"Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." No counsel is more pertinent to the student of Christian Science or fraught with more wisdom than this of the Revelator's in his message to the church of Philadelphia. What is this, to which one must hold fast? Surely the vision of the Christ, Truth, and the spiritual understanding of its demonstrable power. No matter how slight that understanding may seem to be, how dim the light of vision, one must hold fast the least gleam which he has that it may grow and glow in ever-increasing splendor and power.

One holds fast that which he has and keeps his crown of joy in demonstration only as, through understanding of spiritual ideas and qualities, he increases his holdings of love and intelligence, joy and peace, accepting and reflecting the Mind of Christ. He thus learns to distinguish and reject the claims of sense even when they come in the beguiling guise of good, offering substance, intelligence, pleasure, even life itself, in matter. One may not rest content with holding fast just enough to "get by with," to keep himself comfortable and harmonious in his so-called human living. The spiritual holding must ever increase unto the perfect day of Spirit and conscious reflected spirituality.

Sometimes one's crown seems to have been hardly won, in the midst of mortal mind's most confusing, tempting, and terrifying aspects. Many Christian Science students, for example, have gone through the deeply testing time of modern warfare, and have come through the battle with clear eyes and strong hearts, wearing the crown of victory. They have seen disease healed, disaster averted, the claim of death annulled, through demonstration of the scientific Christianity they have been taught. To these is reiterated strongly the wise counsel of old, "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

Many are the arguments that may seek to take the crown of rejoicing from those who have thus won it. Perhaps the belief of reaction may assail them as they return from stirring events—from the constant demands made on their understanding of Truth and the great and pressing necessities to demonstrate Truth in its instancy as well as its constancy. This mental foe of dullness, monotony of daily routine, is just as worthy our shining armor as the so-called physical enemy with his shot and shell, bombs and prisons. We must not let the enemy arguments of mental apathy, of idleness, or of dullness steal our crown of steadfast, joyous activity in truth, the joy of the Christ, which no man taketh from us. On page 191 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" Mary Baker Eddy says: "Continue steadfast in love and good works. Children of light, you are not children of darkness. Let your light shine. Keep in mind the foundations of Christian Science—one God and one Christ."

Another argument that may come to these returned students is that there seems not to be a very hearty welcome for their fresh vision and strong hope, no true appreciation of their tested power of demonstration. There may seem to be in church organizations too much contentment with maintaining a well-ordered organization without progressive spiritual advancement which results in increased healings. Certain lines of experience may have tended to crystallize into tradition. There may seem to be the complacency of comfort in material well-being, and the desire to provide many material comforts and pleasures. These and other arguments may present themselves, offering less than had been expected of spiritual substance and activity, spiritual joy and aspiration. Then is the time to watch carefully that a sense of disappointment and letdown or an immersion in pleasurable diversions does not dim inspiration and eventually take one's crown.

That which one has is always an individual holding, the crown an individual crown won through individual effort, and maintained by individual at-one-ment with God. This at-one-ment is an eternal covenant of joy and power that nothing can break or annul, a covenant that demands vigilance of watch and obedience to revealed truth. It demands that one maintain the vigor of his vision and the surety of his understanding, and this promise, given through the prophet Isaiah, remains for him: "The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed: but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

On page 266 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says: "The spirit of lies is abroad. Because Truth has spoken aloud, error, running to and fro in the earth, is screaming, to make itself heard above Truth's voice. The audible and inaudible wail of evil never harms Scientists, steadfast in their consciousness of the nothingness of wrong and the supremacy of right."

Imperative indeed is the call to every Christian Scientist to hold fast that which he has that he may not through any audible or inaudible wail of error fail to hear and heed the voice of Truth. He will not, through any argument of apathy, doubt, discouragement, pleasurable diversion, daily monotony, or smug complacency, lose his light of vision, his shining armor, his power of demonstration, his crown of rejoicing. Hear the call of that great scientific and Christian warrior St. Paul in his message to the Galatians: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Margaret Morrison