Article December 19, 1908 Issue

CHILDHOOD AND CHRISTMAS

HELEN L. YOUNG.

The Master said that except we become as little children, we cannot "enter into the kingdom of heaven." The coming of the Christmas-tide, that one anticipated glorious day of childhood, should emphasize this fact,—that unless we become as little children we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven or harmony.

An incident which occurred during my first year in Christian Science has comforted me many times when passing through troubled waters, and it may help some other struggling Christian to cast off the burden he seems to be carrying, by having a childlike faith in the protection of divine Love. I had been studying Christian Science but a few months when Thanksgiving day came, and as it had been decided that we should eat our Thanksgiving dinner at a new mine which we were developing, I drove as far as a carriage could go, which brought me to a trail that went straight up the mountain. No one was there to meet me, and as I had been over the trail once before, I decided to go on alone. A heavy fog enveloped the whole mountain—so heavy that I could hardly see my hand before me. The trail was well beaten by the pack-horses that carried the supplies over it, and I started up the literally straight and narrow way, climbing up and up, for it is one of the high peaks of the Rocky mountains. As I put out my hands to feel for the bushes that I could not see because of the fog, I found that they were huckleberry bushes, and knowing these berries to be the favorite food of bears, I began to be afraid. There I was alone on a strange mountain trail, closed in by fog, and for a few minutes haunted by a fear of bears. Then my knowledge of right thinking as taught in Christian Science brought Truth to my rescue. I began to pray aloud with the fervor of a child. I knew that faith as a grain of mustard-seed could not only dissipate that fog, but could even remove the whole mountain.

I had plodded on for about a mile, when the mist began to break, and in a few minutes I stood in the dazzling sunshine which is so radiant on high peaks. I fairly shouted out the words of the prophet of old, "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings"! As I looked around I saw the camp, nestling in the warm sunshine; below me were the tumultuous clouds and surging fog, while above and beyond me towered the forest-clad mountains. As I stood there, breathing in the pure, invigorating mountain air, I thought, How symbolic of my mental journey! For years I had plodded and groped through the enveloping mists of mortal mind, and over the stony path of doubt, but this year I stood in simple faith with the Christ-child, basking in the spiritual atmosphere of Truth and Love. Moreover, the sense of fear was all gone, the bears of mortal mind's projection had all disappeared, and I was reminded that, according to Holy Writ, the bears of the future will not be led about with iron collars and steel chains, but with "cords of love;" and "a little child shall lead them."

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