"Arise up quickly"

TRUMAN STANLEY SKAGGS

Is there a student of Christian Science who has strayed from the straight and narrow path to indulge in a temporary gratification of the senses, and who finds it difficult to get back on the right road again? If so, let such a one "arise up quickly" from his bondage, even as "the angel of the Lord" commanded Peter to do when he was in prison, bound with chains. The ever present Christ, Truth, is speaking, through Christian Science, revealing the sure way of liberty.

A young lad was once sent on an errand. Having quite a distance to go, he obtained consent from the driver of a passing truck to have a ride. As he sat there in the back rejoicing over the fact that he did not have to walk, the truck went over a rough spot in the street, the jar being so great that it threw the lad out; but the boy was up on his feet almost instantly and running after the truck. Having caught up with it and having climbed back, he took a firm hold to keep from being thrown off again.

This same lad, now grown up and become a student of Christian Science, has often been helped by the lesson learned from that boyhood experience. He had accepted Christian Science with a firm conviction, never doubting that it would meet any need when properly applied; so with consecrated study and the occasional aid of a Christian Science practitioner, many difficulties had been overcome. Physical complaints, financial troubles, and many false appetites had yielded readily to the understanding of this great truth, benefits for which he sang praises. The time came, however, when he began to neglect his reading and study of this precious Science. The Lessons from the Christian Science Quarterly were scanned in a slipshod manner, as were the Christian Science periodicals; in fact, as the wise man said, he was as a son "that sleepeth in harvest." Things were going along beautifully, he thought, and there seemed no need of much studying; but there came a rough spot in the road, and he could not seem to make the grade; in other words, he found himself facing many, many problems.

Then he began to condemn himself for having been negligent about his study and application of Christian Science, but soon found out that such an attitude got him nowhere; however, he thought of that boyhood experience and recalled how at the time he had not stood in the street whining and wondering why he had fallen, but had got up at once and regained his place on the truck, taking a firmer hold to keep him from falling again. With this in thought the student was reminded of Mrs. Eddy's words concerning "them that love God" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 10): "Their God will not let them be lost; and if they fall they shall rise again, stronger than before the stumble."

The student realized then and there that he must "arise up quickly" from the imprisoning thoughts of self-pity and self-condemnation into the understanding of God and of His relationship to man, as taught and proved in Christian Science. He obeyed the angel-thought, "Arise up quickly;" and as in Peter's case, as recorded in Acts, his chains began to fall "off from his hands," chains of self-satisfaction, fear, anxiety, to be replaced with humility, courage, peace, and the divine assurance that God, infinite Mind, forever guides and protects His children.

Strengthened by such experiences, and gaining a greater sense of freedom than ever before, each one of us may determine to press on and make every effort to enjoy the liberty of continuous right thinking. Desiring and striving to be loyal, meek, obedient, alert, loving, and compassionate Christian Scientists, it is well for us to keep before our thought the significance of the lines quoted by Mrs. Eddy in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 194), where she says,

"May you 'Who stood the storm when seas were rough,
Ne'er in a sunny hour fall off.'"

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