"Hold that line"

[Written Especially for Young People]

ROWENA MC DANIEL

It was the last quarter of the football game, and there had been no score. The home team was valiantly defending its goal. The other team was within two feet of a touchdown, and the supporters of the home team were making the air resound with the demand, "Hold that line; hold that line; hold that line." Four times the opposing team stormed that wall of men, but not one inch did they gain. If any man had failed to hold his position, an alert player on the other side would have found that weak point and perhaps have broken through for a touchdown. The play of the home boys was not spectacular, but with the ball again in their possession they advanced steadily down the field into their opponents' territory. They were able to hold every foot they gained, and finally pushed over the goal line for the only touchdown of the afternoon.

We may learn a lesson from the sturdy boys who presented such an unbroken front that they were able to withstand the attack of the "enemy"—and win.

A Christian Science student was working one day to repel the attack of a false belief of disease. The way to meet the problem came to her through many statements of Truth from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. These truths flooded her consciousness, and she saw the unreality of any power opposed to God—whether it was called disease, fear, accident, or any other form of evil.

After a short time she felt free and happy, sure that the work was done and the enemy routed. Several times during the day, however, the temptation to believe that the healing work was not complete presented itself. But she realized that this suggestion was only the enemy trying to break down her spiritual defense, presuming to reverse the good work done, trying to find a weak point in her resistance to error. So she stood her ground, knowing that the truth she had declared had healed her. Thus she protected her demonstration, and did not allow any suggestion of the enemy to break through her wall of spiritual defense. The healing was accomplished in one treatment.

She realized the truth of Mrs. Eddy's statement in Science and Health (p. 505), "Understanding is the line of demarcation between the real and unreal." She saw how important it is to have a clear understanding of the spiritual truths taught in Christian Science, if we are to judge between the real and the unreal, and stay with the real.

The college student will find his school days more harmonious if he is faithful in his study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, for this study will help to keep his thoughts clear. Then, when temptation in any guise comes to him, he will always be able to choose between the real and the unreal. And he will always find comfort in the promise given in the tenth chapter of I Corinthians, thirteenth verse, which reads, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." There is always a way to escape temptation when we have the sincere desire to do so.

There may be times when we seem to be so surrounded by difficulties that we have to throw off the fears and doubts with determination, in order to withstand the temptation that would try to entangle us. We must keep a clear field ahead of us—keep mentally clear—if we expect to reach the goal, the reward of spiritual thinking. If the enemy is trying to break through our defense, we must remember to "hold that line" and know that "the Lord is our defence."

Our safety is in having lofty ideals, and in constant labor to secure their realization. Let the getting of money be a man's ideal, and he will of necessity grow towards the dust; let a man hunger and thirst after the kingdom of God, and he will grow into strength and enjoy an unspeakable peace.—Dr. Parker.

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