PERSEVERANCE

MABEL S. THOMSON

In furnishing a house, how charming it is to dwell upon the finishing touches which make the drawing-room a thing of beauty, which give such character to the library that every one who looks in exclaims, "Here is a room where I could read in comfort!" But, alas! experience has taught that no matter how artistically furnished the home may be, it is by no means satisfactory if the kitchen stove be out of order; no amount of embroidered cushions in the drawing-room will make up for a deficiency of hot water in the bathroom.

It is much the same with character; the essentials lie, not in the graces of speech or the perfection of manners or accomplishments, useful though these be in their right place, but in the common virtues of patience, humility, perseverance. The importance of the last of these qualities in the practice of Christian Science cannot be overrated, and no one can tell how many times the student has failed to gather the full fruition of his work, just through this lack at the eleventh hour. "Let us not be weary in well doing," says the apostle, "for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." The trouble with so many of us seems to be that we think the "due season" must be the moment we begin to do our necessary work, forgetting that possibly the trouble may have arisen just through lack of fidelity in the past, and that before we can reap we must have sown. In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 127), our Leader reminds us that we only gain the blessing when the heart is "conformed to a fitness to receive the answer to its desire," and in Science and Health (p. 462), we read that"selfdenial, sincerity, Christianity, and persistence alone win the prize."

Among the heroes of the Bible stories there are many examples of perseverance and of the lack of it, with the corresponding results. Abraham, who in the Glossary in Science and Health stands for fidelity, seems to have possessed the quality of perseverance in a marked degree. Moses, on the other hand, at a critical moment failed to persevere in the well-doing which had distinguished him, and falling under an impulse of the human will he lost his right of entrance into the promised land. Peter, of course, is another notable instance of the lack of perseverance, and so in a moment of extreme fear he began to sink; whereas, perseverance would surely have enabled him to reach the place where his Master stood, dominating the waves. Again, in the garden of Gethsemane, there was a lamentable lack of persistence among the apostles, every one of them failing to watch even the "one hour" the Master had asked, while he alone "held uncomplaining guard over a world" (Science and Health, p. 48).

But perhaps the history of St. Paul's work brings out most vividly the contrast between perseverance and the lack of it. If, at the most critical point of his career, he had persevered in well-doing, and had not made the appeal to Caesar, the history of the whole Christian church might have been different. "Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar." This one incident is sufficient to bring home to us the stupendous necessity which is laid upon each one to continue in the right course. Thank God! that in this age one has been found willing and able to manifest the sublime quality of perseverance in well-doing in the highest degree.

Perhaps Paul learned his lesson through that one experience, for on the journey to Rome he certainly rose to a very great height in the matter of perseverance and under conditions which make his example of supreme importance to all those who are practising Christian Science. During the storm which drove the ship on the coast of Malta, Paul worked, as we should say in our practice, incessantly, abstaining apparently from both food and rest, until he felt certain that the demonstration of safety was made for all who were with him. Sometimes the Christian Scientist stops praying before that point is reached in consciousness, and so error robs him of the fruition of his labors.

There is a story told of Paul and Thekla which illustrates the same point. During one of the waves of persecution of the Christians which broke out in Nero's reign, Thekla was subjected to torture, Paul, so the story runs, being at the time hidden by his disciples in a cave. There he continued in prayer for Thekla, and when she was finally rescued and went to assure him of her safety, she found him still engaged in prayer for her deliverance. In other words, he did not cease to persevere in well-doing until he was convinced that the fruit of that right thinking and right action was assured.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit