Article August 21, 1909 Issue

THE VISION OF THE HEIGHTS

ADA J. MILLER.

In a recent lecture Dr. Hale, director of the Carnegie Solar Observatory on Mt. Wilson, showed two pictures of the same nebula, one taken from an observatory at an altitude of twelve hundred feet, the other from the Mt. Wilson observatory at an altitude of six thousand feet. In the first picture there were but few sharp light points; in the second, the haziness had largely vanished and myriads of stars were visible. Dr. Hale showed these pictures to illustrate the advantage to astronomical observation of being as far as possible above the immediate earth-atmosphere, where clearness of vision is practically impossible.

If this be true of the astronomer's observations, is it not doubly true of the Christian Scientist's work? Clear vision, fuller discernment of the truth, unchanging spiritual light,—these are not possible in the earth-atmosphere—the atmosphere that is heavy with thoughts of greed, envy, jealousy, dishonesty, injustice, and ingratitude. One may discern the truth from the midst of these conditions, but it will be to him a nebulous light until he climbs to the heights and reaches a plane of thought above these lower strata where the baser qualities of mortal thought seethe and ferment. As he climbs, thought by thought, the earth-mists vanish, and the truth which had appeared nebulous becomes clear-cut and scintillates with light.

The earth-atmosphere surrounds the globe to a height variously estimated at seventy-five to two hundred miles. This material symbol of the depths in which we are submerged in mortal mind is interesting because of its suggestive possibilities of ascent. Surely there are "heights ever farther removed," and Jesus' inspiring message, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world," rings back to us and speeds us upward in the thought-journey which is ever leading us on to clearer views of Truth; leading us up to that height whereon alone lies repose—the constant, conscious at-one-ment with God.

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FORGIVENESS
August 21, 1909
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