MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
Near my old home in Vermont stands Mt. Killington, and I have climbed its rugged sides many times. The experiences which one has in mountain climbing are so similar to those which we have in attempting to reach the heights in Christian Science, that since taking up its study I have often been reminded of those early trips. In going up the mountain we always had to keep very close to our guide, or there was danger of our wandering into the wrong path and being lost; so in Christian Science we learn very early in our study that we have to keep close to divine Principle, or there is danger of wandering into wrong paths, thus getting into difficulties from which it is hard to extricate ourselves. Mrs. Eddy says in one of her hymns (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 398),—
I will listen for Thy voice,
Lest my footsteps stray;
I will follow and rejoice
All the rugged way.
Moreover, as we went on up the mountain we often saw directly in front of us what seemed an impassable barrier, a huge boulder; but we always found, on coming up to the rock, that there was a path leading around and up in such a way that we soon found ourselves above it. So in Christian Science we often forget that we are living "just for today," and looking ahead we see what appears like an insurmountable obstacle in our pathway; but if we do as our Leader has bidden us, "Cling steadfastly to God and His idea" (Science and Health, p. 495), and persistently declare the truth, we shall always find a way out of the difficulty, and sooner or later the problem will be solved.
In going up Mt. Killington we sometimes had to ascend a hill, then go down into a valley, over another hill and again into a valley, and it often seemed as though we were making no progress upward. So, too, in Christian Science we sometimes reach a high place, and it seems as if we could never descend into a valley again. We feel as did Peter on the mount of transfiguration, as though we must stay there always. Then perhaps a difficult problem arises, and we seem to go down into the valley to solve it. Perhaps we become discourages and feel that we are making no progress, but in our mountain climbing we found on looking back that even when we were in the valleys we were really on higher ground than we had been on some of the peaks below. So, in Christian Science, by looking back—it may be six months or a year—we can see that we are on higher ground than we were a year ago. We read in the 24th Psalm, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;" and it is only by purifying ourselves that we can really reach "the heights of holiness."
As we drew near to the top of the mountain, we came upon a spring of clear, cold water, where we sat down and rested and refreshed ourselves for the steep climb yet before us. To many, our Wednesday evening meetings are like that spring of refreshing water. Many times, when first taking up the study of this Science, I have gone to the meeting with such a sense of weariness and discouragement that it seemed as though I could go no farther, but some testimony would be given,—a little draft of the "water of life"—which helped me, and I would go home rested and strengthened for the journey of the week. Then I remembered that some little streams have their rise away up on the mountain, and as they journey down they unite and form a river, which empties into an immense reservoir and thus forms the water-supply for a city. This water goes into all the homes of the town, and thus they are cleansed and the people refreshed by the stream from the far-off mountain. The Wednesday evening meeting is like a reservoir of living water, and all who attend these meetings can be channels for carrying the water into their homes, which are sure to be made purer and happier through the influences that come to them from these gatherings; indeed we often have testimonies to the effect that homes have been completely transformed through such influences.
When we finally reached the top of the mountain and looked back over the path by which we had come, we could see that the very things which we had looked upon as hindrances on the way had really been stepping-stones to help us reach the heights; and as we looked at the beautiful valley spread out at our feet, with its many villages and lakes here and there, as we looked at the lesser mountains piled at our feet, and saw the misty outline of many others away off in the distance, how slight seemed the hardships of the journey when compared with the lovely view. And so it is in Christian Science! As we go higher and higher in our study, we see more and more of the beautiful things that our heavenly Father has prepared for those who love Him, and when these things are revealed to us, how small then seem the problems which we have been obliged to solve. When we finally sat down on the top of the mountain, we sand some old songs, and it seemed as though the hills and valleys joined in the singing. I was reminded of the words of Isaiah: "Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
A few years ago I heard a distinguished educator give a talk on Japan, in the course of which he said: "One morning, I stood looking at their sacred Mt. Fujiyama, with its snow-capped peak and the streams of water flowing down the sides of the mount and forming a large river at its base; and I thought, So stands the mount of Christianity in the world, and little streams of truth are flowing down to all the people of the earth." It seemed to me that the vision which he had was a vision of scientific Christianity, for we know that Christian Science is seen to be far above materiality, and its streams of truth are flowing to refresh all the nations of the earth. In Micah we read that "in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord." Again, in Isaiah we read: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
