TWO prosperous Christian Scientists were one day reviewing their demonstrations of true substance. While gratefully emphasizing the growth Spiritward, which the reflection of humility, spiritual understanding, and love had made evident in his life, one said: "When I first had a casual interest in Christian Science, I was, figuratively speaking, at the bottom of the financial barrel. Later on, when the bottom fell out, I began to study Science in earnest. The results of unremitting joyous effort in this holy work have appeared and increased throughout the years and are now manifest in an affluent spiritual sense embracing health, happiness, and prosperity."
In the same vein the other remarked: "I too have been blessed with clear proof of God's power and abundance. But your beginning was pretentious compared with mine. I did not have even a barrel!"
These men had proved supply—a wealth of spiritual confidence, conviction, and security—to be based upon something other than the material possession and use of money. They had learned in Christian Science that many an individual who is perhaps relying on material means, even when these seem abundant, may be very poor indeed in his supply of God-derived traits of kindness, forgiveness, unselfishness, and compassion toward his fellow men, poor in fidelity, integrity, love, and allegiance to God.
