"The heights of Mind"

DOROTHEA D. DULIN

A STUDENT of Christian Science found much of interest one morning in a beautiful descriptive advertisement of a new stratoliner, made to fly thousands of feet higher than the usual airplane. The wonder of flying so far above the earth and the clouds was not the only thing that arrested her attention. The explanation for this new development went back to the early days of flying, when pilots kept close to the earth in order to follow its familiar contours. As a result, there were many collisions and accidents until those in charge grew insistent in their demands, and issued the order to the pilots, "Keep away from the ground!"

As the Scientist pondered this, there came to her thought the words of our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, in the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 263), "When mortal man blends his thoughts of existence with the spiritual and works only as God works, he will no longer grope in the dark and cling to earth because he has not tasted heaven." She saw more clearly than ever before that by clinging fearfully to old familiar landmarks of thinking, one would greatly hamper his own onward progress toward spiritual freedom; that as thought is lifted to the wonderful truth of being, the truth about God and man, revealed through the teachings of Christian Science, as cherished human opinions and practices are laid aside and one becomes willingly obedient to the demands of this truth wherever they may lead him, thought indeed "soars enraptured, fetterless and free." One thus finds greater joy and dominion, because he is not on the mental level of conflicting mortal thinking and planning. Mental collisions are therefore avoided, hasty and perhaps unfair conclusions about our fellow beings and their endeavors are wiped out, as one lifts his consciousness higher and closer to the things of Spirit.

An illustration of this point was brought to the student's thought as she recalled an experience of some years ago. In the office where she was employed was an individual with whom she was obliged to work each day. He was arrogant, overbearing, and almost rude in many respects, not only to the student, but also to others in the office, so that many had come to avoid any contact with him and were quite emphatic in their expressions of dislike.

One day when the situation had become almost intolerable to her, the student realized that something must be done at once to correct her own thought. She had worked for many years and had never before felt such a rebellious, resentful attitude toward anyone. She knew that if the error was not corrected, it could easily betray her into losing her own position.

A visit was made to a practitioner on a Saturday about the matter, which was briefly discussed, the practitioner gently lifting the student's thought above the limited, mortal view of man to contemplation of what the real man is. They recalled together that in Genesis it is written, "God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," and that in the Christian Science textbook Mrs. Eddy states (pp. 476, 477): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick."

Leaving the practitioner's office, the student dropped her burden, and was free and relieved. The following Monday, the moment this person entered the office, the student recognized a difference in his attitude, which caused her some surprise. She had fully expected to be healed herself, but that the healing would be evidenced by what appeared to her a change in another's attitude had not occurred to her. Then she realized gratefully that, while her own healing had brought about a change in concept which lifted her thought of her brother man, the truth extends to all within the radius of one's thinking when it is being applied to some specific problem, and all are blessed by its influence. Others in the office noticed a change, and to a considerable extent were freed from the former bitterness. When after a comparatively short time this individual was transferred to another city, there was nothing but genuine friendliness expressed on all sides.

The belief in the power of matter to control the life of man would keep one bound to earth, keep his thought on the low level of heavy, unenlightened thinking, thereby restricting his demonstration of a more abundant sense of life, of health and peace. As soon as he looses his hold on materiality, permitting his thought to "climb, with joy, the heights of Mind," to use the words of a loved hymn, he begins to rise to an altitude of thinking that cannot be pierced or reached by the shafts of hatred, envy, jealousy, or fear. In that realm there is no lack of any good, but only safety in the conscious realization of God's infinite presence and power.

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