Many of the world's greatest discoveries have been unfolded to some one through the simplest of experiences. An event, perhaps of everyday life, which had never before meant anything, has suddenly been the means of opening up new vistas of thought. It is thus that Truth is ever revealing the beautiful, grand, and pure, so that all may sometime, and in some way, know and believe that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
One may walk past the same spot frequently for years and never note the beauty of nature which lies in the near background. Is it to be thought strange, then, that a young tree set out in the grounds of a Christian Science church should have occasioned much profitable food for thought, or be deemed peculiar that the lesson learned therefrom should not have been unfolded in some other way? Planted under what seemed to be just the right conditions, this sapling had developed into a scraggly looking tree. Shortly after a refreshing shower, the attention of some onlookers was directed to the spot where it was. It was at this time that there was seen to be something radically wrong either with the tree or the way in which it had been planted. The first impulse was one of condemnation. Seeing its appearance, it was very easy indeed to blame some one for not having properly prepared the plot where the tree was planted. Then it was realized that to condemn any one without question is not in accord with the teachings of Christian Science. Upon further consideration it was reasoned out that perhaps the sapling had grown until its taproot had met with some resisting obstruction which prevented it from obtaining its natural nutriment. Still further reflection, however, revealed that both of these arguments were erroneous.
Nurserymen have for years attached labels to small trees, bushes, and oftentimes, flowers. This is usually done by means of a copper wire, because it is very pliable and also resistant to the weather. This young tree had been treated in this way. Its forlorn appearance was due entirely to the restricting influence of the copper wire, which remained just as it had been placed, in spite of the fact that the tree had been developing and unfolding each day. To recognize what was the contributing cause of the impairment was the first logical step in remedying the difficulty. The next, and most important one, was to remove the offending restriction. When this was done, the change was noticed almost immediately. The tree is now a thing of beauty.
