Gold has long been a symbol of what is most precious to mankind. But there's a kind of "gold" that holds more value than the crowns of monarchs or the treasuries of nations. It's found in the most noble qualities in human character: honesty, meekness, unselfishness, compassion, fidelity, and so on.

These qualities are so precious because they express a deep sense of morality and because they derive from the pure goodness of God. The exercise of moral qualities prepares the way for us to manifest more of the highest, spiritual qualities—such as holiness, wisdom, true love—that identify the real nature of man made in the likeness of God, who is infinite Spirit, divine Soul, unbounded Love.

As the moral qualities lead us away from animal instincts and toward spirituality, we are working out our salvation. We are coming to know and to express who we truly are—the untainted reflection of Spirit, the image of Soul, the representative of Love.

Yet, like the purest grade of ore mined from the earth, each golden moral quality expressed in our own lives shines brighter when it is refined. And, even if, at times, this refining should come through difficult experiences or periods of trial, the gold is always made more valuable, more useful, as the dross is eliminated.

In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, a chapter is devoted to the spiritual explanation of the book of Revelation from the Bible. At one point in this chapter Science and Health refers to the life of Christ Jesus and identifies the Christ as God's idea, which will ultimately govern all mankind with divine Science. The textbook continues, "This immaculate idea, represented first by man and, according to the Revelator, last by woman, will baptize with fire; and the fiery baptism will burn up the chaff of error with the fervent heat of Truth and Love, melting and purifying even the gold of human character." ^{Science and Health, p. 565.}

The greatest blessing that results from this refining is that we come to understand—to see—what God really is. This opens up whole new vistas of life and its meaning. We begin to glimpse what our own individual purpose is in God's grand design of creation. With the purification we come to be at peace, to be truly satisfied with who we are. We find healing. What greater blessing can there be than to know God, and thus to know ourselves as God's likeness! Our Master told his disciples, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." ^{Matt. 5:8.}

We need to know that the requirement of a pure heart doesn't exclude anyone from God's grace. Even though Godlikeness and spiritual purity may often seem far removed from one's experience, every effort at redemption and purification gives the individual a real glimpse of holiness. We can see, again and again, new facets of the radiance of divine Soul, illimitable Spirit. And we find that the brightness of this vision, shining with the light of Christ, Truth, has its own purifying effect in our consciousness. Thus in our striving to be better, more unselfish, more humble, more faithful, we gain a progressively clearer realization of the nature of God and are thereby purified even further. We're made worthy to understand even deeper truths of divinity.

In the Christian Science Hymnal there is this verse from a well-known hymn:

With the baptism of Truth, impurities of human character are removed, and we behold man's pure substance ever more perfectly, more scientifically. Yet this vision of divine goodness can only continue to bless if the vision becomes alive—if we actually put into practice what we've perceived of spiritual reality. This will include works of Christian healing; and it will include loving our neighbor as ourselves, doing for others as we would have them do for us, following the Father's will in every avenue of human endeavor.

If we live what we see when we look deep into the infinite and eternal reality of being, what we will experience will be eternal life itself. What we gain is a character transformed—and a life renewed, unlimited, abundant, and free.

WILLIAM E. MOODY

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Revelation 3:12