MRS. EDDY, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes on page 296 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Progress is born of experience. It is the ripening of mortal man, through which the mortal is dropped for the immortal." Experience is the testing of theory; and he who is faithful may prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Science of Christianity is demonstrable, that evil is unreal, and that the true concept of God and man, which Jesus so perfectly understood, can be discerned and established in human consciousness. Experience teaches humanity much; and as one views his life-problems in the light of Christian Science, circumstances, if rightly dealt with, leave behind them the glow of something substantial and real.
On reviewing past experience, no Christian Scientist regrets the problems which have presented themselves, though at the time they may have seemed superfluous. Storms may be encountered, temptations may seem to abound, and the earnest worker finds that he has to hold fast to his new-found treasure and to remember that though he may be placed in the midst of trying conditions, yet he may dwell in "the secret place of the most High," through his recognition of the spiritual verities revealed in Christian Science.
How often has material sense sent out its vapors, enveloping the mental realm in dense mist, hiding inspiration and joy from view! One may gaze in despair at the gloom, the hopeless outlook, the fear, the poverty, the loss, the misunderstanding, the sickness, or whatever phase of error may present itself. He has done all that is possible, he tells himself, but it all seems quite beyond his ability to cope with! Here it might be a good plan to "agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him." It is true, no doubt, from the viewpoint of so-called mortal belief, that this Goliath of evil is beyond all human power to destroy. Having come to this conclusion, let one go a step farther. Let one forsake the unreliable raft of human ability which he has taken such pains to keep afloat; let him fearlessly cast himself from it, and realize that where human dependence ceases, just there is omnipotence, eternal Mind, prolific in right ideas.
