EVERY earnest student of the writings of Mary Baker Eddy is desirous of making steady, substantial progress in his understanding and demonstration of Christian Science. He wants to enlarge his service to his fellow men, to increase his usefulness in his Father's vineyard, to lift his efforts to an ever higher plane of activity.
That such desire is normal, natural, and possible of attainment is evidenced by the following statement by Mrs. Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 233): "Every day makes its demands upon us for higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power. These proofs consist solely in the destruction of sin, sickness, and death by the power of Spirit, as Jesus destroyed them. This is an element of progress, and progress is the law of God, whose law demands of us only what we can certainly fulfil." Thus we find that progress, as regarded by our Leader, is a steady, day-by-day process that is accompanied by higher proofs of God's power. If such proofs be lacking, if we do not see evidences of our growing ability to destroy erroneous conditions by the power of Spirit, we may find that we have been negligent of that daily study and practice of Christian Science which prepares us for better works.
Thus, our main concern—indeed our only concern—in meeting the daily demands upon us for higher proofs of Christian power is to be sure that we are doing the things which make for the inward growth of spiritual understanding, of which the outward evidences of spiritual progress are merely the "signs following." Obviously, if each day finds us gaining a better understanding of God and of man in His image and likeness, we shall naturally and necessarily be expressing or demonstrating that understanding in better, higher, and larger service to God and our fellow men.
