A Man sat down at his desk to write a paper. As is frequent on such occasions, thought fled for a moment. He glanced at a picture of a flock of sheep on the opposite wall of the room. He twirled his pencil in his hand. Then came to mind the teaching of physics that the components of the pencil were farther apart, relatively, than the sheep grazing on the hillside. Yet he knew that not even a Samson could pull that pencil asunder.
Why the astonishing firmness and strength of the pencil, when vision sufficiently penetrative would view it more porous than a sponge? The explanation, simply put, is this: The particles constituting the pencil are fond of one another; though they may never touch, they refuse to part company. They are held in propinquity by the undeviating law of attraction, which illustrates the words of Jeremiah, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
Sun, moon, and stars, like the infinitesimal ingredients of the pencil, are held securely in their orbits by the benevolent law of attraction. Thus is the whole material universe bound together by a power whose first consideration is solicitude for order, perfection, the safety of its wards. For, observes Mary Baker Eddy with unique discernment, "Immortal Mind, governing all, must be acknowledged as supreme in the physical realm, so-called, as well as in the spiritual" (Science and Health, p. 427).
