Keeping Our Lamps Lighted

EMMA V. HAINERT

In the Christian Science Sentinel for February 22, 1941, there appeared in the "Signs of the Times" columns a translated reprint from "Ralliemont, Lausanne, Switzerland," which told of a traveler's arrival one Sunday evening in a little village where old traditions were still preserved. He found worshipers on their way to church, each carrying a little bronze lamp of ancient design. He joined them and found that each one lighted his lamp at a torch at the church entrance. Inquiry revealed that this church, built in 1550, had never had any lights, and that the little bronze lamps belonged to the church. They were lent to the people, and for nearly four hundred years had been carried to evening services. The traveler learned also that there was seldom anyone absent from a service, because everyone's lamp was needed to brighten the church.

Each one of us is needed in our churches to bring to the service the spiritual illumination which truly lights the church. If our church is to perform the healing and saving functions for which it was founded, there must be a lamp of love burning continually in every heart.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 510, 511) our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, says: "Light is a symbol of Mind, of Life, Truth, and Love, and not a vitalizing property of matter. Science reveals only one Mind, and this one shining by its own light and governing the universe, including man, in perfect harmony." Man, being the reflection of Mind, expresses this divine light continually. But the human consciousness must come to recognize this fact through spiritualization of thought. Our work is to keep alive in our thought a constant, conscious consecration to divine Mind, so that the light which comes to us from God may ever burn brightly and not be hid by the clouds of material sense. Was not this what Christ Jesus meant when he said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Ye are the light of the world," and, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven"?

As we study the word "light" as used in the Bible, in Science and Health and Mrs. Eddy's other writings, it becomes clear to us that God is the source of true light and that this light is ours by reflection. In the first chapter of Genesis it is recorded that God said. "Let there be light: and there was light," showing it to be wholly spiritual.

From the parable of the ten virgins it appears that it was the custom for each one to carry her own lamp to the marriage feast and to light the lamps upon the arrival of the bridegroom. Oil was used in these ancient lamps. One of the definitions of "oil" given in the Glossary in Science and Health (p. 592) is "consecration." This, then, is one of the qualities needed to keep our spiritual lamps burning. Consecration to what? Consecration to God, to Life, Truth, Love, the one Mind. Thus alone can we adhere to the pure spiritual facts of being as taught in the Bible and the Christian Science textbook.

The foolish virgins illustrate the thought of those who hope to enter the kingdom of heaven, harmonious spiritualized consciousness, through borrowing another's oil of consecration. Sooner or later all must learn, as did these foolish virgins, that they cannot borrow consecration from another. We may help to light the way for others, but entrance into a spiritualized state of consciousness must come finally through one's own efforts.

Let us keep our lamps of love ever burning, so that we have no darkened thoughts in our churches, homes, schools, business, or our streets. Our Leader defines the real Church as "the structure of Truth and Love" (Science and Health, p. 583). As we build this structure in our consciousness, we light our lamps with faith, love, consecration, and obedience.

Only through actual demonstration in our own lives can we begin to apprehend the effect of spiritual light upon ourselves and all those with whom we come in contact. On page 154 of "Miscellaneous Writings" our Leader says: "Let your light reflect Light. Have no ambition, affection, nor aim apart from holiness."

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