OF deep significance to students of Christian Science are the chronicles of spiritual vision found in the Old Testament. Under seemingly adverse circumstances, surrounded by those deep in materiality, the spiritual seers foretold events of great import to all periods of history. Thus, dramatically the narrator relates the vision of Daniel. During three weeks of fast Daniel ate "no pleasant bread." Alone, standing by the river Hiddekel, he saw with exalted vision a man whose "body also was like the beryl, . . . and his eyes as lamps of fire." He was alone, in that no other saw the vision or heard the voice which spoke to the prophet. As if asleep, with his "face toward the ground" he lay; yet, when the vision grew clearer he was lifted to his knees, and when bidden to understand the words spoken unto him, and to stand upright, he "stood trembling," and the voice spoke unto him, saying, "Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words."
"From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand"! What a triumph of faithfulness, consecration, and habitual self-denial was Daniel's life! Out of his own progressively unfolding experiences there had grown the ability to recognize the coming of the heavenly kingdom. One can well picture the panorama which would pass before his thought as it turned backward through the years to his first test, when, brought into captivity to an alien people, selected among other youths to be trained "to stand in the king's palace," he remained faithful to his religious scruples, took his stand against "the king's meat," and was sustained through his wholehearted trust in his God. Later, when the lives of all the wise men of the realm were threatened, he interpreted the king's dream and as a reward was made ruler over the whole province of Babylon. Again, he read the handwriting on the wall which none other could interpret. Then, the night in the lions' den! That triumph over malice and revenge—full evidence that above the din and fury of so called mortal mind his words were indeed heard; his pure thinking, his righteous knowing, had ascended to God, the all-hearing divine Mind, who preserves His ideas in all places and at all times—under every circumstance. The beginning of spiritual unfoldment served as a beacon light throughout successive experiences. With ever-increasing luminosity it shed light and joy throughout the years of testing, and culminated in the vision of the heavenly kingdom.
This beginning of spiritual awakening is indeed of great importance to us as students of Christian Science. We gain fresh courage and stimulus as we review the hours of triumph when we emerged victorious over some material belief, whether of sin, sickness, or disaster. Every demonstration of good over evil has come to us because we first turned to the light of Truth and our prayers were heard. Reinforced confidence goes forth to greater victories over self and sin as we turn to contemplate our former demonstrations. And we all have had them. Each triumph of good over evil is the culmination of every previous right effort, every rejection of error as real. Furthermore, each problem rightly solved leads us on with hope and joy to greater victories, even though it may be to larger demands. In each successive deliverance and demonstration we may recognize the operation of spiritual law and hear, as did Daniel of old, "From the first day . . . thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words."
