Article April 4, 1908 Issue

EMERGENCE

KATHERINE S. WILSON.

A visitor to a silk farm had been looking at the cocoons of the silkworm, and in a certain place saw some from which, all but one, had come out beautiful butterflies. As he watched the little thing, still struggling to get out of its narrow enclosure, he grew sympathetic, and thinking to aid it, he made the tiny round aperture at the end of the cocoon a little larger. When the butterfly finally emerged it was deformed,—not large and perfect like the others. Just then the owner came by, and looked the newcomers over with satisfaction until he saw the imperfect one; then, shaking his head, he said to the visitor; "You have spoiled him." "Yes," said the visitor, "but I thought he could not get out unaided, and it troubled me to see him struggle." "Ah," said the owner, "but we never do that. We know the little door is exactly proportioned to their strength, and if they do not make sufficient effort to get through, which effort forces the secretions into every part of the wings, they are always deformed."

This little story is very suggestive in the light of Christian Science, and the lesson it taught has often some to me when struggling through some tortuous pass in the mountains of my journey from sense to Soul, or when helping some other traveler through difficulties. Like the silkworm, mortals sooner or later must work out their own salvation, ere they can emerge, transformed, into the glories of the spiritual life. When we are awakened to the necessity of spreading our wings for a freer, higher life, the difficulties in the way are but the false conceptions and traits of character with which we have been encased by mortal sense,—false conceptions of God, of man and the universe. As we overcome these, little by little, and accept in their place the ideals of Truth, we find freedom and the real life in Christ, Truth. Then the spirit beareth witness with our consciousness that we are born of God, eternal good, and no object of mortal sense can hinder our progress. Our seeming difficulties but call out our divinely bestowed capabilities.

Jesus said, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." The teachings of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, that the spiritual and material never touch, has been made practically clear to me in times of trial and temptation. It has shown me the way to triumph in Truth and Love when otherwise depression and fear would have overwhelmed me. Sin overcome leads to the unveiling of divine, ever-present Love; human justice takes a higher tone, and the one Life is seen as all, proving imperfection to be without entity. Our Leader has often reminded me of a brave, strong, efficient captain of a great vessel in a storm at sea,—with a steady gaze toward the calm beyond the storm, and confident that the ship with crew and cargo will come safely through. Thus does she watch, work, and comfort others on their way to perfect freedom.

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