Safe On the Rock

                                             John Robert Howell



        Sometimes just remaining afloat on the turbulent ocean of material existence is a victory and cause for rejoicing, but eventually a vigorous effort will need to be made to get to the shore and the "Rock of Ages...Safe above life's raging sea."  (Hymns 293-95).  Some humble, receptive students of Christian Science may surf in on a wave hanging ten, if that's the correct term, with maddening ease while others may flounder and half drown for a time before being cast up like grateful Jonahs upon "Life's shore."

        One way to speed up the journey to the beach is to begin thinking much more deeply and prayerfully about every word and sentence in Science and Health.  Mary Baker Eddy's rich and precise vocabulary was not a prideful display of erudition.  She knew the difficulty of expressing pure metaphysics and Science in human language, and therefore chose her words with inspired foresight.  A failure to properly discern these shades of meaning and let them lead one on in their "Kindly Light" may have one adrift on the frothy whitecaps of opaque or meaningless expressions and sentences.

        To allow oneself to be happily deceived into a false sense of security about the requirements of obedience and way-marks of real progress is to risk being abandoned on the becalmed and dispiriting waters of that "Ancient Marriner" of whom Coleridge wrote, "Water, water, everywhere,/Nor any drop to drink."

        But this need not happen to the dedicated student of our Leader's inspired writings. How blessed we are to have them.