I had occasion a few weeks ago to look up some grill work for a customer, and in the course of the search, came across a beautiful center table. The table did not at first particularly attract my eye; but having made my selection, I turned again to the table, as the salesman invited my attention to it. It was evidently of Italian workmanship and very unusual in design—a round top of black Italian marble, perhaps eighteen inches in diameter, painted in exquisite colorings. At the salesman's suggestion I looked through a magnifying glass at the design, and to my amazement discovered the apparent painting to be a most beautiful mosaic of tiny bits of marble, in all the various shaded colors. The study of it was exceedingly interesting, revealing its hidden beauties and bringing out the wondrous detail of each individual figure, flower, or bud. I studied it longmore and more amazed as each fresh beauty appeared. It must have involved a work of years of love and patience on the part of the artist.
In thinking of the work afterward its likeness to our text-book was strongly suggested, since the inner beauties of both are revealed only to the careful student, and both represent the expenditure of so much time, and patient, thoughtful effort.
At first to the ordinarily receptive mortal mind, the text-book is simply a beautiful, religious word-painting, introducing, however, startling new thoughts stated in a clear-cut, incisive way, each paragraph concise and to the point. Under the magnifying glass of close study it discloses various hidden beauties which are revealed one by one, until the complete whole stands out in the light of a deeper understanding, a spiritual revelation. Like the work of the artist it reveals the love, labor, and patience of its inspired author. To those who are reading the book superficially, without grasping its full significance, the writer's experience may be of value. He galloped through it at first, and caught only transitory gleams of its spiritual meaning; he criticised the book and its author unkindly, and he angrily refused to read further; yet, in his anxiety to tear the book to pieces, he took it up again, read more slowly and was occasionally illumined by a flash-light, a new meaning that humiliated his previous arrogance. He then in humble earnestness studied the book through and through, again and again, with a magnifying glass, so to speak, read little else, sought more and more the full meaning of the author's words, until to-day, though still a tyro, the task has become a pleasure. With even a partial understanding of the text-book, Bible passages have become clearer to his comprehension. Spiritual meanings expressed in material language have became more clear, and the first fruits of the study have been the undeniable healing of a well-grounded sickness, a noticeable moral regeneration, and a gradually strengthening desire to live a Christian life. To-day, together with thousands of others, he cannot be too grateful that Mrs. Eddy's spiritual apprehension has given us this understanding of Truth.
