Seeking Higher Ground

ELIZABETH G. MC KINSTRY

Much of the distress and upheaval so apparent in world affairs today may be attributed not only to a lack of understanding among nations and peoples, but most of all to a lack of a definite understanding of God and of man's relationship to Him. If all men were honestly striving for more spirituality, striving to obtain a better knowledge of God, divine Principle, how much of the discord evidenced on every hand would melt away, and what a delightful world we should be living in!

Students of Christian Science are grateful that they are having a part in bringing to mankind a better understanding of God and His perfect creation, and of what He does for all. This is being very definitely accomplished through the activities of The Mother Church and its branches throughout the world, especially through the published word as sent forth from The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston. The truth about God and His creation, as revealed in Christian Science, is thus made available to all who desire surcease from the difficulties that would continually annoy and harass them. This does not mean that one's problems suddenly disappear merely through the acceptance of Christian Science and its teachings; but it does mean that one is enabled to rejoice that he has found a satisfactory means of solution of his problems. Because of the very nature of God, one finds that there is always room for a larger, fuller, better understanding of Him as infinite good. This unfoldment goes on continually, because of the limitless nature of infinity. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," (p. 258), "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis."

During certain floods in the Middle West of the United States the word of warning went out by radio to the residents of the lowlands that they should move to higher ground. The river was rising rapidly, and it was considered probable that it would overflow its banks in a short time. One who had been a student of Christian Science for many years heard the warning, and, although in no danger from high water herself, felt a keen desire to help those in distress, and realized the need to think rightly about the situation in order to bless all concerned. She realized that "for right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence" (ibid., p. 492). Reversing the material evidence with the spiritual facts of being, she immediately saw that this was but a call to seek higher ground mentally, the higher ground of spiritual understanding, where safety lies. Not only in times of floods and disaster, but at all times, we need to turn from the low level of materiality or mortal mind thinking to the high level of Truth.

Christian Science is enabling its followers to do this, by continually calling them to come up to the level of true thinking. This thought is beautifully exemplified in the words of the Psalmist, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." And in the closing lines of the same Psalm the assurance is thus given: "I will set him on high, because he hath known my name." Therefore it was not surprising to find, after a night of anxious waiting on the part of some, that although some lowlands were flooded, the river, spreading over them its fertile deposit, soon subsided, without any loss of life or serious damage to the community.

How absolutely necessary it is, then, when the tempests and floods of mortal belief would sweep over us, to turn to the higher ground of spiritual understanding, and find refuge and safety! How comforting to find, as the morning light of Truth shines forth on our problem, whatever it may be, that we have not been harmed, but have really been benefited through more consecrated seeking and finding! In an address to the Concord church, in 1899, Mrs. Eddy expressed this admonition: "Remember, thou canst be brought into no condition, be it ever so severe, where Love has not been before thee and where its tender lesson is not awaiting thee. Therefore despair not nor murmur, for that which seeketh to save, to heal, and to deliver, will guide thee, if thou seekest this guidance" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, pp. 149, 150).

The student of Christian Science is deeply and humbly grateful for this understanding of God that enables him to recognize where his safety really lies; and he diligently maintains the effort spiritually to rise to higher ground. Whatever his problem may be, he knows that the answer is already in Mind. He learns to settle and establish his thinking upon a spiritual basis, and thereby avoid the discords that would sweep him along with the tide of mortal beliefs. Is not the lifting up of the Christ in human consciousness what the Master meant when he said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me"?

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