Article January 19, 1952 Issue

THE SECRET PLACE

ETHEL M. HOSKINS

The opening words of the much-loved ninety-first Psalm are, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." What is the secret place of the Most High? Is it not the realm of Mind, spiritual consciousness, where he who constantly abides therein experiences the perpetual harmony, joy, and peace which are the gifts of God to His beloved son?

Few escape having to deal, at some time in their experience, with a problem involving human relationship. Suddenly, and without warning, an erstwhile happy relationship may seem to be discordant, and mortal mind, with its persistent arguments of hurt feelings, resentment, and estrangement, may appear to change a hitherto loving friend or co-worker into an enemy. "Who is at fault?" we ask ourselves. And mortal mind replies, "The other person" always the other person.

How many heartaches could be avoided if only we would examine ourselves, look within, not without, for the cause of the trouble. On page 8 of "Miscellaneous Writings," in an article entitled "Love Your Enemies," Mary Baker Eddy turns thought away from the contemplation of an enemy external to our own consciousness when she asks: "Who is thine enemy that thou shouldst love him? Is it a creature or a thing outside thine own creation?" And she answers forthrightly, "Simply count your enemy to be that which defiles, defaces, and dethrones the Christ-image that you should reflect." Here is a challenge for us to turn the searchlight of Truth on our own thinking. This process of honest self-examination reveals that the source of the trouble is simply our own failure to stay in the secret place of the Most High.

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