Article March 20, 1920 Issue

"The high goal"

ANNIE HICKS

Our Leader says in Science and Health (p. 426): "The discoverer of Christian Science finds the path less difficult when she has the high goal always before her thoughts, than when she counts her footsteps in endeavoring to reach it. When the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress. The struggle for Truth makes one strong instead of weak, resting instead of wearying one." While visiting in California during a recent summer, I was on a fruit ranch in a rich valley of the Sierras. The highest peak in sight was so grand and majestic and so near the house, that I expressed a desire to walk over to the foot of it. My son laughed, knowing the distance to be deceiving to sight. A few days later, however, he proposed an automobile ride. After riding for an hour, we found ourselves at the base of the mountain and decided to make the trip to the summit. The ascent was gradual but rather difficult at times.

The road wound in and out around the mountain and canyons and sometimes had a gradual descent before ascending, but eventually always gaining in height. The thought came to me that this trip was a good illustration of the way of the Christian Scientist in working out his salvation from sin, sickness, and all the discords that seemingly beset him along the way. Having the high goal ever before us, I used as a symbol the long pole at the summit of the mountain, which was planted in a stone base and had a large brass ball at its top. Occasionally the traveler would lose sight of this beacon, but remembered that others had traveled the road before him, had overcome all the obstacles, and had reached the goal. Thus Christ Jesus, our Way-shower, has gone before us. He has said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." This way is safe and sure for all who will follow, and no one need be discouraged along the way, even though temporarily descending, or losing sight of the goal for a time. The guide is at hand: "Lo, I am with you alway." As we lift thought higher and press on, discouragement, with all its attendant errors, disappears and the high goal is reached, even as the traveler reached the summit, keeping the guide in view, which dispelled fear and discouragement when the mountain road seemed difficult. The magnificent views for seventy miles or more in every direction, of mountains and canyons, rivers and lakes, enhanced by the beauty of the setting sun far beyond expectation, more than repaid the traveler for efforts put forth to reach the goal,—an illustration of the Scripture, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

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