To every individual, Christian Science must be a discovery. In this it differs from all other discoveries. Electricity, for example, has been discovered and developed into a multitude of uses; and we need not make the discovery, or even understand electricity, in order to avail ourselves of its benefits. Mary Baker Eddy discovered Christian Science and presented it to mankind. Yet, to avail himself of its blessings, each of her followers must understand the eternal truths it reveals and discover for himself their deeper meaning and their application in his daily experience. After saying that Jesus was a natural and divine Scientist, who needed no discovery of the Science of being, Mrs. Eddy states (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 26), "To one 'born of the flesh,' however, divine Science must be a discovery."
How then shall we make this discovery? We must adopt as our guide Mrs. Eddy's statement in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 492), "For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence." And we must study and ponder her writings deeply and earnestly in conjunction with the Scriptures and adhere strictly thereto, for the complete revelation of Truth is contained therein.
Starting from the premise of absolute spiritual truth—the perfection, omnipotence, and omnipresence of God, Spirit— one is led to the revolutionary conclusion that man and the universe are not material, but wholly spiritual. Reasoning from the basis of ever-present divine Mind, pondering with thoughtful consecration God's nature and infinitude, he allows divine Science to unfold and reveal to him the spiritual concept of being. He knows that he can learn the true facts of creation from no other source than Truth itself, or God. More and more he finds himself not demanding an immediate explanation of statements in Science and Health which seem beyond his present ability to grasp and being satisfied gratefully to cherish and use the truths he understands, realizing that this is preparing the way for further unfoldment, or discovery.
Every human concept is the fictitious, lying opposite of spiritual truth. Through the application of Christian Science one may discern the spiritual fact of which the false concept is the seeming inversion. Rejecting the lie as nonexistent, because without real origin, and declaring the presence of the spiritual fact as the only reality, he will deal with the situation scientifically. Should we attempt to reason from the material up to the spiritual, we should never arrive at the desired result, for our reasoning would be founded on a fallacious premise.
As spiritual facts enlighten human consciousness, one naturally becomes more capable and effective in his daily achievement and living; for purer thought brings about more harmonious and useful conditions in human experience. Discoveries of spiritual truth are thus translated into beneficial results and found to be extremely helpful to the individual, helpful in considerable measure to many others and, in a degree, to all humanity. And thus is borne out in our present experience the truth of the Master's words (John 16:13), "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." And he added (verse 15), "All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
Everyone's great concern should be that this discovery, or unfoldment, of the truth about God and His creation is continually going on in his experience. He should so order his human life as to provide the best opportunity for this unfoldment. Nothing can possibly supersede it in importance. Time for prayerful, earnest study of Mrs. Eddy's discovery as revealed in her writings, together with frequent periods of quiet meditation in which he may become aware of clearer views of the spiritual nature of being, is most essential. Only when thought is endeavoring to understand more of man's unity with God, is one ascending out of the false sense of existence into a recognition and demonstration of the true— the spiritual—sense of life and being. This is the paramount goal of the Christian Scientist.
Realizing the need of abandoning material methods and beliefs as fast as practical, we learn that such abandonment takes place most naturally and harmoniously as we perceive the spiritual ideas which replace these falsities. And such perception is discovery. The perfection of being, with all its peace, satisfaction, and glory revealed through Christian Science, is right here awaiting discovery by each one of us, and we discover it in proportion as we faithfully reason from the basis of the present perfection of God and man, permitting no contradicting suggestions or doubts to divert thought from this grand pursuit.
Since Christian Science destroys false material beliefs by bringing to light the true spiritual facts of existence, its mission is seen to be restorative. Jesus said (Matt. 5:17), "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Herein is seen the healing value of spiritual discovery. As the truth of being replaces the opposing lie in human consciousness, discord and disease disappear.
Fear lessens in proportion as one grasps the truth about God and man. Fear is based on the belief that man is material, hence subject to impairment, change, loss, death. As one sees that nothing which rightfully belongs to him can be lost, and that the good which seems to be lost is restored by his discernment of the spiritual nature of man, he strives more eagerly to discover the truth. This often causes one, as the writer can testify, to experience sudden release from tormenting fear.
Through the discovery of true spiritual being one enhances his present expression of spiritual love and grace. Confidence and dominion increase, and there comes a clearer realization of the allness of God, good, and the nothingness of error, a realization which is an essential factor in the destruction of fear.
Through spiritual progress, or discovery, one's sense of happiness gradually changes from a material to a spiritual basis. Instead of grasping here and there for uncertain bits of happiness, seizing upon one delusion after another, he discovers, though perhaps slowly, that deeper satisfaction and joy are gained as he becomes conscious of his real spiritual selfhood. He finds himself approaching that appreciation of spiritual good and desire for it which our Leader describes thus (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 136): "The eternal and infinite, already brought to your earnest consideration, so grow upon my vision that I cannot feel justified in turning aside for one hour from contemplation of them and of the faith unfeigned."
Can you and I afford to turn aside for a single hour from contemplation of the nature of God and His creation? As one sees more clearly the unreality and insubstantiality of things material, a hunger and thirst for a spiritual understanding of that which is real and substantial is increasingly felt. All other activities should be subservient to gaining this understanding.
Many centuries ago Moses, once slow of speech but then grown eloquent through spiritual grace, declared to the children of Israel (Deut. 30:19), "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Three thousand intervening years have made that exhortation no less pertinent. Modernly as anciently those who follow upward spiritual convictions make increasing discoveries of the perfection and beauty of God and man and find their spiritual discernment assured and their daily lives becoming more peaceful and secure.
