Article June 5, 1915 Issue

"Enter thou"

CAROLINE A. BALY

One can but realize, after a patient and earnest study of Christian Science, that a dominant asset to the seeker after Truth is gladness, a gladness which the most alluring earthly pleasures can never bestow. Christian Science is the demonstrable manifestation to the world of that rich reward of the faithful servant, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." This phase of the teaching may not present itself during the earlier stages of our upward journey, because of the chemicalization explained on page 401 of Science and Health. This new-old doctrine causes such a mental upheaval, discloses so much latent, undreamed-of error, that the searching self-diagnosis resulting from an earnest longing to know the truth may be, and often is, somewhat appalling to the awakened conscience.

Our ascent from the material to the spiritual bears some analogy to the efforts of one learning to swim. During his first endeavors the swimmer can judge of his progress only by looking back to the starting-point. When, however, his more vigorous attempts carry him out into the stream in sight of the promised land, no matter how distant, he no longer looks backward to gage his progress, but forward. The goal is in sight, and the bright promise encircling that desired shore inspires him to breast the troubled waves, and to keep on courageously until at last with joy the goal is reached. It is just here that we realize, somewhat faintly perhaps, what we owe to our inspired Leader. This apprehension of the glorious possibilities of attainment is so uplifting that we for the first time enter into the joy of our Lord; and out of this new sense of gladness, hitherto unrealized, rises spontaneously the prayer, "God bless her." Thus we begin to taste the fulness of joy, and this joy no man can take from us.

Many students of Christian Science are slow to apprehend the healing potency of gladness, yet out of his wide experience the psalmist persistently urges this tribute to a loving Father: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing." Praise is indeed the only homage we can give to God, who giveth all, and Christian Scientists have great reason to praise Him. To be of a sad countenance amounts to a denial of God, for the discouraged and despondent must of necessity stand outside the kingdom of harmony, while praise is the open sesame to God's presence, the wedding garment displacing "the spirit of heaviness."

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