WELCOMING SPIRITUAL IDEAS

KATE D. GRANT.

Perhaps no story in the Bible so tenderly touches the human heart as that which tells of Jesus and the little children. His love for their sweet trust and responsiveness, and his reproach to those wounding the child, is in accord with all natural feeling. To be kind to children is a lesson which the world knows by heart.

One of the helpful things that Mrs. Eddy has taught us in Christian Science is to interpret the Bible spiritually; and thus we may apply its profound lessons to the daily purifying of our thought. The story of Jesus' receiving the little ones teaches us to give a kindly welcome to every idea of Truth,—every thought which unfolds to us the things of God. This gracious, childlike reception of good on our part is our entering upon the way which leads to heaven; for Jesus said, "Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Revised Version).

In Science and Health is given this definition of children, "Life, Truth, and Love's spiritual thoughts and representatives" (p. 582). Suppose that one of these children, a spiritual thought of Love, Truth, and Life, were to come to us, how should it be received? All know with what love and joy a little child is usually received into a home. It is gently cared for, nourished, and protected. At first only those who especially love it and are interested in it are even allowed to see it. It is guarded in the home nest until it is older and stronger. In the coming to us of a thought that strengthens or purifies, a spiritual idea, we ought to protect it with the same care that we would a new-born babe. We must love it, we must guard it against the attacks of prejudice, bigotry, indifference, jealousy; for its dear sake we must put out the evil that would injure, and must give the divine concept a sheltered home in our mentality.

As children grow into vigorous manhood and womanhood and are able to help those who nourished them, so the understanding of the Christ-idea grows until it is able to help those who have welcomed it to their consciousness. Let a man watch the development of one of these spiritual thoughts. First he is its protector, watching that nothing harmful touches it. Soon he notices that it helps him, comforts and cheers him; so he begins to depend upon it and to lean upon the strength he receives from its spiritual presence, Before long he makes what a Christian Scientist calls "a demonstration;" that is, he trusts the power of Truth to overcome some difficulty for him, instead of depending upon material means; and the Christ-idea proving equal to the need, the man has made a demonstration. He has proved the reality of Truth's idea and its ability to accomplish good for him. It must not be forgotten that even as the physical child needs food, so a spiritual idea needs the sustenance of continued good thinking.

Thus through the experience of the one who finds his perception of the Christ-idea adequate to meet his needs, others will be led to seek the same help, until by and by tired humanity will turn entirely to Spirit and things spiritual as its Saviour, and mankind will be transformed—the clouded sense of God and man will give place to the perfect understanding of the Christ which heals the sick, casts out evils, and blesses all mankind, even as the full understanding of the Christ shone through the man Jesus.

What if spiritual thoughts come to one, and instead of receiving them he neglects them? The Master said: "Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Christian Science teaches that as we welcome spiritual thoughts, we perceive and receive Christ, Truth; and that those who will not receive them are cast adrift upon the sea of human speculation, which in time of storm engulfs, for human opinion is a millstone which drags many under the wave.

Thus every new thought which Truth brings to us should be received with the utmost regard, lest we "offend" one of those little ones, just born into our consciousness. As the mother prays that she may be faithful to her trust, a Christian Scientist does well to pray that he may be a faithful guardian of his spiritual thoughts, those perfect ideas of Truth, Life, and Love which are "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

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