Throughout the ages, the hearts of men and women everywhere have thrilled to the thought of home, and all for which it stands—loved ones, peace, security, a refuge from discord, loneliness, and temptation.

We have great cause to rejoice when we consider that, through obedience to the teachings of Christian Science, we may gain a spiritually demonstrable understanding of our true mental home, which is forever above discord and strife, change or decay. This understanding is a "pearl of great price" to those who are in search of happier homes, improved environment, contentment, and peace.

Do we not choose the furnishings for our material homes with the utmost care, selecting the best, the most beautiful and most appropriate appointments we can afford? With how much greater care, then, should we choose the thoughts which are to furnish our mental abode, prayerfully cultivating thoughts of purity, beauty, joy, innocence, and gladness, and with equal diligence rejecting unlovely suggestions of malice, criticism, discouragement, lack, and the like. The continued welcoming and cherishing of spiritual ideas and qualities enriches our lives unbelievably.

For the accomplishment of this high purpose, let us lengthen our hours of communion with the Father. Quiet prayer and meditation bring us true peace, poise, calmness, and confidence, richly illuming our path and destroying false beliefs of discontent, boredom, restlessness, inharmony. Indeed, it is essential that we early learn the importance of guarding the door of our mentality by untiring prayer, making sure that our treasures of Truth and Love are safely protected from every deceiving suggestion which error may advance to steal away our birthright of health, happiness, and dominion. Through doing this daily protective mental work, we shall find our days filled with pleasant occupations, our surroundings and our relationships growing increasingly harmonious.

To a student of Christian Science, whose family was accustomed to spend the winter months in a section of the country remote from where her own business interests lay, came the temptation to be rebellious over the overturning of her environment, which involved a complete readjustment of her living conditions twice each year. She had come to dread and dislike the trouble and inconvenience of moving from one home to another at stated intervals. Perhaps, too, a little self-pity had crept in when she thought of other members of the family who seemed free to come and go, with but little concern for monetary matters, whereas it appeared imperative for her to attend to business duties daily.

She therefore determined to turn resolutely and without reservation to the teachings of Christian Science and learn more about her true home, which she knew to be in Spirit, God. The search was illuminating, joyous, highly beneficial. She found that in the proportion that she let divine Mind govern her thinking, seeing to it that her thoughts dwelt steadfastly in love, gratitude, humility, joy, and kindred qualities, her environment and surroundings reflected the peace, serenity, and harmony of right thinking. As she persisted in affirming her inseparability from God, divine Love, her visible habitation became more pleasing, satisfactory, and cheerful.

Aroused by this prayerful and earnest effort, she was able to discard all sense of irritation over the thought of having to change her material abode, and for some years she has actually looked forward to and enjoyed the opportunity this change has brought about. Furthermore, she has found it profitable and advantageous in many unforeseen ways.

We can make every experience a valuable one if we faithfully resolve to work out our problems with the help and light which the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's works and our periodicals afford us on all questions, both small and great. In the first verse of the ninetieth Psalm we read, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations." And Mrs. Eddy, in a particularly appealing passage in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," has written (p. 254), "Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven; stranger, thou art the guest of God." These glorious statements are true, and are therefore wholly practical and provable in human affairs.

As our thinking dwells constantly and consistently in "the beauty of holiness," this will unerringly find expression in better living conditions and more attractive material surroundings. Spiritual ideas and holy inspiration are permanent, substantial, satisfying. No matter where our material dwelling may be, we can abide, serene and secure, in this holy, uplifted state of consciousness, which is eternal, immutable, indestructible, because it is bestowed by God, who changeth not throughout all eternity.

One characteristic of vital importance to a happy home environment is the reflection by its members of the gracious quality of hospitality—readiness to offer a message of loving encouragement and cheer to the weary wanderers they meet on life's highway, or to other travelers who perhaps have been blinded by the glare of materiality and have temporarily strayed from the right path. What a priceless privilege to minister to such as these—to give, in Christ's name, a cup of cold water to steady stumbling footsteps, and point out the better way with a gentle word of comfort and friendly interest!

As we build our spiritual home with constructive and enduring thoughts of peace, purity, good will, and gladness, we are reminded of the truth of Jesus' words in that greatest of all discourses, the Sermon on the Mount, "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."

May we persistently realize these fundamental facts about our real spiritual dwelling, and keep our thoughts ever turned trustingly to the Father for the fulfillment of His promise of protection. We shall find this faithful and righteous mental activity to be richly rewarding. Its results will be definitely and quickly manifested in improved surroudings; in healthier, holier, and happier lives; in sweeter, more joyous, and lovelier experiences. In our daily endeavor to establish in our consciousness this divinely mental concept of home, these lines from one of our hymns help to spur us on to its fuller realization:

Thus through spiritualization of thinking and Christianization of living we find and maintain our true home—that home which is synonymous with heaven, harmony.