The Street Called Straight

JAMES ROTHWELL BATTERSBY

Recently the writer had the joyous privilege of walking along the famous street called Straight in Damascus. He could not help wondering what message lay behind the name which it has preserved since the days when Paul was divinely led there and from whence he started his illustrious career.

Obviously it is a straight street in the generally accepted sense of the word. It is typical of an un-deviating purpose, which turns neither to the right nor to the left and has one object in view—to preserve an unbroken line.

Does not this symbolize Christian Science, whose teachings reveal the need of continually keeping to the straight and narrow path of Truth? There is only one way, and the goal is ever before us. Any bends or deviations in the path that appear to human sense are certainly not of God's making, and it is our duty to see that no such misconceptions divert us from our objective.

A young student of Christian Science had a wonderful healing of bronchitis and was full of joy and gratitude on this account. Lacking the wisdom and knowledge to protect the Christ-message which had brought the healing, at the first opportunity he told a friend of his experience. The friend was not interested and at once tried to dissuade him from wasting what he called his young life on religion. There was plenty of time when he was older to start thinking about that, but for the present the thing to do was to enjoy life.

Without realizing it the young student made a bend in his street called Straight which hid the goal. He still attended church services, but fear had crept in suggesting that he might lose or have to give up some of his pleasures if he wholeheartedly accepted the teachings of Christian Science. This subtle suggestion hid some of the light which had been his, and for some time he drifted aimlessly along, having no useful activities and no incentive to grow in grace. Like Mr. Micawber of Dickens' fame, he was always hoping for something to turn up.

A Christian Science lecture proved to be the turning point. The lecturer's remarks so uplifted him that he realized he could not continue as he was. He must make a decision. There could not be any more halfway measures. Either he had to accept Christian Science or he had to leave it alone altogether. Truth prevailed, and as an interesting sidelight on the experience the very week he arrived at this decision a letter was received from his friend, two hundred miles away, to the effect that he had visited a Christian Science practitioner to ask for treatment. Very quickly the student learned that nothing had been lost, nothing given up, by his decision to walk in the straight way, but much had been gained. New and interesting activities opened up providing useful and joyous occupation, and he began to enjoy life more than ever before. In this way he proved for himself that as he sought "first the kingdom of God," other things were added.

Craftsmen of many trades are established in the street called Straight, and it occurred to the writer that the excellence of their craftsmanship, together with their honesty and integrity of purpose, might well have been the original qualification for the privilege of this address. He remembered Mary Baker Eddy's words on page 340 of "Miscellaneous Writings": "There is no excellence without labor; and the time to work, is now. Only by persistent, unremitting, straightforward toil; by turning neither to the right nor to the left, seeking no other pursuit or pleasure than that which cometh from God, can you win and wear the crown of the faithful."

An interesting feature of the street in Damascus is the roof which covers the greater portion of it, thus affording protection from the elements and enabling business to be carried on at all times without interference. The Christian Scientist knows that he, too, can carry on under all circumstances with fearless resolve. He has the continued cover and protection promised in the ninety-first Psalm to all who dwell "in the secret place of the most High." All have the opportunity of proving it for themselves. On page 152 of "Miscellaneous Writings" our Leader has written: "Thus founded upon the rock of Christ, when storm and tempest beat against this sure foundation, you, safely sheltered in the strong tower of hope, faith, and Love, are God's nestlings; and He will hide you in His feathers till the storm has passed. Into His haven of Soul there enters no element of earth to cast out angels, to silence the right intuition which guides you safely home."

Paul was but a young disciple when he left "the street which is called Straight," but his glorious example reveals that, from the time when he was baptized by Ananias at the house in this street, he was never deterred from keeping to the straight and narrow way.

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