Article October 22, 1927 Issue

"Awake thou that sleepest"

ALICE E. THOMPSON

"AWAKE thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." This was the admonition of Paul to the early Christians. Do not the Christians of to-day need the same loving counsel? "Awake thou that sleepest" is not alone a general admonition to all who are trying to live a Christlike life, but it comes to each one with a ringing personal call.

"Awake thou"—not thy neighbor or thy brother, but thou thyself! One meaning of the word "awake" is to arouse from a state resembling sleep, as from death or inaction. Are we in this state of inaction with regard to any phase of evil in our lives? Are we asleep in regard to some problem? Mortal mind would lull us into such inaction, especially when we cannot see a definite way to take or when we have probably become used to a physical error, which has not yielded quickly to Truth, but has, as it were, become a part of ourselves. Of course, error can never in reality become part of our true being.

Our duty under such circumstances is to awaken from the dreams of sense—arise from the dead, the inactive, unproductive, and unprofitable mental state. Let us arouse ourselves and arise! Let us get to a higher and better place! A student of Christian Science dreamed one night that a party of people came to her door and demanded admittance and hospitality. They wished to stay overnight. They were all strangers; and the mistress of the house demurred, knowing she had not the accommodation for so large a party. At this the attitude of the strangers became very threatening, and a certain sense of fear presented itself to the householder; but she said, "I do not see any reason why I should take you in; it is a beautiful starry night, and there is nothing to hinder you from going to your own homes." Then quite suddenly the thought that this was a dream came to her consciousness, and she made an effort to awaken. It required an effort to arouse herself; but she was successful, and all fear and all the strangers disappeared as soon as she became conscious.

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