NUGGETS OF THE NEW THOUGHT/PART 5
LOOK ALOFT!
The
old sailor's advice—The warning cry—Peace and content—Mental balance
recovered—The glory of the Universe—All governed by Law—The Law manifests
everywhere—A reverent feeling of calm, peaceful faith—Look aloft.
I recently
heard a little tale about a boy who went to sea, in the old days of the sailing
vessel. One day he was ordered to go aloft, and was urged on until he reached
the highest possible point on the mast. When he found that he could go no
farther, he glanced down. The sight terrified him and almost caused him to lose
his grip and fall headlong on the deck, far below. He felt dizzy and sick, and
it seemed almost impossible for him to maintain his hold on the mast. Far below
was the deck, looking so small as compared to the wide expanse of water on all
sides of it. The motion made him feel as if he was suspended between heaven and
earth, with nothing substantial to support him. He felt his brain reeling and
his senses leaving him, and all seemed lost, when far away from the deck below,
he heard an old sailor cry, "Look aloft, lad! Look aloft!" Turning
his eyes from the scene below the boy gazed upward. He saw the blue sky, the
fleecy clouds passing peacefully along, looking just the same as they did when
he had looked at them while lying on his back on the green grass of the meadows
in his country home. A strange feeling of peace and content came over him, and
the feeling of dread, terror and despair passed away. His strength and presence
of mind came back to him, and soon he was able to slide down the mast until he
grasped a friendly rope, thence to the lower rigging, and on until the deck was
again reached.
He never
forgot the old sailor's advice given in the hour of need, and when he would
feel dazed and fearful of danger, he would invariably look aloft until he
recovered his mental balance.
We may
well take a leaf from the old sailor's note-book, and impress his wisdom upon
our minds. There's nothing so good in hours of trial, doubt, sorrow and pain,
as to "look aloft." When we feel that we cannot see clearly with our
spiritual vision—that our spiritual sight is blurred and dim—that we lose faith
and confidence, hope and courage—that we feel the deadly sensation of despair
and hopelessness creeping over us and benumbing our senses, stilling our
heart—then is the time for us to listen to the warning shout: "Look aloft,
lad; look aloft!"
When all
seems lost—when darkness is closing around us—when we seem to have lost our
foothold and have no way of regaining it—when all appears hopeless, gloomy and
dreadful—when faith seems to have deserted us, and the chill of unbelief is on
us—then is the time for us to shout to ourselves, "Look aloft—look
aloft!"
When we
try to solve the riddle of the universe—the problem of existence—by the aid of
the intellect, unsupported by faith. When we ask our intellects, "Whence
come I? Whither go I? What is the object of my existence? What does Life
mean?" When we travel round and round the weary path of intellectual reasoning,
and find that it has no ending. When we shout aloud the question of Life, and
hear no answer but the despairing echo of our own sad cry. When Life seems a
mockery—when Life seems to be without reason—when Life seems a torment devised
by a fiend—when we lose the feeling of nearness to the Infinite Power that has
supported us in the past—when we lose the touch of the Unseen Hand. These are
the times for us to look upward to the source of Wisdom and Light. These are
the times for us to heed the cry of the Soul: "Look aloft; look aloft;
look aloft!"
Some clear
night, when the moon is not shining, go out into the darkness, and gaze upward
at the stars. You will see countless bright spots, each of which is a sun
equaling or exceeding in size the sun which gives light and life to our little
earth—each sun having its circling worlds, many of the worlds having moons
revolving around them, in turn. Look all over the heavens, as far as the eye
can reach, and endeavor to grasp the idea of the countless suns and worlds.
Then try to imagine that in space, far beyond the reach of human vision, even
aided by the telescope, are millions upon millions of other worlds and suns—on
all sides of us, on and on and on throughout the Universe, reaching into
Infinity. And then remember that all these worlds hold their places and revolve
according to Law. And then remember that the microscope shows that Law
manifests itself in the smallest thing that can be seen by its use. All around
you you will see nothing but the manifestations of Law. And then, remembering
that the Infinite, which has us all in charge, takes note of the fall of the
sparrow, what has become of your fears and doubts and worries? Gone is your
despair and unbelief, and in their place is found a reverent feeling of calm,
peaceful Faith.
Aye, there
is much good sense in the old sailor's maxim. "When you get rattled, LOOK
ALOFT!"
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