CHRISTIAN SCIENCE is available for all to understand and practice. Its teachings, which are set forth in the Bible and in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, may be grasped by any student who sets bias aside and approaches the study in sincerity and humility. The child may learn of its truths at his parents' knee or in Sunday school. The scholar may turn to it and, gaining enlightenment spiritually, find himself liberated from the bonds of false material theories and unreliable human hypotheses. No one, be his race or creed or intellectual status what it may, can be debarred from gaining a knowledge of Christian Science, the Christ Science, the Science of being.
Although all students of Christian Science do not grasp its divine Principle and rules equally readily, yet as they do understand its rules they are able to demonstrate them in the overcoming of inharmony, either mental or physical; and thus do they progress to higher understanding and greater power of demonstration. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 462 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "Some individuals assimilate truth more readily than others, but any student, who adheres to the divine rules of Christian Science and imbibes the spirit of Christ, can demonstrate Christian Science, cast out error, heal the sick, and add continually to his store of spiritual understanding, potency, enlightenment, and success." Christian Science is thus available to any student, and demonstrable by him, provided he adheres to its rules and possesses a measure of "the spirit of Christ."
How entirely reasonable, that divine Science should be available for everyone! For is not God divine Love? Is not He the creator, the Father-Mother, of us all? God has no favorites among His children; the humblest in the sight of men is as precious to Him as is the mightiest. God debars no one from seeking His aid. His arms are outstretched towards the sinner, however grievous his sin, even as they embrace the righteous. Isaiah, with his keen spiritual insight, knew this and could say, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear."
God, infinite divine Love, is ever present; and through Christian Science His love is made available to all. Our Leader writes (ibid., pp. 12, 13), "In divine Science, where prayers are mental, all may avail themselves of God as 'a very present help in trouble.' " She then states one of the most glorious truths ever revealed to mankind: "Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals." How many need to realize this! How often has God been regarded as partial, bestowing His love on some, but not on all! Christian Science is destroying this false concept of God by giving the true idea of Him as universal, impartial Love; and as men apprehend Him as in reality He is, they rejoice in the availability of His unlimited goodness. The belief that God's love is limited has darkened all human history; the understanding of God's love as infinite is lighting the consciousness of men as never before.
Christ Jesus knew that God's love is "impartial and universal." Was not God to him the perfect Father? And surely there are few who would maintain that the religion which he founded—Christianity—is not universal in its scope. Indeed, before Jesus left them he instructed his disciples to make his message known throughout the world, proving the truth of it, even as he had done, by "signs following"—by the healing of disease and sin and the overcoming of false material law. As this is seen, the necessity is recognized of carrying the Science which underlay the Master's teachings and demonstrations literally to the ends of the earth. This is actually being done by the Church of Christ, Scientist, to-day, by means of its literature, its lectures, and its church activities generally, including the work of healing. And when we say this we mean that the spirit of Christian Science, as well as its letter, is by this means being brought to mankind.
The Christian Scientist is, then, awake to his duty in making Christian Science available to the whole world. He knows that not only must he aid in disseminating its literature, including the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings, but that he must also show forth the Christ-spirit in his life and works: he must make known the truths of Christian Science; he must radiate its spirit. Indeed, unless he does both he cannot demonstrate Christian Science; he cannot heal the sick, cleanse the sinner, comfort the sorrowing, help to bring a sense of abundance to those believing in lack. The truths which Christian Science reveals are available for all, but its rules and its spirit must be obeyed to receive the benefits of these truths.
The power to demonstrate Christian Science is progressive. Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 359), "The way is absolute divine Science: walk ye in it; but remember that Science is demonstrated by degrees, and our demonstration rises only as we rise in the scale of being." And we are rising in the scale of being as we become more spiritually-minded through obedience to the rules and spirit of divine Science. There is comfort in the knowledge that Christian science is demonstrated by degrees; that, in other words, we can progress in the demonstration of it. When we know this we can settle down to its study and to the working out of its rules in the spirit of Christ, confident of gaining in understanding and in the power of applying what we comprehend.
A verse of a Psalm reads, "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth." God is ever present Love. That is why His ear is ever open to the cry of the honest and repentant heart. The prayer for enlightenment which goes up to divine Love is never uttered in vain. And when the enlightenment is gained, even the understanding of Christian Science, and obedience is given to the law of good, the demonstration of holiness and health is sure to follow.
