A LESSON FROM YARN

[Of Special Interest to Children]

PAULINE WICKSTRUM REHR

Grandmother's visit was especially important to Nancy because she was learning to knit. She was working on a colorful band for her hat. While Grandmother sorted out yarn from a tangled mass in order to use it in knitting a baby's sweater, she and Nancy had a pleasant time visiting together and talking about Christian Science.

"Let us see if we can find a lesson in the work that I am doing," Grandmother said.

It did not take Nancy long to see a lesson in the work with the yarn. She discovered the end of the yarn in the basket. Pointing it out, she said, "We must always start at the right end, mustn't we?"

Grandmother agreed that this was the first step. She then turned to "Science and Health with Keyto the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy and read to her granddaughter this sentence from page 275: "The starting-point of divine Science is that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind,—that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle."

Mrs. Eddy points out to students of Christian Science the way which Christ Jesus made plain. He always started at the right end by knowing that God was his Father. Nancy had been taught in the Christian Science Sunday School that the way one should work out any problem in school or at play is to begin by thinking of God and then to think of himself and his friends as, in truth, the spiritual ideas of God.

The next step became plain when Grandmother had to stop rolling up the yarn and work quietly to undo the snarls and tangles. To handle the yarn gently with patience and care was necessary. Impatience or carelessness would make one pull the yarn and in this way break the thread or tighten the knot.

This was a good lesson for Nancy, because often her thoughts came so quickly that she was apt to speak sharply to her playmates. She dearly loved to be the leader, and she found it hard to stand aside and let someone else direct the games. But she knew that she was happier when she showed gentleness and unselfishness.

A third step, her grandmother pointed out, was perseverance. That sounded like a big word to Nancy. It means keeping right on with one's work until it is finished. Perseverance is necessary if one is to shut out suggestions of forgetfulness or of just not keeping up one's interest in the work.

After hearing the three rules, or steps, Nancy told Grandmother how the same steps had brought a healing to her little brother. He had been sent home from school because he did not feel well. At once he and Mother began at the starting point (Gen. 1:31), "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."

Her brother knew that swelling and pain were not good. Then they could not be created by God. If they were not created by God, they were not created at all. They were just like a bad dream, which seems to be real when it is not true at all.

Brother stopped being afraid as he thought of these truths. Soon the pain disappeared. Mother kept him home from school because the swelling had not disappeared. So she told him that he could play in his room and be patient and happy. He stopped being restless and was soon working and playing.

Mother continued with perseverance to hold to the fact that God is the Father-Mother and that man is God's perfect reflection. The dream of swelling and sickness disappeared because Mother and Brother were awake to Truth.

"That is a splendid testimony," said Grandmother.

"If I remember the three important steps—starting at the right end, being patient and gentle, and sticking to the work until I am finished—may I start knitting a little sweater when I am through with this band?" asked Nancy.

"Indeed you may." was Grandmother's reply.

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THE MEANING OF OMNIPOTENCE

October 4, 1958

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