Article March 26, 1910 Issue

LOOK WITHIN

KATE BUELL MOREY.

In the Bible, that wonderful history of olden times, we find again and again the declaration that God talked with men. The Old Testament is full of such statements as, "The word of the Lord came unto me, saying;" "For the word of the Lord hath spoken it;" "Thus saith the Lord." When such a claim is made today, the world at large calls it blasphemy, and why? Were men better in those days, did they live purer lives, that we accept their statements reverently and without question, while doubting man's ability to hear God's voice today? Is there no one for God to speak through, or has He ceased speaking? In Christian Science we are learning that God is declaring the truth all the time, and that man's ability to hear it is in proportion to his goodness.

Our Leader says, "I will listen for Thy voice" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 398); she also declares that "the mortal mind through which Truth appears most vividly is that one which has lost much materiality—much error—in order to become a better transparency for Truth. Then, like a cloud melting into thin vapor, it no longer hides the sun" (Science and Health, p. 295). The main issue, then, is purification of thought, and this teaching is confirmed in the Scripture, "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." We have nothing to do with effects. If the work within has been well done, God will take care of the outward manifestation. The tendency of material sense all of the time is to divert the attention from the within to the without, and we know full well that inward rot is more destructive than all outward attacks joined together.

An experience which came to the writer several years ago taught her a lesson that has been invaluable. In the springtime a tree in the home yard failed to put forth its leaves. A little work was done along the lines of right thinking, and after a time a sparse foliage made its appearance. The next year the same condition presented itself, and more work was done, with the result that a most luxuriant foliage made its appearance. This seemed to say that all was well and accordingly there was rejoicing. But one day some children playing in the yard caught hold of one of the limbs. There was a loud cracking noise and it was thought that the limb had broken under the combined weight of children and foliage. This proved not to be the case, however, for on examination it was found that the whole tree had broken off close to the ground, the inside eaten by grubworms and decay. This hidden error had not been detected and removed. Thought had been satisfied with the beautiful outward seeming, while the enemy within continued its destructive work.

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