Article January 23, 1915 Issue

"Let there be light"

FRANCIS O. CASS

Standing upon a mountain top, one of the mighty Sierras of southern California, in the early dawn, with the mist and fog rolling and tossing all around and below like the great billows of a mighty sea, with no land visible save that on which one is standing, thought is lifted in wonder and awe at the seeming might and majesty expressed in this grand view. As one gazes upon the limitless expanse of mist, beautiful as it appears, he realizes that it typifies the unrest of mortal mind, and he knows that it will be dissipated into its native nothingness by the coming of the orb of light. Then one's thought is turned to the story of the creation, when God said, "Let there be light: and there was light."

Soon from the east there come the first rays of the rising sun, typifying the dawn of Truth, and seeming terror and more wild discord, if possible, the billows of fog or error gradually disperse as more and more light appears, until at length the mists are driven back, mountain top after mountain top comes into view, and again one is led to recall the command, "Let the dry land appear: and it was so." Then as the fullorbed light of the morning sun beams over the mountain tops, dispelling all fog or error, thought is exalted above the surrounding scene and dwells in heaven, the firmament above the waters, and as never before one says understandingly, "Our Father." Thus alone with his God, remembrance brings again Truth's inquiry: "'Adam, where art thou? Consciousness, where art thou? Art thou dwelling in the belief that mind is in matter, and that evil is mind, or art thou in the living faith that there is and can be but one God?'" (Science and Health, p. 307.) And one's prayer is for more light: "Open thou my understanding."

As one begins the study of Christian Science with honest purpose, the first gleams of divine light or enlightenment which come to the student encourage him and elevate thought as never before, until he begins to realize what is meant by being born again. He commences to see and prove for himself that the whole of the redemptive work of our great Master is, and of necessity must be, possible here and now; and as he faithfully strives to put into practice in his daily life the little light or understanding already gained, by cultivating a better, more kindly and loving disposition, and by striving for that Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus," he sees that a full salvation means salvation from both sickness and sin. As his improved thought is being daily manifested in better bodily conditions and mental freedom,—for right thought must ever externalize itself,—he realizes that the carnal mind, as Paul calls it, is indeed "enmity against God," good; that the mortal mind is truly the mortal or death mind, and that what it calls pleasure is neither pleasure nor power, but the counterfeit of man's God-given dominion, and leads to all defilement. He begins to understand that every right desire is prayer, and as thought is brought into subjection to Truth and the demands of right living, more light dawns on his consciousness. The unfoldment of spiritual ideas expresses the eternal command, "Let there be light." One rejoices to find that in this light all mists or mystifications, doubts and fears, are dispelled. He realizes his new birth through spiritual enlightenment, his increasing at-one-ment with God; that now as in the beginning there is light for all who will see light, and that all things are provable through him who said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

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