Article May 27, 1916 Issue

"Ye have need of patience"

ELSIE V. ALBERT

A most helpful illustration of the unfailing power of Truth as revealed to us in Christian Science came into my experience recently. About the middle of October I invested in six narcissus bulbs, thinking that by Thanksgiving day they would be in bloom. It was however found that the bowl was only large enough for five of them, so the sixth was placed by itself in another jar. Almost immediately the five began to thrive. In a couple of weeks the leaves and flowerstalks had unfolded and shot up. Then the buds burst forth, and about the middle of November the blossoms were full blown and fragrant. Even then the stalks kept on growing, and finally had to be supported.

The one lone bulb, on the other hand, had shown no sign of unfoldment. It lay there, an ugly brown thing,—and how many times the temptation came to throw it out as unworthy of any care! It was changed from one window to another, but all to no purpose. Often it seemed in the way, but the thought expressed by Paul would come again and again: "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." These words from Science and Health (p. 520): "Growth is the eternal mandate of Mind," were recalled, also this passage from another of Mrs. Eddy's works (No and Yes, p. 8): "We can rejoice that every germ of goodness will at last struggle into freedom and greatness." And so the days passed into weeks, until it was nearly Christmas time. At last a tiny green sprout told that the law of growth was there, and day by day the unfoldment went on slowly but surely, until a tiny bud appeared, and finally burst forth in perfect blossom, fragrant and sweet. It brought more joy than the other five, because of its wonderful lesson of patience, and it lasted when they were faded and gone.

Every one who has learned how to pray in the light of Christian Science has had abundant proof of the power of the word to heal instantly both physical and mental discords, and no one can be less than deeply grateful for the understanding which is "instant in season, out of season," for Truth, the ever-present remedy for all human ills. But the larger, deeper lessons come sometimes only after long weeks or even months of patient endeavor, persistent effort, and prayerful activity in endeavoring to let the Mind which was in Christ Jesus be also in us, and rule out of us the carnal thoughts of self-love and self-will in their insidious phases of evil. And how stubborn and tenacious seem these errors of mortal mind which so persistently refuse to yield to the sunshine of Truth and the gentle, persuasive ministrations of ever-present Love! Despite our stubborn, relentless obstinacy, however, the great Father-Mother Love, brooding over all earth's tired children, with infinite patience and tenderness leads each one to push through the tight wrappings of his self-enswathed mortal belief and step out of mental darkness into the liberty of Life and light.

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