Wings of Truth and Love

HENRIETTA C. HOWLAND

MANY seem to be the problems that try the hearts of men. Evil beliefs, calling themselves fear, sin, loneliness, disease, lack, press forward for acceptance. The plight of many a one seems hopeless, and the cry goes forth, Why do I suffer? The Master, Christ Jesus, lovingly promised, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth." Divine Science, as presented to the world by Mary Baker Eddy in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," with its illuminating teaching about God and man, is indeed proving itself to be the promised Comforter.

When evil presents itself for acceptance, one may be tempted to wonder where it came from, and why. Thought may be tempted to dwell upon it and to deprecate the situation: to seek with diligence for a material cause. Error thus may seem thoroughly entrenched and accepted as real. But God, who is Love, does not cause evil; and God is the only cause. This truth realized begins immediately to lift thought above evil's seeming presence and reality.

Suppose a bird to have alighted upon the ground, and a serpent suddenly to have appeared before it. What would happen were the bird to permit its attention to be fastened upon the snake? It might become so mesmerized by the appearance and actions of the reptile that it would draw nearer and nearer, and so bring about its own doom. But, instead, the bird, possessing wings and the ability to use them, could naturally and immediately fly high above the serpent.

The Christian Scientist possesses strong spiritual wings, capable of lifting thought high above all evil beliefs. Let us use these wings quickly and confidently. These God-given pinions, able to uplift, are thoughts of Truth and Love, and the realization that God is Spirit and man spiritual.

Does sickness or sin tempt one to fear and despair? Disease, sin, and death are not realities of Life, for God is Love and does not send them; nor can the real man, being spiritual, experience them. To escape from sin, disease, or death, thought must be lifted above the seeming material condition, in order to behold man as God sees him, spiritual, perfect, immortal, sinless, and pure. The sanctuary and security of the "everlasting arms of Love" forever await the penitent, the sick, and the world-weary. Each one is free to rise upon the wings of spiritual thinking and find this divine refuge.

Sometimes the belief of limitation seems to hold the mental gaze downward and fasten it upon matter. The subtle suggestion to fear or trust matter has no power to close one's ears to the gentle call of the Christ, "Come unto me, . . . I will give you rest." What we need is greater faith, a more childlike confidence in God, the loving Father-Mother of all.

Upon certain coins in the United States is the inscription, "In God we trust." In proportion as one trusts God he is lifted above the treacherous and idolatrous belief that substance is material. Man, the image and likeness of Spirit, God, is spiritual; and matter neither sustains him nor makes any conditions for him. On page 494 of Science and Health Mary Baker Eddy gives us the comforting assurance, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need."

Does one seem to be opposed and displaced by jealousy, envy, or subtlety? Does supercilious egotism rear its proud head and belittle one's work? Does hatred seem to obstruct the path? Evil is neither a presence nor a power, and one is able to rise far above its seeming by realizing the truth. God is Love, forever helping those who seek Him, onward and upward, and tenderly rewarding every right effort. The world has no position to offer that can compare with the mental altitude of a consciousness filled with love and uplifted by the understanding of the truth that man, being spiritual, is ever in his rightful place in the realm of Spirit.

If the problem confronting one seems to be loneliness and heartache, here is a wonderful opportunity to flee to the arms of Love. A student of Christian Science was once assailed by the suggestion of loneliness. One night she dreamed that a long desert waste stretched out before her, and that darkness was beginning to close in. There was a feeling that this desert must be traversed, and so the dreamer began to walk; but progress seemed slow, for the sand was deep. Dark shadows rose up on either side; an oppressive fear and an overwhelming sense of loneliness were felt. Then suddenly and clearly came the thought, Oh, but I can fly! Immediately this dreamer was flying high in space, joyously free, far above the desert and dark shadows of fear and loneliness. This experience brought home the needed lesson that loneliness and dreariness seem real only when one rests his hopes upon the sand of belief in matter, and becomes confused by regarding it as real and as having the power to give him happiness or deprive him of it. The road to be traveled cannot be shadowed with loneliness or dread when thought is lifted above materiality by the realization that man is wholly spiritual, and that God's love and care are forever with him.

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