One July afternoon, as the writer and her family drove along a western desert highway, their attention was drawn to the behavior of a blackbird in the road a short distance ahead. Its wings were stiffly downspread, and the bird wobbled in a diminishing circle. The driver slowed the car so that it barely moved forward. Not, however, until they were almost beside the circling bird did they see a coiled snake, its head weaving in hypnotic rhythm. The driver at once began blasting upon the horn to startle and arouse the bird, for it had come within what appeared to be striking distance of its enemy. Suddenly the fear-dazed bird heard the warning sound and fluttered backward, beyond immediate danger. For a moment it floundered between the serpent's head and the warning of the horn. Then, evidencing tremendous struggle, the bird turned its gaze away from that of the venomous snake, lifted its wings, and soared to safety.
Many lessons are to be found in the foregoing incident, especially for the student of Christian Science. Most of us have at some time used the expression "free as a bird" to denote that which is joyous and carefree. Undoubtedly, until shortly before they came upon this desert drama, the blackbird had been carefree. Then, in the dust of the earth he had seen something to arouse his curiosity. Deliberately he had left his high estate, without knowing how near he would come to forfeiting his freedom. How like mortal man since the first days of the Adam-dream, when, in the allegory of the garden of Eden, the talking serpent intrigued and beguiled curious Eve, thus costing mankind its heritage of paradise!
On page 594 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," our inspired Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, defines "serpent" in part as "animal magnetism." Farther on she continues the definition thus: "The first claim that sin, sickness, and death are the realities of life. The first audible claim that God was not omnipotent and that there was another power, named evil, which was as real and eternal as God, good."
