It has been truly said that mere acceptance of Christian Science as a religion does not make individuals Christian Scientists, for to be a true Christian Scientist one must gather his manna fresh daily. This is a statement that becomes clearer to students with every advancing step. Even as a progressive student of music learns the importance of continually mastering that which is at first strange to him to advance his skill, so the earnest student of Christian Science depends upon a constant assimilation of spiritual nourishment to energize his progress. The Apostle James said: "I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well. . . . But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
In this exacting experience of becoming light-bearers to the world there is no resting on past laurels, however gratifying to recall. New gains must be made daily through demonstration. There can be no passive contemplation of past un-foldments, no sleepy satisfaction in what we have done or used to do. Rather must we be like the mountain climber, always seeing new heights beyond the one now attained, and girding himself with the necessary resolution and effort to reach them.
No one else can carry our responsibility in this garnering of fresh spiritual supply. As with the children of Israel, the gathering of manna must be done by each individual, and the fresh inspiration, the constant nourishment for a sturdy growth in this Science, is available without limit. Let us test our activity in this field by asking ourselves, Am I leaving my tent, the drowsy consciousness of repose in the shadow, and going eagerly forth into the morning light, gladly gathering that supply which, when used in my daily life, is my worthy contribution to a better world? Mary Baker Eddy refers to the foolish virgins who "heeded not their sloth, their fading warmth of action" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 342); and on the following page she asks, "Are we feeling the vernal freshness and sunshine of enlightened faith?"
