Article April 6, 1918 Issue

Unfailing Guidance

L. LILLIAN ELLIAS, M.A.

To the college student away from home Christian Science brings inestimable aid. When I left home for college, it was with the assurance from a dear Scientist friend that I should find God ever present to help me in meeting the financial demands of this higher education, as well as those academic and social. I had never been strong, and during childhood the difficulties had always been smoothed over for me by watchful parents. So at this time I turned to Christian Science for solace in loneliness, for guidance to remunerative employment, for health and strength in arduous duties, for wisdom to make right decisions, for intelligence to comprehend and in turn express the substance of my studies; and in each case I found it a demonstrable religion, proving God's ever presence and abundance.

The way was not one of ease, strewn with flowers, but at times steep and rugged, or darkened with storms and mists; yet it always led to heights warm and bright with the sunshine of Truth and Love. Through such experiences I learned many helpful things, not the least valuable being that home is really where one dwells in thought,—that is, one's consciousness,—and that one need never be lonely in that home when he keeps it filled with the realization of God's nearness. This had to be proved gradually, as did most of the lessons learned.

I found college a workshop, a laboratory, so to speak, in which to bring to bear upon the problems that presented themselves my gradually increasing knowledge of the operation of God's law. I feared examinations; Christian Science proved to me that the infinite intelligence expresses itself through man as truly and freely at one time and place as at another. I was timid and afraid to meet people; the confidence gained through the understanding of man's true being and dominion brought freedom from this bondage. I was unable to enter the social sphere I longed for; through applying Christian Science to my own problems, I gained the knowledge and ability necessary to help others, and thus so filled my time with loving work and my life with sweetest friendships that I was most happy to find it true, as our Leader assures us, that "God requires our whole heart, and He supplies within the wide channels of The Mother Church dutiful and sufficient occupation for all its members" (Manual, Art. VIII, Sect. 15). In the midst of my college course a Christian Science organization was formed in the university, and at its meetings was found the sweet spirit of friendship I loved, and the testimonies showed how others were applying Christian Science to their studies, to their financial problems, and to difficulties of all kinds.

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