No word falls more pleasantly upon human ears than the word "heaven." The longing for heavenly harmony, although it may seldom be put into words, or even definitely acknowledged in thought, persists in every heart through all the changes and vicissitudes of the human scene. All men desire to be free from worry and fear, to be possessed of all that is needful for their well-being and comfort, to feel the upwelling joy of living that brings a song to the heart, and vividness and delight to all the minutiae of daily life.
Because she knew more of heaven and the way thereto than any other on earth in our age, Mary Baker Eddy could write in "No and Yes" (p. 33), "Self-sacrifice is the highway to heaven." Heavenly peace, heavenly bliss, and heavenly purity are superlative treasures for which no sacrifice of material beliefs, or whole-hearted renunciation of human pride, self-will, and self-love, is too great a price to pay.
All nations and kindreds of the world are freely bidden to the feast of divine Love, the heaven of Spirit; and yet, how many there are who make excuses and say they cannot come! One is preoccupied with his business, another has a farm; still others are mesmerized by the illusion of worldly pleasures, and so they do not heed or accept Love's tender invitation. Then, too, the belief that heaven can be found only beyond the grave is still widely entertained. And so great is the dread of this experience through which they believe they must pass in order to reach heaven's blessedness, that most of the world's inhabitants desire to stay on this side of that portal as long as they can.
