Article July 19, 1952 Issue

"MY PEN AND PRUNING-HOOK"

HENRIETTA P. YOUNG

Happily today in these testing times heavy hearts are more and more turning to the Bible and finding needed comfort, support, and cheer. From cover to cover this priceless Book of books presents timeless healing truths. So let us turn to it daily, if need be hourly, and try to read it with spiritual understanding. The predictions, the promises, the instructions, the statesmanship of the prophets of old, and especially the teachings and healings of the greatest prophet and lawgiver of all ages, Christ Jesus, will never fail to show the way to light, liberty, life, and peace. And if in conjunction with our study of the Bible we carefully utilize the key provided for us by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," we shall find that it will unlock a veritable treasure-trove, an inexhaustible supply of wealth for every human need.

Recently the attention of a student of Christian Science was caught by Mrs. Eddy's arresting words "my pen and pruning-hook" in the Preface to another of her invaluable books, "Miscellaneous Writings." Here she states (pp. xi, xii), "In compiling this work, I have tried to remove the pioneer signs and ensigns of war, and to retain at this date the privileged armaments of peace." And she concludes: "With armor on, I continue the march, command and countermand; meantime interluding with loving thought this afterpiece of battle. Supported, cheered, I take my pen and pruning-hook, to 'learn war no more,' and with strong wing to lift my readers above the smoke of conflict into light and liberty." Precious words! May we today follow the example of our great Leader! May we take pen and pruning hook!

Isaiah and Micah both employed the figure of the pruning hook. These prophets foretold the coming of the Messianic reign of the Prince of Peace, when swords would be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Moffatt translates Micah's message thus (4:1–3): "In after days it shall be that the Eternal's hill shall rise. ... Nations shall stream to it, and many a people shall exclaim, 'Come, let us go to the Eternal's hill, to the house of Jacob's God, that he may instruct us in his ways." ... He will decide disputes of many races, and arbitrate between strong foreign powers, till swords are beaten into ploughshares, spears into pruning-hooks."

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