Article April 4, 1914 Issue

"Why weepest thou?"

J. THOMAS MUMFORD

In the eighty-fourth psalm we read of those who are named "blessed," because in "passing through the valley of Baca [they] make it a well." This valley of Baca was a dry, barren stretch of country, and because of the hardships which had to be endured in crossing it, it was called the valley of weeping. It seems that all who passed through this desolate region did so as quickly as possible, giving no thought to the sufferings which would beset those who followed; but he who was compassionately thoughtful and acted accordingly, was blessed, because he was interested in the good of others, and tried in some measure to lighten the burdens of those who were to come after him. Such a one is always blessed. This was included in the promise made to Abraham, to whom God said, "I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing."

There is no road more frequented than that which leads though the valley of weeping. "Why weepest thou?" the question asked of Mary by the angels on the morning of the resurrection, is the one query addressed to well-nigh every human heart. Most of our tears, however, are caused by troubles that never come, but which seem real and terrible, although they are in fact as the "vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." This valley of weeping is in the individual consciousness, and is narrow or wide according to the concept we have of life. With some it is easily and quickly passed; with others it requires most of their earthly experience to traverse it. We meet those who take a very gloomy view of existence; to them there is no bright side,—all is darkness and doubt. Said Queen Elizabeth, "This world is a bog, a quagmire, and those pass over it the best who tread lightly."

The mission of the Christian Scientist is to dig wells in this valley of Baca, to make it like a watered garden whose fruit fails not; to make it "rejoice, and blossom as the rose." Under Truth's beneficent influence "the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water." This is God's way of bringing all men into that state of consciousness wherein He "shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former [material] things are passed away."

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