Excerpted from Safety BLANCHE HERSEY HOGUE          The task of the Christian Scientist is to manifest "God's attributes and power" by reflecting, expressing, divine Mind, and this through a fidelity as steadfast as is that of the reflection in the mirror of its original. The Christian Scientist learns, also, to protect the integrity of spiritual reflection from the aggressions of the material senses, that he be not robbed of his conscious oneness with divine qualities. In this spiritual progress he does not take for granted carelessly or casually this profound truth of divine protection. He knows he must secure it by every possible sacrifice of materiality, of the false sense of self. He finds it as he finds the continuity of his true spiritual being in divine Mind, God.          A noteworthy incident, occurring a number of years ago and related in part at that time in the Christian Science Sentinel, testifies to the safety which even in extreme circumstances is provided by the application of Christian Science.          A young mining engineer, accompanied by his wife, both of them devoted students of Christian Science, went deep into a great forest in the northwest section of the United States to examine a mine. The day they arrived at their proposed camp they found themselves menaced by a forest fire of tremendous proportions, and were swiftly surrounded by it so that apparently there was no way of escape. For more than seven hours they, with five miners, battled with the flames, beating out the fire upon one another's clothing, going down to the ground many times for a breath of air, seeking the apparent places of least destruction in the seething furnace of a whole mountainside. During these hours the two Christian Scientists maintained without a break their unwavering declarations of the power and presence of God to save them; declaring that His presence went with them, that the real man and the real earth are spiritual, not material, and that no destructive force could touch them.          Finally, at a terrifying crisis which threatened to sweep them all away, the wife called to her husband: "Oh, let's despise the danger; God never made it! This would have to destroy God before it could destroy His reflection." They clung to that great metaphysical fact, consciously maintaining their stand in Spirit, as spiritual ideas, and rejoicing in their refuge in divine Love. They realized with thanksgiving that the real man, as God's image and likeness, is just as safe as God Himself, and they claimed that safety in that hour. They rose to acknowledge revelation as Christian Science has brought it to the world, and they saw the power of the spiritual idea subdue the danger. This supreme moment turned the situation. They knew their victory, and very shortly all found their way to the back of the fire through a long green, unburned path which the flames had passed around and left untouched.          These students in their extremity applied the revelation, through Christian Science, that spiritual man, as the likeness of God, as idea in divine Mind, is just as safe as is God. They saw clearly that according to the figure in the mirror, the original must be reached before the reflection can be touched. Their years of faithful study and practice of Christian Science had so spiritualized their thought that in the hour of threatened devastation they could become aware of man as God's reflection, and of the universe as spiritual. The tangible actuality of spiritual creation, safe within God's knowledge of His ideas, came to their comprehension as a saving angel.          This instance of inspired deliverance can encourage all to rely upon spiritual understanding for the safety so constantly needed. Spiritually undefended human goodness, in the dream of life in matter, is not secure. To surmount chance and disaster, such goodness must be consciously controlled and protected by the law of God. Seeking spiritual understanding means seeking safety. For the reflection of divine Mind brings into present human experience that which the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science calls, on page 561 of Science and Health, "the human and divine coincidence;" brings into actual demonstration the unity of God and man as Mind and Mind's indestructible idea.          Mrs. Eddy has written on page 424 of Science and Health, "Under divine Providence there can be no accidents, since there is no room for imperfection in perfection." The word "accident" is usually associated with that which is misfortune or mishap, but according to the dictionaries it means any interference with regular law, order, or purpose. Therefore, a happening or circumstance or condition of any kind not conforming to the intent of the law of God, could, broadly speaking, be classified as accident. The faithful reflecting of divine Mind stands guard against these mortal irregularities as the refuge and fortress, the shield and buckler, the deliverance from snare and pestilence and destruction and plague which the Psalmist discerned in what he called "the secret place of the most High."          Not only understanding, but application and deportment enter into the question of demonstrating divinely established safety. If one is to experience safety, he must make concrete in his daily life the truth which is itself safe. The reflection of divine Mind must occupy one's thought consistently and be expressed accurately in correct conduct if it is to determine one's experience.   Excerpted from "Safety" by Blanche Hersey Hogue The Christian Science Journal, December, 1937

 

| Home | Library |

Copyright © 1996-2005 CSEC