The connotations of the word "dawn" bring thoughts of joy, hope, renewal, anticipation of new opportunity. However, mingled with these uplifting and joy-bringing aspirations is the realization that the glories of a material sunrise are but fleeting. The light of earthly dawn passes into noontide and from noontide to sunset and is thereafter lost in darkness. So it can be seen that human endeavors, based only on material concepts, may be as changing and evanescent as an earthly sunrise, though giving great promise of satisfying fulfillment.
The human heart longs for health, success, happiness, and a peace which will be permanently satisfactory and consistently joy-bringing. In Christian Science, our inspired Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, proclaims the spiritual dawn available here and now, the dawn which cannot fade, but which increases more and more until the day of full illumination, when the nature of God is revealed. In this light, the permanent, inseparable relationship of God and man is seen and demonstrated in present daily life.
In the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy asks (p. 95), "Is the wise man of to-day believed, when he beholds the light which heralds Christ's eternal dawn and describes its effulgence?" Mrs. Eddy beheld this dawning light, and the study of her inspired writings opens our eyes that we too may behold its glory. In Science, we learn how to gain this understanding and how to make it practical to meet our daily needs.
