A Christian Scientist tells of an experience he had when swimming. He was caught in a seining net and drawn underwater. The swimmer, recognizing the extreme need for intelligent action, held perfectly still, and the net fell away.
All who want to advance their understanding of Christian Science, and therefore their effectiveness in healing, have this warning from our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, concerning class instruction: "Students who are ready for this step should beware the net that is craftily laid and cunningly concealed to prevent their advancement in this direction."The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 241.
If one is being drawn under when he is ready for spiritual progress, it may be because the net is more "cunningly concealed" than the physical one in the swimmer's experience. A few searching questions honestly answered, however, will help reveal the "craftily laid" net: Am I keeping intact a childlike trust in God, Spirit, or are material dependencies creeping in? Is my life focused on bringing salvation from sickness and sin to the world, or do I feel inadequate? Do I express love the way I really want to, or is self-love too often my reason for an action?
