THE great need of humanity is answer to prayer—fulfilment of promise. This need must be met, not by a more loving God or by the nearer approach of an extraneous millennium, but by an apprehension in consciousness of the law of activity emanating from God and governing man.
This law of activity is already apprehended in some lines of thought. In mathematics it is recognized that in order to reach a perfect result there must be an active and exact knowledge of principle and rule governing the facts, and no other mental method is allowed.
What would be thought of a teacher who, in commenting to a pupil upon a problem incorrectly solved, said, "The answer is not true, but you have honestly done the best you know, so we can be sure that the Principle of mathematics will pardon your mistakes and give you a perfect reward. Your standing in this class will be judged by your honesty of purpose rather than by your knowledge of the Truth."
This reasoning is counted an absurdity in most lines of practical effort, but in the great, fundamental problem of the relation of God and man. this is the theory upon which salvation is expected, and from this mistaken reasoning follows the acknowledged failure of mankind to find fulfilment of the divine promises.
God, the infinite Good, is already with man. The inexhaustible harmonies and riches of the divine grace are for man now and always, not a bestowal, partial and imperfect, but the eternal state of being, available upon the fulfilment of certain conditions possible to man through a knowledge of God as He is.
The search of mortals for a religious teaching which will bring man into accord with the infinite First Intelligence, or God, so that His will may be done, is rewarded in Christian Science, which presents to the world a religion which differs from all others in this, that through "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" there is clearly set forth the Science of Christ, the exact knowledge of Truth, the understanding of which enables man to work in accord with the divine law and so reach results whose exactness and harmony express the nature of divine wisdom.
This positive statement might well startle bewildered mortals, and seem incredible were it not demonstrably true, as proven by the healing of the sick and the reformation of the sinner.
The relation of Christian Science to the world to-day is paralleled in that wonderful Sabbath in Galilee when in the synagogue Jesus read from the Scriptures: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ... to preach deliverance to the captives"—and closing the book he said, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
