THERE was no moon and the night was very dark. A student of Christian Science was riding through the country in a bus. When she reached the station, she asked the conductor to direct her to the settlement where her relatives lived. She was dismayed to find that she had to go quite a distance through the darkness to reach their home. The conductor pointed out the path, and she began her journey.

After walking some distance she noticed a change from the smooth path and finally found she was sinking in mire: she had lost the way and was walking in a swamp. She turned, hoping to regain the path, but no matter which way she went, she sank deeply with every step. No light could be seen, the darkness was so dense. Then she raised her thought in prayer to God for direction. It came in the words, "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." These words, spoken by Moses to the children of Israel at the Red Sea, comforted her. She obeyed the heavenly direction, and stood still. Then came to mind the admonition of our Leader (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 66), "Amidst conjugal infelicity, it is well to hope, pray, and wait patiently on divine wisdom to point out the path." Her fear left her as she pondered the inspired words, "wait patiently on divine wisdom to point out the path."

She was so absorbed in the thought of the divine direction that she was not surprised, but thought it quite natural that she should hear men and women singing a hymn in the distance. The sound came nearer, and when she thought they were close enough to hear, she called loudly: "I am lost in the swamp. Please help." They heard, and called back, "This is the way; this is the way to the path." She followed the direction of the voices and was soon on the path again.

These people told her they had been to a church meeting and were singing one of the hymns. The student expressed her gratitude, and again asked the way to the home of her relatives. They said that as they would be passing the house they would lead her all the way. So she walked and sang with them. When she told her relatives of her experience, they informed her that adjacent to the swamp was a creek, swollen with recent rain. She realized with joy how spiritual sense had delivered her from the danger that threatened her.

Desiring to walk with God, we learn through spiritual sense to be directed in every act of our daily life. Christian Science explains how we can gain and use the same spiritual sense which guided the prophets and Christ Jesus in his wonderful demonstrations. On page 298 of Science and Health our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes, "Spiritual sense, contradicting the material senses, involves intuition, hope, faith, understanding, fruition, reality." We must contradict material sense and replace its false testimony with the truth at all times.

We find that not always is the command given to stand still, for, even as God said to Moses, "Speak unto the chil dren of Israel, that they go forward," so must we also go forward in obedience to Love's guidance. Jesus said, "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life," and as we go forward the light of Life illumines our way. Our Leader also assures us (Science and Health, p. 596), "Though the way is dark in mortal sense, divine Life and Love illumine it." How comforting is this assurance! Even though material sense has misdirected us for a time, Life and Love illumine the way. We take up the path again and go forward through the direction and exercise of spiritual sense, intuition, faith, hope. This sense never leads us into gloom, never into the slough of despond, but ever into joy and peace.

As we use the senses of Spirit, we discover for ourselves, as our Leader has told us, that we abide in Love, and therefore have nothing to fear. She says, "The senses of Spirit abide in Love, and they demonstrate Truth and Life" (ibid., p. 274). Therefore, in any demonstration we find that as we use faith, hope, spiritual understanding, fear disappears. Why? Because spiritual sense abides in Love, in which there can be no fear. When fear entirely departs, then healing is discerned: the demonstration is made. All our struggles, all our sincere efforts to know more of our heavenly Father, omnipotent Mind, destroy, a little at a time, our beliefs in the reality of matter or the flesh. Then, as we come closer to Him, we joyfully find that we have never been separated from Him or from the heaven of His presence. Now the gloom, the slough of despond, has no reality for us. We see it simply as a dream of the night.

Finally, we begin to realize what is meant by the word "reflection." As our Leader tells us, man is God's reflection, and can never, through all eternity, be separated from Him.

Thus, through the exercise of spiritual sense, we are ushered into a realization of the perfect spiritual universe here and now. In the words of a loved hymn: