The Unfailing Way

ALFRED PITTMAN

There is a mountain in the Colorado Rockies which from a cabin below and some distance away appears to have a bald, perpendicular face. Newcomers to the region commonly assume that it cannot be climbed from that side. But as the traveler approaches it more nearly, he finds that what appeared at a distance to be only barely perceptible shadows on its face are openings and ledges, and, going still nearer in the right direction, he discovers a safe trail to the top of the mountain.

The attitude of one who has been up this mountain and then views it again at a distance can be readily imagined. And it is not unlike the attitude which the student of Christian Science comes naturally to take toward all the difficulties of human experience. For himself or another, he may be confronted with a limiting or afflictive condition that appears to be insuperable. There may be, in the ordinary human view, no indication of the solution; no indication that there is a solution. But the experienced Christian Scientist knows at the outset that there is a solution. He knows it through the clear teaching of Christian Science, and his own proofs of this teaching. He knows it to the point of taking actual comfort in the knowledge—of being at peace and assured, regardless of appearances. And, proceeding faithfully in his work on the condition according to the teaching of this Science, he finds the solution appearing.

The experience of Christian Scientists abounds in illustrations of the way in which this occurs. Take one, almost at random. A designer of women's hats was out of employment through the closing of a factory. She applied to all the companies which seemed likely to have need of her services, but received no encouragement. Most of them had employees on leave who would be recalled before others were considered. The prospect of the designer's obtaining any other type of work appeared to be, if possible, less encouraging. And it was urgently necessary that she have remunerative work.

Because of what she knew of Christian Science, she was undismayed. She considered that it was not necessary to look to superficial human appearances for help or encouragement; that these could by no means determine the measure of help that she was to receive if she dealt with them scientifically. She turned to the spiritual fact that man, made in God's likeness, is perfectly and ceaselessly employed in expressing God, divine Life, Truth, and Love. She knew that as she progressively manifested this true employment, satisfactory human work would appear for her.

To the realization of this essential employment, therefore, she directed her endeavors with renewed, and again renewed, consecration—not, of course, neglecting the human footsteps in regard to employment that it seemed wise to take. And she found herself much refreshed by her growing understanding of divine Principle, Love, and of the practical means of expressing it.

One day an acquaintance came to her with a hat which she had been endeavoring to remodel. She had taken it apart and been unable to put it together again satisfactorily. Without a thought of what was to come of it, or of receiving anything in return, the designer set out not only to get the hat together again passably, but to make it the most attractive and becoming hat possible.

The acquaintance went away delighted; and the next day two friends of hers came to the designer with hats to be remodeled. The designer made a reasonable charge, as they expected, but did the work in the same spirit as before; and these women also went away delighted. In a few days the designer had as much work of this kind as she could do, and was earning approximately what she had earned in the factory. The work continued at a lively rate for several weeks, until a factory position, better than the one she had had before, opened up.

Christian Scientists in widely varying human circumstances are continually finding their way lighted by such experiences as that. A need appears. They know at once and, if need be, persistently, that it can be met. And proceeding in accordance with Science, they find fresh proof of the availability of God, divine Love, in human experience.

Christ Jesus set an inspiring example of the Christianly scientific attitude toward all the false claims of evil at the grave of Lazarus, when, before there was a sign of his friend's resurrection, he said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me." And the beloved Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, was able to say to students of Christian Science, without any qualification as to person, place, or circumstances (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 326), "Working and praying with true motives, your Father will open the way."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit