Article January 15, 1916 Issue

Rejoice Always

ALFRED H. HULSCHER

The way to the place of daily occupation led over a small stream which was uninteresting in itself, while on either side were flat stretches of marsh-land. Motives of convenience and utility had combined to fill the low places with all the refuse of a city, making the scene far from pleasing to the eye. Hardly a place likely to be a source of inspiration, one would say; yet morning after morning it was noticed that on a certain low tree a song-sparrow poured out rapturous notes until it seemed as if the little throat would burst. It was always the same tree, always the same song, and there was always the same appearance of obliviousness to the surroundings.

Involuntarily comparison was mentally made with a thought so often entertained and frequently expressed,—that pleasant material environment is essential to happiness or to the production of one's best work, and that the opposite condition can exert nothing but a depressing influence. A little reflection shows readily the futility of listening to any such arguments of mortal mind, and to refute their false claims recourse may be had to the teachings of the Bible and of Christian Science. The Master surely did not defer his demonstrations of healing until the surroundings might be more pleasing. Continually he sought to impress upon his followers the idea that "the kingdom of God is within you." Mortal mind declares the opposite, and the truth is sometimes not learned except by experiences which prove the utter inability of matter to contribute in any way to a true sense of happiness. All must sooner or later learn that happiness is from within, not from without, is neither enhanced nor diminished by material surroundings, and is available in proportion to the degree of recognition accorded in consciousness to the divine source of all good.

Mortal mind is ever disposed to urge recognition of its own baseless claims, and the necessity for constant watchfulness is nowhere more apparent than in the so-called "little things" that make up the round of daily existence. It is so easy to see discordant conditions as external to one's own consciousness, and seemingly so difficult to realize the simple truth that such conditions are not entitled to even the recognition given a mirage in the desert, which deceives the traveler with its phantom of distant lake or city. It is so easy to allow duties to become burdens instead of pleasures, and to look with longing eyes upon a distant environment which has been painted in glowing colors; so easy to persuade one's self that lack of opportunity of association with other Scientists is responsible for failure to advance in the understanding of Truth and to master one's problems. It may be any one of a dozen other subtle suggestions of mortal mind that, failing to make an inroad into one's thought from without, attempts to destroy the citadel from within and finds a start for the destructive fire in the ready kindling of discouragement.

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