PERSPECTIVE ON THE NEWS October 1, 1979 Issue

Perspective on the Perspective

A woman watched out the window of her study as fifty- to sixty-mile-an-hour winds swept the trees in her yard back at a perilously oblique angle. But the worse was still to come—or so reports indicated.

According to predictions, the incoming tide would inundate homes along the shore, force evacuation, and cause extensive damage. As the woman—a Christian Scientist—prayed to gain a glimpse of God's control of man and the environment, she looked up Mrs. Eddy's definition of "wind" in the Glossary of Science and Health. It begins, "That which indicates the might of omnipotence and the movements of God's spiritual government, encompassing all things."^{Science and Health, p. 597;} She then reasoned somewhat along these lines: "Right where uncontrolled material force seems to be raging, right there is the might of God's omnipotence demonstrating the supremacy of good." In a few moments her turmoil gave way to a total assurance of the God-established peace of His universe.

What happened immediately after was recorded in next day's newspaper: "Then at about 3:15 p.m. the northeasterly wind which at high tide would have most probably put shoreline homes awash, abruptly changed to northwest, leveling breakers rolling in from the Sound."^{Greenwich Time, September 13, 1960;} Even though the tide was still coming in, the water began moving away from the shore. Interestingly, the photograph below the headline reading "Town Escapes Full Fury Of Hurricane As Wind Shifts" showed the woman's house, water lapping the back stairs.