Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, tells us (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 252): "The entire purpose of true education is to make one not only know the truth but live it —to make one enjoy doing right, make one not work in the sunshine and run away in the storm, but work midst clouds of wrong, injustice, envy, hate; and wait on God, the strong deliverer, who will reward righteousness and punish iniquity." With these words as our standard, it is plain that present educational methods must be improved.
We shall progress as we gain a clearer understanding of the true individuality of man in God's likeness and of the spiritual nature of creation. We need unselfishness, selfcontrol, freedom, justice, in order to cope with adverse conditions, to overcome obstacles to health, happiness, harmony, to rise above resentment and intolerance, to "enjoy doing right," to "work midst clouds of wrong, injustice, envy, hate," and this must be the result of education before it can be considered successful. Without Principle, true education is impossible.
Work in an educational institution requires study of material so-called laws, conditions, and elements, said to comprise human life. But the student of Christian Science need not sacrifice or relinquish his spiritual concept of Truth and Life in order to do his work creditably and successfully. Through applying in everyday experience the teachings of Christian Science, the student not only maintains his equanimity, his poise, his peace, his faith in and vision of man's life in Spirit, but draws ever closer to divine Mind. Material arts and sciences, philosophies, religions past or present, psychology, astrology, or any systems which deal with man as mortal, material, imperfect, and sinful, do not reveal the reality of life in Spirit, of man as God's son. Through the study of Christian Science we learn to distinguish between the true and the false, to accept the good and to reject the evil. In the demonstrating of Truth and Love, we find our real selfhood.
Christian Science, the true Science of man, studied, practiced, and lived, overcomes intemperance, intolerance, and selfishness. As man's true nature and character appear, as we reflect God in humility, gentleness, unselfishness, and in unity, talents hitherto unknown come to light. Living in the consciousness of Love, we find our life in God. buoyant, full, abundant, and free; we joyfully discover that we possess ability, faculties, and power for which we may have yearned, but which we thought were for us unattainable.
There may be an individual who has spent a number of years at school, and has completed requirements for graduation, yet who is unhappy, unsuccessful at home and in business. He does not fit into society; he has ill-health, or perchance feels he is the victim of injustice, domination, persecution, misfortune. In such a case, one must say that education has but partially if at all succeeded in its purpose. True education in the understanding of God, good, alone can successfully and finally overcome these difficulties.
Graduation from an institution of learning does not mean the completion of education. When we have finished with human educational systems, Christian Science goes on, revealing the truth of being, supplementing, complementing, enlarging, broadening, uplifting. Along with lessons in the arts and sciences, we need lessons in humility, patience, tolerance, loving-kindness, unselfishness, and we must have these so that we can grow in grace and truth.
Education in Christian Science promotes abundant life for all, because it is above nationalistic and racial prejudices. True education opens the way to joy through purity and self-control, leads into larger fields of activity and endeavor, and disbars abuse of authority, exploitation, cruelty, and hatred. In the realm of the real, subservience, servility, suppression, and aggression have no place.
True education is not limited to words, theories, or books, but is the normal and natural unfoldment of Mind, Life, Truth, and Love. Education is not static, stationary, or transient, being wholly the spontaneous development of being, the growth of the understanding of good. Theories and fanaticism have no place in the realm of Mind and can wield neither power nor influence to change the divinely real in the student's experience, or to hinder his progress in Spirit.
"Trial and error." considered a common method by which mortals learn, is unknown in the orderly unfoldment of creation, and man in God's likeness reflects the unerring spiritual activity of the one Mind. In reality, contrary, willful, stubborn, abnormal, inferior or superior minds are nonexistent. Man lives above the illusory suggestions of allergy, atrophy, stagnation, and decay, for God, eternal Life, is the only Life and the only creator. Inhibition and prohibition are unknown in the universe of Spirit, where God, good, is the only presence and His government the only power. Neither negligence, indifference, apathy, nor procrastination can control one when he is alert to his real selfhood as God's idea.
Mrs. Eddy states (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 289): "All education is work. The thing most important is what we do, not what we say." Education is not a gift which can be bestowed, transferred, or inherited, nor a possession which can be bought. One must desire education, seek it, work for it, in order to gain it. Just as essential, also, are the desire to learn and the willingness to be taught. Let us bear in mind at all times that, though the written and spoken word are needed in education, the most important thing is always the act, the kindly deed, the desire finding its fulfillment in doing, which determines the degree of education and measures the spirit within.
Intelligence is Mind, and it cannot be measured by degrees or scales. Intelligence does not fluctuate, change, or wear out, for intelligence is a quality of Spirit, God, and cannot be depleted or defeated. The real man expresses the infinite, ever-present perfection of divine Mind. Though one may not always have the opportunity for school attendance and instruction, or access to good books or fine libraries, yet he can continue to grow in understanding, progress in good, and find his true being in Spirit. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, has written (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 89): "Mind is not necessarily dependent upon educational processes. It possesses of itself all beauty and poetry, and the power of expressing them." We may well ponder the question asked concerning Jesus, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?"
Divine ideas are forever unfolding. Whether in the classroom or in the home, in the office, the factory, the field, or at the battle front, each one has his part to play in the field of true education. To receive the blessings of Christian Science one must be receptive, patient, obedient, diligent, persistent, and alert. Practice and demonstration are indispensable in the study and application of this Science. The temptation to give up, to quit trying, to compromise with evil inclinations or tendencies, loses its seeming power as we understand the Christ-idea.
Man, controlled and governed by God, Spirit, Principle, need not look into either the past or the future for good, because all good, all that has ever been or can ever be, is now possible and attainable as we seek and find our true selves in divine Mind.
Each one can rejoice in the continual opportunity to demonstrate in his experience the power of goodness and purity, justice and mercy, and to overcome their opposites. Thus will the world learn to outlaw war, disease, fear, and lack, all the aggressive powers of selfishness and greed. Jesus reminded his hearers: "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." The Christ-idea, revealing man's true selfhood, pure, perfect, immortal, is the immediate, the ultimate, and the only goal of every individual.
