IN I Kings we read of an experience which befell Elijah, "the man of God," while he was endeavoring to turn the Israelites from the worship of Baal. Because of his radical warfare against the prophets of this false deity, Elijah incurred the enmity of Jezebel, and was forced to flee into the wilderness to escape her vengeance. We are told that he had gone but a short distance when, evidently overcome by discouragement and fear, he "sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die."

The Biblical account relates that as the prophet slept an angel came to him, arousing him to behold food and drink already laid before him. After partaking of this fare, he again lay down under the tree, and was again roused by the angelic command to "arise and eat." Obeying the second time, Elijah was sufficiently strengthened to start his journey out of the wilderness, and although he had gone but a day's march when discouragement overtook him, he was now able to travel "in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God," where he lodged in a cave to await God's further commands. Elijah continued to labor for the good of Israel. And later it is recorded that his final departure from mortal sight was so glorious that it appeared to his companion, Elisha, to be accompanied by horses and chariots of fire.

Spiritually interpreted, is not Elijah's experience in the wilderness often paralleled in one's own experience? When beset by some severe trial, is not one prone to yield temporarily to hopelessness and inertia? There may even come to a sufferer at such a time, as there apparently did to the prophet, the suggestion that death, oblivion, would be preferable to the struggle to resist and overcome the formidable error with which he seems to be afflicted. However, even if one understands but little of Christian Science, he knows that death is an enemy, not a friend. And he realizes, too, that death can never solve one's problems, for he is cognizant of the Scriptural teaching, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death," and of the words of Mary Baker Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 291), where she has written, "As death findeth mortal man, so shall he be after death, until probation and growth shall effect the needed change." When faced with a severe problem, the student can understand that since each must eventually overcome all the claims of evil that appear to him, he may as well start this work and confidently carry it on in the present moment.

As the angel came to Elijah in his dark hour, so to the student of Christian Science, be he an experienced worker or just a beginner, there is sure to come in times of tribulation angelic inspiration, arousing him from the mesmerism of fear and despair, and encouraging him to utilize the help which is at hand. His textbooks, the Bible and Science and Health, set forth the healing truth which, when understandingly applied by himself, or with the help of a consecrated Christian Science practitioner, will bring deliverance from any discordant condition, however overpowering it may appear to human sense.

As the troubled one reaches out for spiritual aid, and humbly follows the guidance of divine Love—even though, like Elijah, he does not immediately see the way to progress out of his difficulties—he will gain the spiritual strength and courage to journey out of the wilderness of mortal beliefs into which he has strayed, up to the mount of spiritual understanding, where healing appears and he finds himself restored to his normal state of harmony and usefulness. Through his experiences of overcoming false beliefs, the Christian Scientist learns that, no matter what form it may assume, error is always powerless and unreal, without any law to support it, and that it disappears before an increasing understanding of Christianly scientific truth.

In our overcoming of the claims of mortal sense, Christ Jesus is our perfect Exemplar. His healing works were never protracted or laborious, but complete, glorious, usually instantaneous. When told of the sickness of his friend Lazarus, the Master said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God." And later he overcame "the last enemy" when he called Lazarus forth from the grave, where he had lain for four days, thus proving the eternality of Life, God.

Mrs. Eddy so clearly discerned the Principle underlying the works of Christ Jesus that she was able to heal in a like manner, relieving all forms of human suffering. Through years of unselfish labor, oftentimes attended by trials and persecutions, she established the Christian Science movement, and gave to the world her textbook, so that we, in turn, may demonstrate the rules of this metaphysical system of healing, in overcoming the ills—the sin, the sickness, and the sorrow—of material existence.

If we find ourselves entangled in some wilderness experience, the need may be that we examine our thinking to be sure that we are not harboring in our consciousness false, destructive qualities, such as hate, resentment, jealousy, worry, ill-nature, selfishness, self-pity, revenge, or intolerance of the human failings of others. When afflictive circumstances or the wrong actions of others have deceived us into such an erroneous practice, we shall find that, if habitually entertained, discordant thoughts are certain to bring upon us discordant conditions. Many sufferers have been healed of diseases, including those of a supposedly incurable type, and others have found their way out of seemingly insurmountable difficulties, when they have purified their thinking, when, through Christian Science, they have learned to reject the false, aggressive suggestions of mortal mind, and to reflect, instead, true, constructive, loving qualities, such as unselfishness, kindness, patience, charitableness, forgiveness, and trust in good. Our Leader writes (Science and Health, p. 569), "He that touches the hem of Christ's robe and masters his mortal beliefs, animality, and hate, rejoices in the proof of healing,—in a sweet and certain sense that God is Love."

One student has been grateful for an uncovering of error in her consciousness which occurred some years ago, while she was seeking a physical healing. While talking to a Christian Science practitioner she stated that she was extremely nervous, and also inclined to be temperamental. With spiritual insight, the practitioner discerned the mental cause of the bodily trouble, which was a case of what is called eczema. She led the student to realize that what she called nervousness and temperament, in her case was comprised largely of irritability and self-centeredness. The false beliefs having been unmasked to her as wholly erroneous, the student no longer sought justification for them, and as she gained some degree of mastery over these and other unlovely traits of disposition, the disease gradually disappeared, and she found her relationship with others becoming more harmonious.

That he has found it necessary to overcome some discordant claim of mortal belief should not be cause for self-condemnation discouragement on the part of the student. Rather should it be an occasion for joy and gratitude for the spiritual understanding he has gained in the experience of overcoming, and also for the increased spirituality which always accompanies a completed demonstration in Christian Science. In "No and Yes" our beloved Leader has written (p. 33), "The glory of human life is in overcoming sickness, sin, and death."

Through his victories over evil beliefs the Christian Scientist gains a clearer realization of the omnipresence and omnipotence of God, good, and is enabled thereby to experience and express more health, harmony, and freedom in his daily living.