In an article in "Miscellaneous Writings" called "An Allegory" Mary Baker Eddy presents the everpresent Christ as saying (p. 328), "Make thine own way; and if thou strayest, listen for the mountain-horn, and it will call thee back to the path that goeth upward." What a clear directive for listening for the things of Spirit!

What is "listening"? Mrs. Eddy implies what it means in her definition of "ears" in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 585) where she says, "Not organs of the so-called corporeal senses, but spiritual understanding." Listening with the ears of spiritual understanding, we gain Spirit's revelation of all that is spiritual, we perceive the unfoldment of the truth of being. This listening, the manifestation of spiritual sense, reflects Soul's realization of its own perfection. Spiritual listening makes one conscious of Life's unfoldment of the Holy of Holies, Truth's expression of the scientific fact of being—the governing control of all-inclusive Truth. It causes one to perceive Love's outpouring of infinite, illimitable goodness, expressing itself in man's perfect living.

Listening then with spiritual understanding, we receive Mind's revelation of itself to mankind and see our unity with the Father as actually the children of God's creating. We see expressed the one perfect consciousness, which constitutes, maintains, and governs man and the universe. Through this listening we demonstrate Principle's listening law, which not only enforces itself as the immutable law of Spirit but, revealing itself to the so-called human consciousness, refutes all spurious claims of material law. Thus the chatter of mortal mind, which would confuse and which would claim to enforce its flimsy beliefs as law, is made void.

A dictionary says that to listen means to attend closely for the purpose of hearing, to heed or trust what is heard. Then since it is the nature of listening to heed that which is heard, let us ever be alert to listen only for the things of Spirit, which call us to the upward path, that our human experience may be increasingly happy and harmonious.

To listen in our daily experience is to express that quality of thought which is ever loving, ever beholding the perfection of God's creation. To listen is to reflect that purity of perfection which connotes quiet and peace in the human consciousness. This purity precludes the possibility of materiality, precludes the acceptance of personal sense testimony. It refutes and casts out all that is unlike the Christ-consciousness; for to listen to the mountain horn is to be governed by Spirit, to realize the ever-present Christ, that manifestation of Love which comes to awaken human consciousness to the things of Spirit—to spiritual perfection.

Someone may say, "It is all very well to talk about listening, but I listened and I didn't hear anything." To listen successfully requires a determination to hear, an outpouring of affection for good from within, a consecrated, quiet communion with divine Mind, a declaration of man's unity with the Father. It necessitates a recognition of the all-inclusive Christ-consciousness and willingness to hear even though the hearing destroys the most cherished mortal opinions. To listen is to express a desire for the gloification of the Father's name, a desire which turns from personal sense and the self-aggrandizement of mortal ambition to the peace and quiet of right thinking. There is no stress or strain in listening to the things of Spirit, just a joyous identification with the Father in the recognition of man's spiritual perfection.

Jesus listened for the things of Spirit and consequently demonstrated spiritual perfection in his human experience. It is related in the Bible that as Jesus talked of his coming trial and crucifixion he turned in prayer to God with the words (John 12:28), "Father, glorify thy name." His answer was immediate, for there was no desire for personal glorification, which could separate him from Spirit, the source of his being. It is interesting to note that the people who stood by heard the voice from heaven which answered him, according to their individual ability to perceive God. Some said it thundered, some that an angel had spoken to Jesus; but the Christ-consciousness heard the comforting promise of the glorification of the Father's name, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." That state of consciousness which turns, completely unselfed, to glorify the Father's name expresses perfect listening and always receives the immediate and perfect answer.

Listening for the mountain horn may not be accomplished in a moment; but the outpouring blessings which result from persistent listening for the things of Spirit are beyond all mortal expectations. To listen spiritually is not a difficult task, but it requires earnestness, self-denial, and Christian living.

A student of Christian Science awakened in the night in pain. She picked up a pencil and paper and asked herself the question, "What is body, and what does it mean to me in my experience?" Then she listened and wrote as Mind, Spirit, directed. As the true concept of body as real identity, as Soul's embodiment, Spirit's expression, flooded her consciousness, the restlessness of the human body was stilled. During this time of spiritual inspiration memories of the past which had left sore spots in her thinking came up one after another to be wiped out of consciousness. The sore spot in her body disappeared during this experience, which seemed to continue for about an hour, and in the morning she arose free and spiritually awakened, for she had realized man's spiritual perfection through listening for Mind's revelation. Listening to God expresses spiritual activity, which is made manifest to the human consciousness as healing.

To listen, then, is to contemplate the real man's oneness, or unity, with the Father; to affirm Mind's spiritual perfection, expressed by spiritual man, Mind's image and likeness; to manifest that element of thought which hears and heeds. The listening consciousness is the obedient consciousness.

Would we be healed and be free and harmonious? Then let us listen for the mountain horn which calls us from the path of Spirit. Mrs. Eddy says in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 152): "To-day, if ye would hear His voice, listen to His Word and serve no other gods. Then the divine Principle of good, that we call God, will be found an everpresent help in all things, and Christian Science will be understood."