Article May 10, 1941 Issue

"Launch out into the deep"

LINDEN E. JONES

AN event in the ministry of Christ Jesus which marked a turning point in the lives of three of his disciples, occurred on the shore of Gennesaret in Galilee. Simon Peter and the two sons of Zebedee had been fishing. Having toiled all night without success, at the command of Jesus they made fresh endeavors. Obediently launching out into the deep, they once again let down their net, and so great was the draught of fishes that "their net brake." Amazed at the sudden success after failure, Simon Peter expressed his astonishment at this proof of divine power. Knowing that greater evidences than this of the omnipotence of Mind were to come, Christ Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." And we are further told in the account in the Gospel of Luke that "when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."

Until they perceived their great need of true spirituality and turned their thought away from engrossment in personal affairs towards the demonstration of divine Life, the disciples did not perform many wonderful works of spiritual healing. When they abandoned their search for life and security in matter, and, as followers of Christ, Truth, gave time and energy to increasing their understanding of God, they were blessed. The world was also permanently enriched as the result of the healing proofs they accomplished as evidence of the power of divine Love to meet the human need. Of the meeting of Jesus with his disciples on the shore of the Galilean Sea, after his resurrection, Mary Baker Eddy has written in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 35): "Convinced of the fruitlessness of their toil in the dark and wakened by their Master's voice, they changed their methods, turned away from material things, and cast their net on the right side. Discerning Christ, Truth, anew on the shore of time, they were enabled to rise somewhat from mortal sensuousness, or the burial of mind in matter, into newness of life as Spirit."

Mrs. Eddy, even as a child, was seeking the light of Truth. For many years this search continued. Various systems which purported to be based upon spiritual power as their curative agent were investigated without satisfactory results. Then, in what appeared to be the darkest hour, while in a critical condition as the result of an accident, at the direction of an inward voice she again turned to the Bible, as was her habit, and suddenly found the Scriptures to be illumined. Truth was revealed, and the instantaneous healing which came to her as a consequence of this revelation was presently discerned to be not miraculous, but the natural effect of the ever-operative law of God.

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