Article December 29, 1923 Issue

"Count not time by years"

HELEN H. HIXON

To many, the advent of a new year brings not only a sense of joy for fresh opportunities, but a burden of regret at the passing of another twelve months, with hopes unfulfilled, plans miscarried, mistakes made, and another milestone added to the belief of age. One of the greatest blessings Christian Science is bringing to the world to-day is freedom from the bonds of the limiting belief of time. Solar years are the device of mortals, and have no relation to the real man, who is the image and likeness of Him with whom one day is "as a thousand years." And of God's day we are given a clearer understanding by Mrs. Eddy's definition in the Glossary of our textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 584), which says in part, "Mind measures time according to the good that is unfolded." On page 468 of the same book we read, "Eternity, not time, expresses the thought of Life, and time is no part of eternity." What freedom this brings from the thought of the passing of years, of advancing age! With Paul, we can forget those things which are behind,—the old resentments, hatreds, envyings, discouragements, failures, the regrets and mistakes, and press on with the assurance that as we learn to know God better, and live in obedience to Him, we shall realize that more abundant life which Jesus came to bring.

Too long mankind has clung to the belief of the limitation of "threescore years and ten," instead of hearkening to the words of our Master, who said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Let us labor to demonstrate this eternal life that is man's now, rather than resign ourselves to the supposed necessity for lessened activity as years increase. It is never too late to begin any right endeavor; and with the turning of the calendar, true activity should bring forth richer, fuller fruits, rather than decline and decay. The so-called law which would bind men with age and seek to impair their usefulness is the product of the mortal belief that man is material; and when we begin to understand that man is not material, but spiritual, because he is the image of Spirit, God, we shall begin to free ourselves and all mankind from this bondage. Because man reflects divine intelligence and activity, the years which are spent in demonstrating this will bring greater wisdom and usefulness.

A new year is a new opportunity; and in proportion as we are striving to know and do the will of God, we enter upon it with buoyant hope and serene confidence that "all things work together for good to them that love God." All joy, peace, happiness, sucess, health, harmony, are ours now. They are ours as children of the Most High; and as the Psalmist sang, "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Our concern must be to see that we do "walk uprightly." "To-morrow grows out of to-day," Mrs. Eddy says on page 1 of "Christian Healing;" and if we are sincerely seeking to walk in the path our Master trod, we shall be shown the way. Instead of viewing with dismay the passing of another year, we can welcome with joy the promise of the new, reckoning age only by growth in grace and the unfoldment of good in our consciousness.

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