Gifts of "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh"

LUDA F. CORLEY

WE read in the second chapter of Matthew that the Wisemen upon seeing the "star in the east" followed its gleam until it rested over where lay the young child, Jesus. They carried with them gifts of "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh," and laid them at his feet when they did him reverence. We of this age are also awakening to the gleam of Truth piercing the night of materiality, even to that message of light and joy and gladness given to the world by Mary Baker Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

If we follow the gleam in an earnest, honest effort to find Christ, Truth, we too shall carry gifts—not necessarily material gold, but the gold of thought, purified and refined, laying with due reverence at the feet of Truth sound, wholesome, clean lives. As gold is the most malleable of all the metals, so thought, to be an acceptable gift, must become pliable to the influence of good; it must be endued with the humility of a little child, with tenderness, patience, meekness, with love undefiled. It is only as thought is cleansed of self that Truth can be discerned. We should carry with us the currency of loving-kindness; for just as gold is used as currency, so loving-kindness buys, or wins, its way.

For frankincense we may carry the incense of gratitude, which is indeed "a sweetsmelling savour," a most fragrant virtue—gratefulness for every destruction of error in our thought, for every overcoming of material or false belief, gratefulness which enables us to rejoice every step of the way in Science leading upward and outward. To be truly grateful for good is also to be glad when our brother takes a forward step in his journey from sense to Soul; to be as pleased over his demonstrations as we are over our own, since error is impersonal, and the Father loves all of His children alike. If we can do this, then it may be said that we have carried an acceptable gift; for such gratitude is the perfume which emanates from unselfed love.

Cooperation, or the ability to work in harmony with our brother, is also a fragrant incense; so is helpfulness, that state depicted in the verse from Isaiah, "The carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved." The carpenter's work was different from the goldsmith; he was busy with the plane and the saw. Then might he not have claimed that his own work required all of his time and thought? We may, however, be sure that if the carpenter was listening for divine Love's directing voice, his kindly word of appreciation or encouragement cheered and strengthened the goldsmith, and enabled him to make a better ornament or vessel of gold, so that the building upon which they were both working might be the more beautiful. It requires only a moment from our own endeavor, in fitly joining together our part of the building, to fasten our brother's work with the nails of impersonal, scientific right thought.

We may carry hope, the quality which looks forward with confidence and the expectation of receiving more of Truth's appearing, hope that sees Truth dissolve the clouds which seem to appear on the mental horizon until only the silvern light of harmony is visible. We may carry cheerfulness too—so happy ourselves, that others will see and feel the beneficent effect and inquire the reason for the joy that is within us. Also there will be readiness and preparedness to tell this reason in language so wise, yet so simple, that the new traveler in the desert of human hopes may not be offended, but go away inspired, like ourselves, to follow the gleaming star.

The myrrh the Wisemen carried was much prized as a fragrant spice. For our myrrh we may carry service, which, to impart relish or flavor, must be spontaneous, freely given, and with the right motive. In Science and Health (p. 454) Mrs. Eddy says, "Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching." With this right motive none can hinder the result of service being the "signs following"—the fruit or proof of the worthiness of the gift. We may also carry the spice of glowing enthusiasm for the cause of good, and willingness to serve because of the joy of service. And we shall carry deeds actuated by divine Love, if our motive in following the star is sincere, remembering all the while that, as stated in one of our loved hymns,

" 'T is in deeds we serve the Master,—
Words are idle, empty prayer;
All our Christian life a pretense,
If the deeds are wanting there."

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