The difference between spiritual perception and uninspired human outlining is clearly shown in Christian Science. Spiritual perception apprehends God's guidance and boundless care for His children; whereas mere human outlining presents something deemed desirable. We may eschew material imaginings and be fit to receive divine direction in proportion to the purity of our thought, the rightness of our desire, and our willingness to obey God's will.
Mary Baker Eddy says (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 249,) "Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence." The student of Christian Science sees that between spiritual perceptiveness and its fruitage and between imperfect models and their disillusionments there can be no conciliation. He constantly turns from "illusive ideals" to God's "own models of excellence," and as his thought and endeavor are reconciled with God, he is endowed with the Christ-power, which accomplishes all good.
In daily affairs, tentative steps are sometimes necessary. To take them with full faith in God's guidance that these steps will be blessed or corrected will antidote human outlining. The blessing is frequently contained in the correction, though it is not always immediately recognized. Often the proper step is discerned through spiritual intuition. But we must never fall into the error of mentally setting up a solidly outlined material picture and then trying to invoke the aid of Mind to bring it to pass.
Spiritual intuitiveness surpasses unenlightened human outlining. Christ Jesus certainly was not humanly outlining when he sent forth two of his disciples and said to them (Mark 14:13-15): "Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us." Divine intelligence revealed to Jesus the outcome before the occurrence. We may notice that the large upper room was arranged and ready in advance of the event. The disciples were not to wait to find out how many would be present.
Material methods must yield to spiritual effectiveness. Man knows because Mind is all-knowing. This knowing is a divine endowment manifested by all of Mind's ideas. The Master's immediate ability to apprehend God's commands was the result of his pure, spiritual thought and unquestioning obedience at all times to the divine will. His example sets the standard for Christian Scientists.
The members of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, proved that action based on the spiritual apprehension of God's providence brings fruition. Their church edifice had pews in the center section but none in the wings. Since the attendance was small, the church members decided to provide more pews only when they were needed to take care of the congregation.
At a meeting of a building and extension committee, however, someone brought out that to delay furnishing more seats until attendants came in greater numbers was to submit to limitation and dormancy. Whereupon the committee members turned wholeheartedly to God for guidance. As their expectancy of good increased, they reversed their former position and made the church ready to accommodate a larger congregation. Some folding chairs that were in the basement were brought up and placed in the wings. For several weeks these extra seats remained unoccupied.
The members, however, continued in prayerful endeavor. Deep attention was given to this statement by Mrs. Eddy in Science and Health (p. 506): "Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as He opens the petals of a holy purpose in order that the purpose may appear." Then it was seen that if God's "holy purpose" was to appear, there must be an expression of complete expectancy. Extra copies of the Christian Science Quarterly and the Christian Science Hymnal were provided so that the expected additional guests could participate in the services. The following Sunday several people occupied the temporary chairs, even though the body of the church was not filled.
Faithful metaphysical work brought further results. Attendance rapidly increased. The folding chairs were more frequently used. The committee, with the approval of the executive board and the church membership, then ordered enough pews to fill the side sections. All were confident that Love had directed the step. A special membership meeting was held, at which articles from the Christian Science periodicals and excerpts from the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings were read.
By the time the new pews were installed, the attendance had almost doubled. A goodly number of regular attendants became members. The pews were paid for in less time than the year agreed upon with the seating company. The folding chairs were removed and are now being used in an enlarging Sunday School.
We are reminded in a marginal heading in Science and Health that "thoughts are things" (p. 261). Though things appear to be material, they are not truly so, for everything is thought. That which appears in human experience as a result of demonstration in Christian Science is, in its real sense, a spiritual manifestation of God. Here, then, we may agree that it was not the act of providing additional seats and new pews that brought increased attendance and new members into the branch church, but the sacred metaphysical work. The right, spiritual thought necessary to a situation develops into practical expression.
Demonstration appearing through scientific prayer blesses all. True ways and means emanate from Mind. Listening for guidance and obeying spiritual intuition, we are led to correct conclusions in all circumstances. The Psalmist counseled (Ps. 37: 5), "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Let us ever do this. When we so do, demonstration and joy will crown our efforts.
