Article January 11, 1930 Issue

Press on! Press on!

M. ETHEL WHITCOMB

BESIDE the highway of life sit thousands of thought weary travelers, not taking a single step toward the city of God, the consciousness of man's glorified unity with his creator. Why have they halted? Some, because they believe that the way of spirituality is too hard; some, because they are not sure that peace or health or joy can be found on this road. Others are not moving onward because they are looking backward; while others are peering so far ahead that they cannot see the road at their feet. To all who are tarrying by the roadside the voice of Truth calls, Go forward! One cannot mentally stand still anywhere on the road of eternal Life; he must forever move steadfastly on toward perfection, with firm, resolute thought-steps. Every slightest overcoming of evil with good, every petty purpose forsaken, every erroneous human yearning quenched in the divine, every sense of self vanquished by Christliness, are steps gained. Thus is the journey taken by each one, and in this way alone can the goal of Godlikeness be reached.

Paul, who was one of the most inspired thinkers of any age, spoke earnestly of man's need of forever pressing on toward spiritual living when he said: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." In the grandeur of humility, he recognized that nothing was of importance but progress toward the prize of his high calling. In steadfast allegiance to this ideal he said: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind . . . I press toward the mark."

Before anyone can really move onward, he must obey these two mighty rules which Paul gave. First, he must forget the things that are behind. Let Truth blot from the canvas of memory every remembrance of the injustices, hardships, or pains of yesterday. The past is gone. The present teems with possibilities. Break loose from finite yesterday and step into the boundless grandeur of to-day. When the weights of a troubled yesterday drop off, one can spring to his feet and obey the second rule of spiritual advancement —to "press toward the mark." No evil plot or plan has power to hold back one who has settled it in his heart to press toward the mark of his spiritual identity in the likeness of God. The very force and power of resistless good strengthens him as he goes forward. All the false suggestions of mesmeric allurements whisper in vain to him who in obedience to God and in real love for mankind has pledged himself to move on toward perfection. He has found his direction and sees, through spiritual sense, his destination. Nothing is more spiritually stimulating to the lagging thought, entangled in the meshes of small purposes, than to meet on Life's highway one who for humanity's good is moving on. It is a holy fact that the sound of this one's steady tread arouses those made dormant by self-mesmerism; and rising to their feet shake off the stupor and start along the path with him. Thus does example serve the holiest purpose.

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