ONE who had been brought up in slavery and had always thought of himself as slave-born, on being told that it was all a mistake, that he had been stolen from free parents and had really always been a free man, would be overjoyed at the tidings. His thought would leap forward to the privileges of freedom. Wealth, high position, liberty to go about, would all be open to him. And yet, would they? His status would be that of a free man with no money, no education, one who must earn money, must study and go through a long process of training before arriving at his envisioned goal. At first he might be transported with the fact that he was not a slave, and never had been; then, he might be cast down because a long path must be traversed step by step before he could be actually free, as he had dreamed of being free. But as he accepted the situation and began to take the first steps, to study, and to work for a day's pay instead of for his keep, he would find that small rewards came with each day's effort. From this time on a twofold joy would be his—the unfolding beauties of the path he walked, and the vision of the ultimate goal which would be his when he had earned it.
Does not this illustrate the experience of many who receive the blessed message of the Christ Science? Thought leaps forward to the ultimate or absolute revelation of man's freedom as the perfect spiritual child of God. On this basis there is to be no more sickness, no more poverty, no more unhappiness. Then comes the recognition that there is a path to take, and that each step means an overcoming; but that each overcoming means a blessing. The ultimate vision grows clearer with each overcoming, and expectation speeds the footsteps.
Mrs. Eddy's revelation has not only set forth absolute Christian Science with perfect clarity, but it also specifies for us the degrees by which it is to be attained. In her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. US, 116), she has shown the "Scientific Translation of Mortal Mind" in three degrees. The first degree she designates as "Depravity," as "Physical," and, marginally, as "Unreality." The third degree she designates as "Understanding," as "Spiritual," and, marginally, as "Reality." The mental qualities named in the first degree portray mortal mind in slavery to the belief in evil as real, while those in the third degree portray the state of absolute freedom from mortal mind arrived at through the demonstration of God's allness. It seems easier, at least theoretically, for the so-called human mind to desire to part from the first degree and to wish to attain to the third degree, than it is definitely to set itself to the task of demonstrating the mental qualities of the second degree. This second degree Mrs. Eddy designates as "Evil beliefs disappearing," as "Moral," and, marginally, as "Transitional qualities."
All of us who have demonstrated, even in small measure, the truths of Christian Science, rejoice that we have won some freedom from bondage to the errors of the first degree; and yet all of us who are honest with ourselves are willing to admit that we have but started to walk the path which leads to complete spiritual freedom. It then becomes of moment that we should concern ourselves very earnestly with the transitional qualities, which Mrs. Eddy designates as "humanity, honesty, affection, compassion, hope, faith, meekness, temperance." How clearly do we understand them? How much do we love them? In what proportion are they displacing the evil beliefs named in the first degree?
The transitional qualities are far removed from the physical or depraved beliefs. Certain beliefs enumerated as of the first degree, such as fear, self-justification, pride, and sickness have had any disguises ruthlessly removed by being placed in this category. They are plainly seen to be in such bad company that they are not fit companions to the lovely qualities of the second degree. These eight transitional qualities are so unobtrusive that they are "like rain upon the mown grass." In the words of the beautiful song of Moses, they seem to "distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass." They are indeed like the grass itself, which may be much less noticeable in a landscape than are mountains and trees, but without which the landscape seems barren and unlovely.
No human enterprise can succeed without the transitional qualities. Without humanity and honesty, no church, no home, no business, no professional career can be built up. Affection and compassion must displace hatred and revenge. Hope, strengthening into faith in the triumph of good, must rule out fear. Meekness and temperance must displace false appetites, self-justification, and pride. Every transitional quality helps to bring healing and deliverance from sin, disease, and death.
There is rich reward to the student in studying the attributes of God as they may be studied by means of the Concordances to the Bible and our Leader's writings. Unlike the evil beliefs of the first degree, they consort with successful service to humanity, bringing healing and domestic happiness, the improved human conditions which attest that we are winning our freedom from the unreal slavery of depraved beliefs. They attest that we are walking the path that leads away from depravity to spiritual understanding. In the words of our Leader (Science and Health, p. 454): "The understanding, even in a degree, of the divine All-power destroys fear, and plants the feet in the true path,—the path which leads to the house built without hands 'eternal in the heavens.' "
If you want your neighbor to know what the Christ spirit will do for him, let him see what it has done for you.—.
