To the spiritually unenlightened thought human existence seems to present a state of continual warfare between two conflicting forces, namely, good and evil. One yearns for better human conditions, and readily accepts the good that comes into his experience, but continually fears and seeks to avoid the untoward conditions which, to mortal sense, seem as real as the good. Such inconsistency, or double-mindedness, can be accounted for only as an illusion obtaining in so-called mortal mind about that which is true, as the mist that went up "from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground," of which we read in the second chapter of Genesis. In this and succeeding chapters is chronicled a mythical or false sense of creation, claiming to reverse the perfect, immortal, spiritual creation of Spirit, as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis.
Until the advent of Christian Science, the world had long slumbered in the dream sense which depicts creation as both good and evil. But, through Mary Baker Eddy's discovery and founding of this Science and her unselfish labors for humanity, we now see on every hand clear and satisfying evidence of mankind's awakening to the realization of the immortality of spiritual being. "Belief in a material basis, from which may be deduced all rationality, is slowly yielding to the idea of a metaphysical basis, looking away from matter to Mind as the cause of every effect," states Mrs. Eddy on page 268 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Through the consecrated study and application of Christian Science, we rise to a clearer perception of infinite perfection, where we realize the allness of Love and the nothingness of so-called material sense, suggesting evil.
It matters not how apparent the need for better so-called human conditions seems to be, for we learn as we advance Spiritward that our task is not primarily to change the inharmonious conditions that may surround us. We know that discordant conditions are the outward manifestations of wrong thinking, claiming to be a part of our own individual consciousness. Our endeavor, therefore, is to transform and elevate thought to that high spiritual altitude where we contemplate and comprehend reality. "Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good, and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already done," Mrs. Eddy writes on page 260 of the Christian Science textbook. Spiritual perception is our divine heritage as sons of God; and to the consciousness humbly and prayerfully seeking and preparing for the light of spiritual understanding, the light will surely come. Our Leader admonishes (ibid., p. 367), "Let us watch, work, and pray that this salt lose not its saltness. and that this light be not hid, but radiate and glow into noontide glory."
