Article June 23, 1917 Issue

"Take time to be holy"

EDITH AZALIA ADAMS BAILEY

There is "a time to every purpose under the heaven," the wise man tells us. An old hymn admonishes us to "take time to be holy," and this is surely worth thoughtful consideration. One of the arguments of mortal mind which is put forth as an excuse for the non-performance of various deeds and duties is that one has no time for them. We are prone to postpone until a more convenient season the disagreeable task for which we have not time enough. We leave undone simple duties with the same apology. In a mad rush in this material world, struggling to gain and maintain place and power, mankind lets slip the dearer, more spiritual treasures for this same inadequate reason, which is no reason, namely, lack of time. Friends are estranged, the finer side of nature coarsened, the dear ones who are really loved grow distant, often for the seeming want of more time to maintain the gentle amenities of friendship.

There is nevertheless time in which to do all that is worth doing. On page 238 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, "People with mental work before them have no time for gossip about false law or testimony." The difficulty is in eliminating whatever is unworthy. We must take time for this, and "take time to be holy." When we do, the mists of error burn away before the "Sun of righteousness," and we are enabled to see everything in its true perspective. Selfishness is then broken down. We are glad to give time to help others to bear their burdens, in loving counsel to those who seek it, and in rich companionship with those of high ideals and aspirations, blessing each other with the interchange of spiritual ideas that grow out of valuable experiences.

Sorrow is forgotten in holy work. The time we formerly spent in vain regrets over past mistakes, in longing to have back again the human manifestation of those gone on to another state of consciousness, is now dedicated to joyful contemplation and demonstration of the truth that makes us free. Sin disappears as we reach the higher ground of spiritual consciousness. As we cultivate the fruits of the Spirit we uproot and cast out the weeds and unfruitful vines of error and false belief. We cease to have the sense of pleasure we once had in wrong doing; rather, we gain such a degree of satisfaction in right doing that it supplants any other sense. We cannot lose anything real or true, so whatever of false sense we may have had is replaced by the true.

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