Article April 27, 1918 Issue

The Break in the Connection

W. EDSON SMITH

Not alone from stars and birds and flowers, but also from the rough clangor and hard glare of daily life, does the alert Christian Scientist gather the lessons that make it possible to apply his understanding of Principle to every problem. Through "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, has given us an opportunity to acquire the understanding that enables us to do this,—a living rule by which we may measure up circumstance.

The radiator in the office on the topmost floor had blown out for the second time, flooding the room with steam and hot water, making the walls clammy, and dimming the clearness of the outlook toward the mountains. Both times, superimposed upon all this violence, there had been inevitable hours filled with the disturbing noises of repair, when quiet seemed far away. On the occasion of the second break I sat watching the steam fitter at work, and was finally led to question him as to the cause of the difficulty. Very concisely, and with a definiteness and assurance which left no doubt as to his grasp of the matter, he gave me the information I sought.

He said in effect that in the basement there was an exceedingly large boiler with a high-pressure gauge,—a boiler out of all proportion to the building, which was comparatively small and new, with but limited radiating surface, many of the suites not being even fitted up. My informant stated that the man in charge of the boiler seemed unable to understand the conditions and insisted on firing heavily by way of doing a good day's work. This particular radiator had suffered, being at the end of the series and taking the full force of the pressure. The blowing out occurred at a place under great strain. "But now," said my candid steam fitter by way of conclusion, "I have provided for all the expansion necessary, and you will have no further trouble." When he had gathered up the scattered tools and gone his way, I looked at the radiator, musing over what had been told me. We have all heard of "sermons in stones," but here was a sermon in a few lengths of iron pipe.

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