A picture entitled "New Trails," of no renown, and yet of deep significance to a certain student of Christian Science, offered much inspiration and food for thought as she traveled along her mental pathway leading to diviner heights.
The picture depicts a pioneer standing beside his Indian guide at the summit of a steep mountain trail. In the background and below a group of his followers are apparently eager and ready to carry on at his least command. The bronzed finger of the guide points straight toward the valley and the vast unknown wilderness. The pioneer appears not to see the deep ravine below with its rushing water, or the rugged slope of the mountain, with its jagged rocks. The bright sunbeams fall about him, and above are the smiling blue heavens. Apparently he is not disturbed. Stern resolve and eager expectancy are plainly evident in face and form. New trails are before him! New lands to conquer, new fields of victory! And in this advance no fear of failure is indicated.
Another vision, a living, realistic one of more inspiring value, comes to thought. This time the pioneer is a woman, with noble, unselfed purpose, chosen of God to lead multitudes of waiting followers onward and upward. This woman, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, the Leader of this great movement, with firm resolve and joyful expectancy blazed new trails—new to mankind but in truth as ancient as the everlasting hills. In her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she says (p. 226), "I saw before me the awful conflict, the Red Sea and the wilderness; but I pressed on through faith in God, trusting Truth, the strong deliverer, to guide me into the land of Christian Science, where fetters fall and the rights of man are fully known and acknowledged." The many established activities of the Christian Science movement witness to her efforts, and today her followers are the grateful beneficiaries of her mighty achievements.
