ALL civilized mankind is striving for what it calls progress. The Christian Scientist has reason to be keenly interested in the progressive activities of the world, for he is gratefully learning something of the nature of true progress and how human limitations are removed. He longs to be an active factor in the elimination of all that retards universal well-being. The student of Christian Science is learning that that which makes for universal progress, freedom, salvation, begins with the individual, and he looks within his own experience to see how much of progress is being demonstrated there. For how can he hope to aid effectively in the solution of world problems until he has gained a measure of success in understanding and handling the perplexities which confront his own daily experience? Perhaps though he seems to have been diligently at work, his problems are still unsolved, and he seeks an explanation. Let such a one take up those wonderful instruments of aid in study, the Concordances to the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, and with their help ponder the illuminating statements of our inspired Leader regarding the path of progress.
To one who seems at a standstill comes this thought-provoking statement on page 353 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy: "When we learn that error is not real, we shall be ready for progress." The question then arises, Am I ready for progress? There is a step required preliminary to readiness for advancement—the learning that "error is not real." One may ask himself, Am I truly learning this great fact, or am I sitting down before what seem to be vexatious, stubborn, limiting, fearful situations and regarding them as real now, but hoping that presently something or someone will lift them out of the path, or that time will work a change, and I can go on?
Not until we learn that they are not real now, are not really there in the path, are we able to take the forward step. How can we be sure that they are not there, these apparently real and formidable and seemingly substantial obstacles? Because God has said, "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" What, then, can there be besides? And Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 351): "We cannot bring out the practical proof of Christianity, which Jesus required, while error seems as potent and real to us as Truth, and while we make a personal devil and an anthropomorphic God our starting-points,— especially if we consider Satan as a being coequal in power with Deity, if not superior to Him."
