In preparing for extensive travel abroad involving sea and air transportation, I mentally tucked away these words from Psalms (139: 7-10): "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? ... If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."
One day we had just returned to our hotel after visiting the rich art treasures that are in Rome, Italy. In changing his coat for dinner my husband reached into the inner pocket for his wallet. It was not there. Mentally retracing our steps, we recalled that we had ridden upon an extremely crowded bus. The picture of a man who had been unnecessarily rude in crowding us in the aisle came to our thought. It was Friday night, and all official offices were closed until Monday. However, we were advised to report the loss to the American Embassy and to the police, and we did so.
Now was our opportunity, we saw, to prove the faith that was in us. We turned to the Christian Science literature, which was always a part of our luggage. Our study of it convinced us that nothing is beyond the protection and government of God, who is infinite good, Principle, and who fills all space. We knew that our passports, which were in the wallet with our steamship tickets, were only symbols of law and that no part of that law was lost. In the same way, we reasoned, the law that governs individual man is never lost. Man is not separated from God's law. He is forever God's reflection. On page 475 of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, under the marginal heading "Man unfallcn," we read: "Man is incapable of sin, sickness, and death. The real man cannot depart from holiness, nor can God, by whom man is evolved, engender the capacity or freedom to sin."
