STUDENTS of Mrs. Eddy's writings who follow her instructions most faithfully, in the particular as well as in the general, progress most rapidly and find the way bright and the reward in terms of spiritual blessedness sure. Obedience is the open door to that freedom from material constrictions which Christian Science, understood and demonstrated, unfailingly brings. Such obedience, whole-hearted and complete, invariably brings joys untold.
While Christ Jesus revealed the spirit of Christianity, taught and exemplified the power of Spirit over matter, made sure God's availability as the loving Father to destroy every phase of material belief, the complete letter remained for later revelation. This letter, together with renewed revelation of the Spirit, came after nineteen centuries, in exemplification of the healing power of the Christ, Truth, and is found in Mrs. Eddy's message to mankind. Again it is apparent that God, the perfect healer of the ills of the flesh manifest through His Christ, is available to overcome every erroneous condition which the world is pleased to term its problems—not only those which appear to be individual, but those which pertain to general conditions as well. For it is equally practicable to invoke the divine might to destroy the common or impersonal beliefs in evil, the error which is elementary and latent, as to heal the personal problem, when error becomes visible and audible as sin.
The method whereby growth in the understanding of Christian Science is most rapid, Mrs. Eddy makes perfectly clear. In the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 495), she admonishes: "Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit. Adhere to the divine Principle of Christian Science and follow the behests of God, abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and Love." Could instruction be more explicit? The question, it seems, naturally arises, What are the letter and the spirit? The letter includes and states the rule whereby divine power becomes available to mankind to destroy evil in its every aspect. Accompanied by the spirit it is the method of invocation whereby the Christ becomes the Saviour of mankind. The rules of Science, however, are no less divine than the spirit of Christianity—the Christ-ideal. Our Leader speaks plainly of these rules as both sacred and divine, and she put them to the fullest possible test before incorporating them in a textbook setting forth her discovery. Mrs. Eddy also makes it very plain that these rules must be demonstrated as destroying the claims of evil in order to gain spiritual heights where abides the divine presence. And only through the proof which the individual establishes for himself, the proof that comes through demonstration alone, can such attainment be realized.
