Waters from a Rock

R. STANHOPE EASTERDAY

One of the fundamentals of Christian Science, namely, the fact that Spirit and not matter is substantial, came very vividly to the thought of the writer while he was sitting one summer day in the shadow of a great rock on the Massachusetts coast. The rock was so hard and enduring that it has effectually withstood the stupendous pounding of the forces of the deep during perchance thousands of centuries. This recalled an incident of healing which it was the great privilege of the writer to experience a few years ago while in the midst of the surroundings of our Leader's home on Chestnut Hill.

Just prior to a meeting of the state committees on publication in Boston at the time, he was suffering from a physical condition that was extremely distressing and that was of such a nature as to induce harassing fears of malignant development. Throughout the inspiring period of the sessions there was, despite his humble hopes to the contrary, no perceptible manifestation of relief. Finally, on the concluding day of the meeting he was invited by a local member of the Christian Science church to ride with him to Mrs. Eddy's home, and on arriving there was accorded the privilege of a stroll in the gardens while awaiting the time for returning.

Approaching one of the gigantic boulders that dotted the grounds, the writer gave it an inquistive prod with his cane and bethought him as usual of the interesting evidence in such formations of the apparent stability of "mother earth," and of their mute record of the ponderous unfolding of the cycles of time. Almost instantly, however, there came the thought that the woman who was in the house on that hill had revealed to us the astonishing but incontrovertible fact that this seeming matter is not substance at all; that Spirit is the only real substance and the only causation. With this thought there came immediately an unspeakable sense of peace, which in the course of an hour unfolded into the realization of complete freedom from suffering. Like the woman who had "touched the hem" of the Master's garment, he too was healed.

Slowly the fact has since unfolded that this was none other than a veritable "wilderness" experience; that again God had turned "the flint into a fountain of waters," bringing cleansing and healing. Furthermore, in this experience there had been again established for him, beyond all contravention, the affirmative answer to the age-long and well-nigh universal doubt, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" Thus the comforting assurance has unfolded to consciousness that the real significance of the term "wilderness," as we find on page 597 of Science and Health, is not alone "loneliness; doubt; darkness," but that this term implies as well, to every honest heart, "the vestibule in which a material sense of things disappears, and spiritual sense unfolds the great facts of existence."

In thus sharing this quickening experience with others, the writer is reminded of the fact that such spiritual compass of the divine possibilities is, like true worship, confined to no time and to no spot. The invitation is, "Ho, every one that thirsteth," and our Leader's benign affirmation in corroboration thereof (Science and Health, p. 13) is a clarion note of hope to all humanity: "Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals."

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