THE most exalted aims have their foundation in obedience to the two great commandments: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, . . . soul, . . . mind, . . . strength," and, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Consecration requisite to such obedience involves self-forgetfulness and unselfishness. As we endeavor to lose sight of the mortal sense of selfhood, thought turns to the one God with a humble desire to serve Him and to see in our fellow men the divine image of the creator. Aspiration is thus lifted to a higher level. Then it is quickly seen that self-interest, or limited thought which is centered upon a personal selfhood, does not, as mortal mind would have us believe, advance us toward our goal, but only hinders our spiritual progress through causing us to rely on matter as the source of intelligence, ability, and strength.
In order that we may attain right ambition, our thought must be lifted into the spiritual realm, the kingdom of heaven. How often we are told in the record of Christ Jesus' days on earth that he went up into a mountain," and to the Mount of Olives, where he would commune in solitude with his heavenly Father. Moses went up to Mount Sinai when he was to listen to the voice of God and receive the law which was to guide the children of Israel into freedom. The disciples beheld the transfiguration of the Master upon the mountaintop. We may look beyond the mere fact of their going up into a certain place during the experience referred to above. In seeking the spiritual meaning of this going up, Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, uses the simile of the mountain in relation to holiness, revelation, human endeavor, and "heaven-crowned Christianity" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 328). Thereby she shows us that we, as seekers after a holy purpose, must lift our thought to the understanding of God, and so entertain those pure and perfect ideas which bear fruit in deeds which bless mankind and glorify God.
Christ Jesus said, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." It has been thought that in these words he referred to his being lifted up upon the cross, but beyond this word of prophecy was the divine certainty of a mission fulfilled in his victory over death and the grave. So, what seemed failure to the world of that era has lived to inspire and uplift his followers to do the works he promised should be possible to all those who trod in his footsteps. Has his example not indeed drawn to him those who have sought Truth in all ages and in all lands?
