Article September 22, 1945 Issue

Impediments and Inheritance

LOUISE DENN BECK

Some time ago, a dear little tot just one year old came walking joyously into my arms. She had at last walked alone. Several weeks before, she had learned how to take her first steps, but insisted on holding to a piece of ribbon while someone else held the other end. She believed that the flimsy ribbon was holding her up. When she finally discovered the ribbon had no power, she dropped it and had the faith and confidence to walk unaided. Similarly, when we learn that matter has no power, we shall drop our reliance on it and, without fear, walk joyously into the arms of divine Love.

The whys and wherefores of this human existence disturbed the writer for many years. Life seemed too futile, living too complicated and purposeless, for her to attempt or even dare to hope for a full, useful experience. She mentioned this to a practitioner with whom she had several talks, for with the responsibility of a home and business to keep going almost single-handed, she nearly gave way to bitter resignation. Her recognition of the fact that Christian Science reveals God as the ever-operative Principle which can be proved, held her fast, however, and the practitioner continued to work for her.

One night a few weeks later, in the midst of the busiest season of her work, came a holy revelation. She was thinking of Jesus' words in John (18:37): "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." Looking up the meaning of "witness" in the dictionary, she found it meant, in part, "To see or know by reason of personal presence." She had always interpreted it as meaning that she must do things for others to witness. But now, at last, she knew why she was here and why problems had been so tenacious. She was here to witness or to see the activity of Truth. With this light she lost all sense of burden.

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