Editor's note: This is the first in a series of three articles appearing monthly. The topic for this series grew out of Mr. Thorneloe's three-year experience as Circuit Lecturer for The Mother Church. In that capacity, he traveled widely in North America, Great Britain, and Ireland and spent time living in the towns and cities where he lectured, getting to know the heart of those communities. In the process, Mr. Thorneloe discovered that many people today are actively searching for spiritual solutions to society's problems—searching, one might say, for the "promised land." This first article explores the spiritual meaning of the Promised Land; the second will examine how we as individuals can experience the joy of God's promise in our own lives; and the third will share examples of how communities are being blessed by this vision of spiritual reality. Many of the observations in this series are also shared in Mr. Thorneloe's current lectures as a member of The Christian Science Board of Lectureship.
It was Halloween. There was a knock at the door. I opened it, expecting to see a child hoping for some candy or perhaps collecting for UNICEF. At first glance, I saw no one. A tiny voice from about knee-high piped up "Trick or treat!" I looked down and saw a diminutive figure wearing a devil's mask, inviting me to give him a treat unless I was prepared to have a trick played on me.
