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MAUD TILLERY TRUMBO
Today when many are called upon to part with loved ones, to see them go out, bound for they know not where, how comforting it is to know that God is with them; and that whether they be in the training camps, on the high seas, or in the trenches, "the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save." An experience through which a student of Christian Science passed, brought such wonderful proofs of God's protection and power that it is given here with the hope that it may prove helpful to others. A great sense of anxiety came to this student concerning a member of the family who was then residing in a distant state, and although in the letters which came there was no hint of a discordant condition, the anxiety remained. There was at the same time an earnest desire to help in some way, but error argued that there was no way in which this help could be given. The precise nature of the condition was not known, and the one for whom the anxiety was felt was many miles away, so that she could not be reached. Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 1), "Desire is prayer;" and the desire to help was answered by the still, small voice of Truth gently whispering, God is there. God is all-power. All is Mind, and to divine Mind there is no distance and no separation. The channels being thus opened for Truth's ideas, many comforting and assuring thoughts of God's protecting power quickly followed. It was seen that it was not necessary to know just what the material conditions might be, that they were in reality nothing, for all of God's ideas are sustained and protected, and that this loved one would have the strength and wisdom to meet whatever condition might present itself. The anxious feeling of human relationship was cast out, and the absent one left in God's care, with the sweet assurance that she was supported by the never failing arms of Truth and Love. It was not, however, until nearly two years later that the Christian Scientist met her and heard from her own lips the sad story of affairs as they had then existed. Words cannot express the gratitude felt by that student when she was told that during all the trials not a vestige of fear had been felt, that all the time this dear relative had a feeling of security and an assurance that no harm would come to her. On one occasion she had been praised for her bravery, and had remarked that she was not brave and never had been, — that it was something else, she knew not what, which enabled her to keep up her strength and courage. The Christian Scientist who listened knew well that it was the daily declarations of Truth's all-power which had sustained the absent one, and it was another proof that Christian Science is a demonstrable religion, that "no power can withstand divine Love" (Science and Health, p. 224), and that the words of Truth do prosper in the thing whereto they are sent. This experience brought many lessons; the nothingness of the arguments of mortal mind was seen more clearly than ever before. In this case conditions had been to mortal sense much worse than any she could have pictured had she allowed herself to search for material causes and effects; but, realizing her inability to lend material aid or receive material information, she had turned unreservedly to God, and "the strong man" — mortal mind — being bound by the declaration of the allness of God, the truth was realized, with the knowledge that there never is any failure in divine Mind. Another lesson which came forcibly to thought and uncovered the cause for the delay experienced in working out other problems, was that there could be no compromise with mortal mind; its arguments cannot be taken into consideration, but must be silenced before their powerlessness can be proved. Theoretically she had known this ever since she began the study of Christian Science, but she could now see how she had many times tried to demonstrate the power of Truth while making concessions to the aggressive arguments of "the strong man." While holding to Truth with one hand, with the other she was reaching out to materiality, trying to find something which could be used to aid the work of Truth — yielding to the timeworn illusion that God needs the help of a mortal in order to do His work. If we were trying to cross a stream, we would never expect that we could reach the other side while we remained standing with one foot still on the shore. So it is in dropping the unreal for the real. The first glimpse of Truth reveals to us the beauty of the real; but error whispers that we need not leave all, that we can take some things with us; and so we stand trying to compromise with error, until something occurs which compels us to rely only on the power of infinite Truth to render helpless "the strong man" of mortal sense; then the step is taken, the demonstration is made, and our problem is solved, — error melts away before the sunshine of Truth and Love. So we do not need to know just what phase of mortal belief confronts those who have answered their country's call. We do not need to know just where they are; this so-called knowledge would be of no avail. What we must know is the great truth declared by the psalmist, "Thou art there." God is with them; His arm is round about them; He is as truly present and as powerful on the battlefield as in our peaceful homes. Let us then turn to the one God in whose presence fear melts away, and claim as our own the promises recorded in Isaiah: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God."
Christian Science Sentinel, October 19, 1918 |
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