In the long ago there was a man of visions,—spiritual visions, different indeed from human conceptions. Patiently he waited by the river Hiddekel, for "the time appointed was long," until, lifting his eyes, he beheld in all its shining glory the spiritual idea of man immersed in goodness all divine. So pure it was, so majestic and marvelous its appearance, that his companions fled fearingly before it, and Daniel was left alone to wrestle out of the human into the divine. Now Daniel was a good man, but with the coming of the vision his "comeliness was turned ... into corruption." What a sudden contrast! His former ideals and standards were tossed hither and yon upon the sea of uncertainty as he sailed into more spiritual concepts. His own wonderful powers and ability paled before the vision; even the gold of his human character was dimmed before spiritual perfection.
As he watched by this river, which is defined in the Glossary of Science and Health (p. 588) as "divine Science understood and acknowledged," what a revelation it was to Daniel to behold the frailty of human power in all its nakedness, and the infinite power of Spirit! Poor, unreliable human ability, with all its self-importance! How short its day, how ragged its tatters! No wonder its empty vanity was struck dumb and its strength destroyed by Truth. Yet so gentle was the touch of Spirit, and so tender were the words, that Daniel humbly responded, "Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me." So it was that through the glory of the vision Daniel, being lifted out of himself and leaning wholly on the potency of Spirit, marvelously fulfilled his mighty mission.
Today these same visions are at hand, and as the Christian Scientist sits by the river Hiddekel he too experiences similar struggles in surrendering a sense of human efficiency for spiritual ability. Dazzled by the brightness of the idea revealed, he may perhaps rush forth with personal effort and human equipment to fulfil divine demands. So doing, he places upon human ability the impossible task of doing God's work. A spiritual idea can never act on the plane of human consciousness through material methods. A spiritual demand cannot be fulfilled until human material ways are subjugated to spiritual control. The minister, lawyer, or teacher entering Science often finds the reputed efficiency of human education almost an encumbrance until it is subjected to the Christ-mind. On the other hand, he learns that ignorance is but a temporary vacuum, readily filled with spiritual intelligence. If mere human efficiency is governing our activities, sooner or later we too, like Daniel, will find no strength left in us. We too will cry out in bitter disappointment with ourselves and wonder why our honest efforts have accomplished so little. Right here, however, is the beginning of wisdom, and we come to learn with Paul that "when I am weak, then am I strong."
