While concerned only about earthly life, we center our thought upon prolonging it. Hemmed around by the sense of material limitation voiced so pathetically by the psalmist, mortals aim at reaching at least forescore years, though they admit that such an age may be attended by "labor and sorrow," after which they are to be "cut off" and "fly away."
What a woful prospect is this! Even the poetic beauty of many of the Scriptural writings does not compensate mortals for the mournful prospect pictured therein. And, with regret be it said, much of the so-called Christian theology is no less uninspiring and disheartening. True it is that modern Christianity is gradually emancipating itself from the thraldom of a distorted view of God and His attitude toward His children, and is beginning to see not only that religion and gloom are not necessarily associated, but that it is possible to recognize this as a very good world and be a sincere Christian at the same time. There is hope, therefore, that with the spread of Christian Science, humanity will take a saner because a more spiritual view of life and man's function and destiny. Meanwhile, every student of Christian Science should ask himself to what extent he is lengthening his journey and not shortening it. He is at liberty to do either, but if he is wise he will not hesitate a moment as to the right course.
Let us think for a moment about this engrossing journey from "sense to Soul," about which Mrs. Eddy writes more than once. It is one of her favorite illustrations, and is easily understood by those who know what in Science is meant by the terms. Perhaps the most familiar passage is in Science and Health (p. 566), where our Leader says that the "spiritual idea" shall "guide all right desires in their passage from sense to Soul, from a material sense of existence to the spiritual, up to the glory prepared for them who love God." She uses the same illustration on page 48, when she speaks of Jesus turning "forever away from earth to heaven, from sense to Soul." Again, on page 265, we read that "the pains of sense are salutary, if they wrench away false pleasurable beliefs and transplant the affections from sense to Soul, where the creations of God are good, 'rejoicing the heart.'"
