MANKIND believes that experience is the greatest of teachers, and that from it comes wisdom. In Christian Science it is learned that, strictly speaking, divine Mind, through the agency of its Christ, is the only true teacher, and that true wisdom is a quality of divine Mind gained only through spiritual understanding.
Likewise, men generally believe that experience is necessary to the successful management of their affairs, since they hold that thereby is gained the practical knowledge which is the greatest factor in all worldly success. But the Christian Scientist knows that, since divine Mind controls all the activities of God's perfect universe, in divine Mind alone rest all the factors of success; and that in consequence men are truly successful only in proportion as they are able to gain and demonstrate spiritual understanding —that is to say, the understanding of God and His universe, including man, and of the operation of His perfect law. Thus experience in a scientific sense takes on a purely spiritual aspect. The words of Elihu, as recorded in the book of Job. clearly set this forth "Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding."
It is commonly held, and rightly, that experience will aid the Christian Science practitioner in destroying the belief of evil. Through practice in the uncovering and destruction of error by the application of spiritual truth, one comes into a deeper assurance, a firmer faith, a fuller understanding that God does heal the sick by destroying the fallacious beliefs of mortal mind. If one has attained to a spiritual state of consciousness, the understanding of God's allness is sufficient; but notwithstanding that divine Mind is All and that man as the perfect expression of that Mind is already perfect, experience in the handling of mortal beliefs and their destruction through the power of Truth is of great aid in the demonstration of that perfection. Because man is already perfect, one does not need to wait upon experience to enable him to know the truth about man and his perfect state of selfhood. But man's perfectness must be demonstrated, and experience is a factor in successful demonstration. Mortals seem to profit greatly through experience in any endeavor in which they may engage; but this experience takes on even greater significance if it be accompanied by the understanding of man and his perfection. Such experience, leavened with spiritual truth, leads our steps in the only profitable ways, the ways of true service.
