IT is recorded in the Bible that Christ Jesus sometimes withdrew to a mountain or to some other solitary place in order to commune with God. In Luke we read (6: 12), "It came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." And in Mark we are told (1:35), "In the morning, rising up a great while before day. he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

These periods of aloneness with God and apart from the pressing demands of the people were followed by wonderful healing works or the making of some decision requiring great wisdom and judgment.

At the beginning of his career, alone in the wilderness, Jesus met and conquered the aggressive suggestions of the devil or corporeal sense and was thus strengthened to start on his holy mission of presenting the Christ, Truth, to mankind. Near the close of his earthly days, on the eve of his greatest human trial, he left his disciples at a distance in the garden of Gethsemane so that he might be alone with God, commune with Him, and become more conscious of the Christ, his true, spiritual being.

These periods of prayer brought great spiritual refreshment, inspiration, and a growing unfoldment of good. They were periods of triumph over a mortal sense of self, of complete surrender to God, of hearing the divine voice and feeling the divine presence.

The demands made upon Jesus for healing and teaching were great; yet he took the time to be alone, to withdraw from the clamor of the material senses to the pure atmosphere of Spirit. Here he could do his consecrated, unhurried praying relatively undisturbed. He no doubt knew the importance of this work, and, even though it sometimes had to be done through the night, he did it.

Mary Baker Eddy knew the importance of withdrawal from the world, with its insistent suggestions of evil. She tells us in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 109), "For three years after my discovery, I sought the solution of this problem of Mind-healing, searched the Scriptures and read little else, kept aloof from society, and devoted time and energies to discovering a positive rule."

Many times both before and after this experience, it was Mrs. Eddy's custom to go quietly apart in order to gain spiritual guidance, steadfastness, and more understanding and wisdom. The demands upon her time and energy after her discovery were great; yet she found the time for solitary communion with God, shutting out the blatant lies of material, erroneous thinking, and abiding in pure at-one-ment with Truth and Love.

She states in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 133): "Three times a day, I retire to seek the divine blessing on the sick and sorrowing, with my face toward the Jerusalem of Love and Truth, in silent prayer to the Father which 'seeth in secret,' and with childlike confidence that He will reward 'openly.' In the midst of depressing care and labor I turn constantly to divine Love for guidance, and find rest."

Although our lives should constantly be imbued with right thinking or prayer, we too need to withdraw periodically from the confusion of daily activities to purify, stabilize, uplift, and refresh our thinking, to strengthen our trust in Spirit, and to deny the claims of matter. In the quietness of this sweet sanctuary of prayer, apart from the world, we may entertain the Holy Ghost, divine Science, and perceive with clarity the Christ, Truth. Thus we too may bring inspiration and healing to those with whom we come in contact.

Sometimes we have to fight for this priceless time of communion with our Father so that it cannot be taken from us. More than once during the day we need to retire to our mountaintop of inspiration and unfoldment.

Mortal mind would try to stifle the soaring thought with suggestions of material activities to be attended to: a telephone call to make, a letter to write, an errand to do at the store. Diverting suggestions must be silenced before we can enter into the true sense of prayer.

Only through singleness of thought may we reach that Holy of Holies where Truth is revealed in all its perfection and potency. Thus only do we gain the healing consciousness that effuses love, that manifests Christ, that impersonally blesses one's neighbor, that reaches out and touches with Christlike gentleness others who are ready to receive the Christ. This is the consciousness that guards against accident or attack, that knows no irritation, no hasty report, that does not resent or take offense, that is not sensitive or hurt.

Moments of earnest, quiet prayer illustrate the blending of the human with the divine, imbuing the human consciousness with power and strength from the divine source. Such quiet moments do not mean the shutting off of oneself entirely from friends and the activities and joys of daily living, but rather do such moments enhance these activities and glorify them, painting them with diviner hues.

In Christian Science we are provided with means to foster quiet, uninterrupted meditation and study. The Christian Science Reading Room is such a place. There we may go and be alone with God in pure communion, growing in grace and understanding. In this sanctuary we may rest undisturbed by telephone calls, doorbell ringing, and other household interruptions. Also the two Sanatoriums of the Christian Science Benevolent Association are appropriate places where one may go for periods of study and spiritual refreshment.

These periods of withdrawal are precious experiences, for they arm us to go into the world, loving more, forgiving more, healing more. A sweet, blessed communion with God leaves us aglow with spiritual light, wanting to give to our neighbor and equipped to meet any adversary. It leaves us surer of the truth and able to see beauty evidenced all around us. And it enables us to reach the heights of divine Science here in our present state of existence.