To a Student
My Beloved Student: — In reply to your letter I will say: God's ways are not as our ways; but higher far than the heavens above the earth is His wisdom above ours. When I requested you to be ordained, I little thought of the changes about to be made. When I insisted on your speaking without notes, I little knew that so soon another change in your pulpit would be demanded. But now, after His messenger has obeyed the message of divine Love, comes the interpretation thereof. But you see we both had first to obey, and to do this through faith, not sight.
The meaning of it all, as now shown, is this: when you were bidden to be ordained, it was in reward for your faithful service, thus to honor it. The second command, to drop the use of notes, was to rebuke a lack of faith in divine help, and to test your humility and obedience in bearing this cross.
All God's servants are minute men and women. As of old, I stand with sandals on and staff in hand, waiting for the watchword and the revelation of what, how, whither. Let us be faithful and obedient, and God will do the rest.
In the April number of The Christian Science Journal you will find the forthcoming completion (as I now think) of the divine directions sent out to the churches. It is satisfactory to note, however, that the order therein given corresponds to the example of our Master. Jesus was not ordained as our churches ordain ministers. We have no record that he used notes when preaching. He
