a mental state. This was followed by the almost audible expression, "He thinks he is being crowded." In reflecting upon the experience later, there came such a happy sense of gratitude that, as a result of spiritual understanding, the writer not only was able to move in and out among the crowd in tranquillity, but was also able quickly to detect and reject an erroneous sense entertained by another. It was plain that this person's disturbed sense was the result of his ignorance of spiritual being and spiritual law. Had he been a student of Christian Science, and sufficiently advanced to have at least some comprehension of invisible spiritual law at work, he could never have acted as he did.
