NOT all who are acquainted with Mrs. Eddy's teachings are aware that the article entitled "An Allegory" in her "Miscellaneous Writings" was selected by her to be read at the World's Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in 1894. This article by our Leader was undoubtedly in advance of the time in which it appeared; indeed, it is still above the world's thought, for all great spiritual ideas must ever go before the advancing hosts of humanity and lead onward and upward.
The spiritual teaching contained in this allegory is peculiarly applicable to the present hour, in that it presents the goal of all human endeavor very much as we find it in Revelation, —as the ideal city, one in which good alone is to be found. This allegory also answers most effectively the criticisms of those who contend that Christian Science evades all reference to the difficulties and the tragedies of mortal experience. Mrs. Eddy speaks of "peril, privation, temptation, toil, suffering" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 323). She at the same time tells us of serpents, and of wolves in sheep's clothing, but adds that the Christ-idea, whom she describes as "the Stranger," "meets and masters their secret and open attacks with serene confidence."
Those who have experienced the healing power of Truth have no lack of confidence in divine power at the beginning of their journey from sense to Soul; but their understanding of this will of necessity be subjected to severe tests, until it is strengthened by an ever growing reliance upon Spirit and spiritual things. Students of the Bible are aware of the deep devotion of Moses to his God-appointed and most difficult task. The next great spiritual leader was Christ Jesus, who never shrank from his task but pressed on until he could say, "It is finished," and in the epistle to the Philippians we have this strong assurance: "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." How to realize this is surely an all-important consideration, and it may help us to recall Paul's words about being "always confident," a mental state which he says can best be retained by our willingness "to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
