Article January 6, 1934 Issue

Home

MAUDE WOODWARD

A Thought common to all mortals is that a home is something to be desired, whether it be one of pleasant location or a tent in a wilderness. To all it should mean a place of retreat in the midst of the cares and duties of everyday life, a sweet resting place for quiet confidence and friendly associations. But this material home, the home visible, dear as it may seem, must not be taken for the reality. Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 277), "Nothing we can say or believe regarding matter is immortal, for matter is temporal and is therefore a mortal phenomenon, a human concept, sometimes beautiful, always erroneous." Nothing that is temporal or finite can ever be real, for reality is that which suffers no change or loss.

Through the acceptance and understanding of this teaching thousands of Christian Scientists are learning to look beyond the human concept of home to the true concept, and to dwell mentally in the real home, the spiritual home, the home not built with hands. This understanding of home as essentially spiritual makes possible the harmonious manifestation of home in human experience. In order to understand home in its fullness, completeness, harmony, and beauty each must realize in his individual consciousness a building process or unfolding of the qualities which characterize the true habitation.

The Psalmist sang, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations;" and on page 254 of Science and Health we are told, "Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven." Now what is heaven but a divine state of thought? So the mental builder's work is that of establishing in his consciousness the spiritual sense of existence. Sometimes the building may go on slowly; obstacles in the way may incur much excavating of deeply intrenched material beliefs that the divine abiding place may appear. It may mean much surrendering of selfish motives and purposes before even the foundation can be laid, for perfect building can rest only on the basis of honesty, humility, and unselfed love.

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