In his early studies the student of Christian Science not infrequently recognizes that its basic proposition is that God is All and perfect, and that His creation must be perfect and complete, without needing to progress by degrees toward the point of perfection. Having found and accepted these . basic teachings laid down in his textbooks, the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, he may find it difficult to understand the many directions which show humanity's need to progress by degrees out of its seeming bondage. Astronomy furnishes a helpful simile. To earth dwellers the day's progress from early dawn to the point at which the sun is on the meridian is accomplished by degrees, while to the sun itself there is no divergence from its own full midday splendor.
There are many instances in which Mrs. Eddy, our intrepid pioneer Leader out of the mazes of materialism and into divine realism, gives sequences of spiritual attributes in an ascending scale. In a brief letter to "The May Class, 1905," she said: "Beloved:— I am glad you enjoy the dawn of Christian Science; you must reach its meridian. Watch, pray, demonstrate. Released from materialism, you shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 254). Here she shows the first degree toward attaining the meridian of Christian Science to be the mental attitude of watchfulness. This quality is a prerequisite of a pioneer; and are not all students of the Christ Science pioneers, finding their way by the compass of Truth out of the belief in a matter world to the divine reality of the kingdom of heaven? A pioneer should always be alert, awake, watchful, for he is encountering new conditions constantly. He cannot rely on precedent. He cannot take a way already charted by others. There are no convenient people on whom he may depend to do what he leaves undone.
In the pioneer days of our movement we felt keenly our individual responsibility to set a watch against the suggestions that would provide excuses for lapses in our various duties to the Cause. We attended each church service and gave our testimonies of gratitude to God frequently. We did not let inclement weather keep us at home. We regarded a storm as merely an obstacle to be surmounted. As church members we did not, and could not, rely on others to do these things for us; we did them as part of our joyous duty to that divine Love which had healed and blessed us so bountifully. We were few in number and realized that each one counted.
