THE Christian Scientist, perhaps more than most individuals, gleans lessons of deep spiritual significance from the seemingly trivial experiences and commonplace activities of the day. Jesus asked of his disciples, "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?" implying that something more than appears to the so-called physical senses of sight and hearing may be found in those things which daily and hourly are impressing themselves, consciously or unconsciously, upon thought. In this age, as never before, the seeing eye and the hearing ear are taking cognizance of the spiritual facts behind the material phenomena—are becoming enlightened and quickened through the teachings of Christian Science. To those making practical application of these teachings is given the capacity for discovery and discernment which enables them to find in everyday experiences sermons by the wayside, manna in the wilderness, and living streams from the rock.
When faced with problems which seem stubborn and unyielding, the writer is often helped by recalling a lesson which unfolded as she stood at her window watching a scene where there seemed to be a great deal of noise and confusion. The street was being prepared for the laying of water pipes. With a sharp pick a workman marked a line for the excavation by breaking small openings in the macadamized road, after which the digger and shovel were put into operation. The large shovel which lifted the soil, rocks, and broken asphalt was equipped with projecting teeth like the prongs of a huge fork. Worked by the engineer with levers and brakes, the shovel passed under the solid pavement for several feet at a time, lifting and breaking it into fragments. The outer crust being thus crumbled, the shovel dipped again into the opening, scooped up the loosened soil, and deposited it in a pile beside the rapidly growing trench.
It was noticed that the hardness and resistance were on the outer surface only; that once this exterior formation was penetrated, the crust crumbled into fragments, exposing the more easily handled soil beneath. It was also noted with some surprise that although this was an old and much-used thoroughfare, the soil immediately beneath the hardened surface was soft and loamy, falling in loose streams from the busy shovel. Instantly there came a very helpful line of reasoning from the standpoint of Christian Science.
