Mark Twain in his "Life on the Mississippi" relates an experience he had while training as a river pilot. The great river is an ever-changing puzzle for navigators because of the constantly shifting channels. Currents are treacherous. There are no buoys to speak of, for it is little use to place them; they are here today and gone tomorrow. A pilot has to be ever alert to these varying conditions.

Mark had mastered the river and was a good steersman, but one bright summer day Mr. Bixby, the pilot, thought he would give him a final test. Saying he was going below for a while, he asked Mark if he knew the course across the river at a certain point to which they were presently coming. Mark replied that he could cross it with his eyes shut. Bixby then asked him how much water there was at the crossing. Mark answered, "I couldn't get bottom there with a church steeple."

Bixby then said, to shake Mark's confidence, "You think so, do you?" and left.

Shortly after Bixby had gone, Mark saw the captain and the chief mate come out on the hurricane deck below him and look ahead as if concerned about something. Soon several passengers came on deck and they appeared to be intent on looking ahead questioningly. Mark began to wonder at this. The captain, glancing aloft at him and with a feigned uneasiness in his voice, asked, "Where is Mr. Bixby?"

"Gone below, sir," said Mark.

Then leadsmen, taking their positions in the bow, began regular soundings, reporting the depths so that Mark could hear them. Much to his surprise and consternation the depths were getting less and less, and Mark, full of fear, shouted to the engineer to back the boat quickly. Just at this moment he heard the door close gently, looked around, and saw Mr. Bixby standing there with a bland smile.

Mark saw it all then. He quickly put the steamer on her course and turning to Bixby remarked what a mean trick it was to play on him.

Bixby said: "I want you to learn something by that experience. Didn't you know there was no bottom in that crossing?"

"Yes, sir, I did," Mark replied.

"Very well, then," said Bixby. "You shouldn't have allowed me or anybody else to shake your confidence in that knowledge. Try to remember that."

Is there not a lesson in this story that we as Christian Scientists may take to ourselves? How often, even after years of study perhaps, do we find ourselves facing situations which ought to be perfectly simple to handle. How often do we find ourselves alone at the wheel, wondering if we are sure of the way. Mortal mind whispers to us that we ought to have somebody standing by. It may claim that the facts of life sometimes change, and that the simple rules of health contained in the Bible and in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy may not apply in our case. Friends are fearful and query whether it would not be wise to turn to human aid. Mortal mind may even suggest that the trouble is getting worse and worse.

Like Mark, who became panicky although he knew perfectly well the truth about the river, we may allow doubt and fear to take possession of us until we become panicky. Should such conditions present themselves, how apropos is Mr. Bixby's admonition, "You shouldn't have allowed me or anybody else to shake your confidence in that knowledge."

Think of the preparation and training we as students of Christian Science have had to make us competent to meet every assault of error. We have been graciously provided with the Holy Bible, replete with the truths of Spirit and its creation; with assurances of God's loving care for that creation; with the proofs by prophets and by Christ Jesus and his disciples of man's dominion over all the claims of the existence of any other creation and of the impotence of everything unlike God, good.

The Bible teaches us that God is a very present help in time of trouble; that if we dwell in "the secret place of the most High ... there shall no evil befall" us, nor "any plague come nigh" our dwelling; that the supply of good coming from Love to its creation is without limit. We are assured that the Lord is our Shepherd, who leads us beside the still waters and into green pastures; that God heals all our diseases; that He will wipe all tears from our eyes; that there shall be no more death.

Besides all this, the Comforter which the Master promised would come from the Father and would "teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26), has come in the form of Christian Science as it was revealed to Mrs. Eddy and made available through Science and Health and her other writings. This Comforter reiterates and explains those fundamental truths of the Bible so that all may understand them and make them practical in the handling of every problem which may confront us. Christian Science teaches us that God creates man in His image and likeness, and that that likeness is and ever will remain perfect, as our Leader says in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 262): "God creates man perfect and eternal in His own image. Hence man is the image, idea, or likeness of perfection—an ideal which cannot fall from its inherent unity with divine Love, from its spotless purity and original perfection."

Christian Science charts for us the true course in our journey from sense to Soul. All the dangerous and perplexing currents of mortal mind which would deflect us from our course have been clearly pointed out to us and the way charted to overcome them; the hidden rocks and shoals of human hatred, envy, jealousy, false pride, greed, self-justification, dishonesty, have been buoyed, and beacon lights have been established along the way. With all this aid for steering a safe course Spiritward, how little excuse we have for doubt, fear, hesitation, and vacillation. In the words of Paul (II Thess. 2:15), "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught."

When we hear the mesmeric whisperings of mortal mind, we need but turn to our Father-Mother God and listen for the voice of the great Captain who "maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters" (Isa. 43:16), and whose hand is ever on the wheel. Then we shall go forward confident that God is ever present, directing and guiding every thought and action.