Bible Lessons

Bible LessonsBut as many as received him, to them gave he power to become thesons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born,not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but ofGod.—Johni. 12, 13.Here, the apostle assures us that man has power to [25]become the son of God. In the Hebrew text, the word“son”is defined variously; a month is called the sonof a year. This term, as applied to man, is used in botha material and a spiritual sense. The Scriptures speakof Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of man; but [30][pg 181]Jesus said to call no man father;“for one is your Father,”[1]even God.Is man's spiritual sonship a personal gift to man, oris it the reality of his being, in divine Science? Man'sknowledge of this grand verity gives him power to dem- [5]onstrate his divine Principle, which in turn is requisitein order to understand his sonship, or unity with God,good. A personal requirement of blind obedience tothe law of being, would tend to obscure the order ofScience, unless that requirement should express the claims [10]of the divine Principle. Infinite Principle and infiniteSpirit must be one. What avail, then, to quarrel overwhat is the person of Spirit,—if we recognize infinitudeas personality,—for who can tell what is the form ofinfinity? When we understand man's true birthright, that [15]he is“born, not ... of the will of the flesh, nor of thewill of man, but of God,”we shall understand that manis the offspring of Spirit, and not of the flesh; recognizehim through spiritual, and not material laws; and regardhim as spiritual, and not material. His sonship, referred [20]to in the text, is his spiritual relation to Deity: it is not,then, a personal gift, but is the order of divine Science.The apostle urges upon our acceptance this great fact:“But as many as received him, to them gave he powerto become the sons of God.”Mortals will lose their sense [25]of mortality—disease, sickness, sin, and death—inthe proportion that they gain the sense of man's spirit-ual preexistence as God's child; as the offspring ofgood, and not of God's opposite,—evil, or a fallenman. [30]John the Baptist had a clear discernment of divineScience: being born not of the human will or flesh, he[pg 182]antedated his own existence, began spiritually instead [1]of materially to reckon himself logically; hence the im-possibility of putting him to death, only in belief, throughviolent means or material methods.“As many as received him;”that is, as many as per-ceive man's actual existence in and of his divine Princi- [5]ple, receive the Truth of existence; and these have noother God, no other Mind, no other origin; therefore, intime they lose their false sense of existence, and findtheir adoption with the Father; to wit, the redemption [10]of the body. Through divine Science man gains thepower to become the son of God, to recognize his perfectand eternal estate.“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will ofthe flesh.”This passage refers to man's primal, spirit- [15]ual existence, created neither from dust nor carnal desire.“Nor of the will of man.”Born of no doctrine,no human faith, but beholding the truth of being; eventhe understanding that man was never lost in Adam,since he is and ever was the image and likeness of God, [20]good. But no mortal hath seen the spiritual man, morethan he hath seen the Father. The apostle indicatesno personal plan of a personal Jehovah, partial and finite;but the possibility of all finding their place in God's greatlove, the eternal heritage of the Elohim, His sons and [25]daughters. The text is a metaphysical statement of existenceas Principle and idea, wherein man and his Makerare inseparable and eternal.When the Word is made flesh,—that is, renderedpractical,—this eternal Truth will be understood; and [30]sickness, sin, and death will yield to it, even as they didmore than eighteen centuries ago. The lusts of the flesh[pg 183]and the pride of life will then be quenched in the divine [1]Science of being; in the ever-present good, omnipotentLove, and eternal Life, that know no death, In the greatforever, the verities of being exist, and must be acknowl-edged and demonstrated. Man must love his neighbor [5]as himself, and the power of Truth must be seen andfelt in health, happiness, and holiness: then it will befound that Mind is All-in-all, and there is no matter tocope with.Man is free born: he is neither the slave of sense, nor a [10]silly ambler to the so-called pleasures and pains of self-conscious matter. Man is God's image and likeness;whatever is possible to God, is possible to manas God'sreflection. Through the transparency of Science we learnthis, and receive it: learn that man can fulfil the Scrip- [15]tures in every instance; that if he open his mouth it shallbe filled—not by reason of the schools, or learning, butby the natural ability, that reflection already has bestowedon him, to give utterance to Truth.“Who hath believed our report?”Who understands [20]these sayings? He to whom the arm of the Lord is re-vealed; to whom divine Science unfolds omnipotence,that equips man with divine power while it shames humanpride. Asserting a selfhood apart from God, is a denialof man's spiritual sonship; for it claims another father. [25]As many as do receive a knowledge of God throughScience, will have power to reflect His power, in proof ofman's“dominion over all the earth.”He is bravelybrave who dares at this date refute the evidence of materialsense with the facts of Science, and will arrive at the true [30]status of man because of it. The material senses wouldmake man, that the Scriptures declare reflects his Maker,[pg 184]the very opposite of that Maker, by claiming that God is [1]Spirit, while man is matter; that God is good, but man isevil; that Deity is deathless, but man dies. Science andsense conflict, from the revolving of worlds to the deathof a sparrow.The Word will be made flesh and dwell among mortals,only when man reflects God in body as well as in mind.The child born of a woman has the formation of hisparents; the man born of Spirit is spiritual, not material.Paul refers to this when speaking of presenting our bodies [10]holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable service;and this brings to remembrance the Hebrew strain,“Who healeth all thy diseases.”If man should say of the power to be perfect which hepossesses,“I am the power,”he would trespass upon [15]divine Science, yield to material sense, and lose his power;even as when saying,“I have the power to sin and besick,”and persisting in believing that he is sick and asinner. If he says,“I am of God, therefore good,”yetpersists in evil, he has denied the power of Truth, and [20]must suffer for this error until he learns that all power isgood because it is of God, and so destroys his self-de-ceived sense of power in evil. The Science of being givesback the lost likeness and power of God as the seal ofman's adoption. Oh, for that light and love ineffable, [25]which casteth out all fear, all sin, sickness, and death;that seeketh not her own, but another's good; that saithAbba, Father, andisborn of God!John came baptizing with water. He employed a typeof physical cleanliness to foreshadow metaphysical purity, [30]even mortal mind purged of the animal and human, andsubmerged in the humane and divine, giving back the[pg 185]lost sense of man in unity with, and reflecting, his Maker. [1]None but the pure in heart shall see God,—shall be ableto discern fully and demonstrate fairly the divine Principleof Christian Science. The will of God, or power of Spirit,is made manifest as Truth, and through righteousness,— [5]not as or through matter,—and it strips matter of allclaims, abilities or disabilities, pains or pleasures. Self-renunciation of all that constitutes a so-called materialman, and the acknowledgment and achievement of hisspiritual identity as the child of God, is Science that [10]opens the very flood-gates of heaven; whence goodflows into every avenue of being, cleansing mortals ofall uncleanness, destroying all suffering, and demon-strating the true image and likeness. There is no otherway under heaven whereby we can be saved, and man [15]be clothed with might, majesty, and immortality.“As many as received him,”—as accept the truthof being,—“to them gave he power to become the sonsof God.”The spiritualization of our sense of man opensthe gates of paradise that the so-called material senses [20]would close, and reveals man infinitely blessed, upright,pure, and free; having no need of statistics by which tolearn his origin and age, or to measure his manhood, or toknow how much of a man he ever has been: for,“asmany as received him, to them gave he power to become [25]the sons of God.”And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul;the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.—1Cor.xv. 45.When reasoning on this subject of man with the Corin-thian brethren, the apostle first spake from their stand- [30]point of thought; namely, that creation is material:[pg 186]he was not at this point giving the history of the spiritual [1]man who originates in God, Love, who created manin His own image and likeness. In the creation of Adamfrom dust,—in which Soul is supposed to enter theembryo-man after his birth,—we see the material self- [5]constituted belief of the Jews as referred to by St. Paul.Their material belief has fallen far below man's originalstandard, the spiritual man made in the image and like-ness of God; for this erring belief even separates itsconception of man from God, and ultimates in the opposite [10]ofimmortal man, namely, in a sick and sinningmortal.We learn in the Scriptures, as in divine Science, thatGod made all; that He is the universal Father and Motherof man; that God is divine Love: therefore divine Love [15]is the divine Principle of the divine idea named man;in other words, the spiritual Principle of spiritual man.Now let us not lose this Science of man, but gain it clearly;then we shall see that man cannot be separated fromhis perfect Principle, God, inasmuch as an idea cannot [20]be torn apart from its fundamental basis. This scien-tific knowledge affords self-evident proof of immortality;proof, also, that the Principle of man cannot produce aless perfect man than it produced in the beginning. Amaterial sense of existence is not the scientific fact of [25]being; whereas, the spiritual sense of God and His universeis the immortal and true sense of being.As the apostle proceeds in this line of thought, heundoubtedly refers to the last Adam represented by theMessias, whose demonstration of God restored to mortals [30]the lost sense of man's perfection, even the sense of thereal man in God's likeness, who restored this sense by[pg 187]the spiritual regeneration of both mind and body,— [1]casting out evils,healing the sick, and raising the dead.The man Jesus demonstrated over sin, sickness, disease,and death. The great Metaphysician wrought, over andabove every sense of matter, into the proper sense of the [5]possibilities of Spirit. He established health and har-mony, the perfection of mind and body, as the reality ofman; while discord, as seen in disease and death, was tohim the opposite of man, hence the unreality; even as inScience a chord is manifestly the reality of music, and [10]discord the unreality. This rule of harmony must be ac-cepted as true relative to man.The translators of the older Scriptures presuppose amaterial man to be the first man, solely because theirtranscribing thoughts were not lifted to the inspired sense [15]of the spiritual man, as set forth in original Holy Writ.Had both writers and translators in that age fully com-prehended the later teachings and demonstrations ofour human and divine Master, the Old Testament mighthave been as spiritual as the New. [20]The origin, substance, and life of man are one, andthat one is God,—Life, Truth, Love. The self-existent,perfect, and eternal are God; and man is their reflectionand glory. Did the substance of God, Spirit, become aclod, in order to create a sick, sinning, dying man? The [25]primal facts of being are eternal; they are never extin-guished in a night of discord.That man must be evil before he can be good; dying,before deathless; material, before spiritual; sick and asinner in order to be healed and saved, is but the declara- [30]tion of the material senses transcribed by pagan religion-ists, by wicked mortals such as crucified our Master,—[pg 188]whose teachings opposed the doctrines of Christ that [1]demonstrated the opposite, Truth.Man is as perfect now, and henceforth, and forever,as when the stars first sang together, and creation joinedin the grand chorus of harmonious being. It is the trans-lator, not the original Word, who presents as being first [5]that which appears second, material, and mortal; andas last, that which is primal, spiritual, and eternal. Be-cause of human misstatement and misconception of Godand man, of the divine Principle and idea of being, there [10]seems to be a war between the flesh and Spirit, a contestbetween Truth and error; but the apostle says,“Thereis therefore now no condemnation to them which are inChrist Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after theSpirit.”[15]On our subject, St. Paul first reasons upon the basisof what is seen, the effects of Truth on the material senses;thence, up to the unseen, the testimony of spiritual sense;and right there he leaves the subject.Just there, in the intermediate line of thought, is where [20]the present writer found it, when she discovered ChristianScience. And she hasnotleft it, but continues the ex-planation of the power of Spirit up to its infinite meaning,its allness. The recognition of this power came to herthrough a spiritual sense of the real, and of the unreal [25]or mortal sense of things; not that there is, or canbe, an actual change in the realities of being, butthat we can discern more of them. At the momentof her discovery, she knew that the last Adam, namely,the true likeness of God, was the first, the only man. [30]This knowledge did become to her“a quickeningspirit;”for she beheld the meaning of those words[pg 189]of our Master,“The last shall be first, and the first[1]last.”When, as little children, we are receptive, becomewilling to accept the divine Principle and rule of being,as unfolded in divine Science, the interpretation thereinwill be found to be the Comforter that leadeth into alltruth. [5]The meek Nazarene's steadfast and true knowledge ofpreexistence, of the nature and the inseparability of Godand man,—made him mighty. Spiritual insight of [10]Truth and Love antidotes and destroys the errors of flesh,and brings to light the true reflection: man as God'simage, or“the first man,”for Christ plainly declared,through Jesus,“Before Abraham was, I am.”The supposition that Soul, or Mind, is breathed into [15]matter, is a pantheistic doctrine that presents a falsesense of existence, and the quickening spirit takes itaway: revealing, in place thereof, the power and per-fection of a released sense of Life in God and LifeasGod. The Scriptures declare Life to be the infinite I [20]am,—not a dweller in matter. For man to know Lifeas it is, namely God, the eternal good, gives him notmerely a sense of existence, but an accompanying con-sciousness of spiritual power that subordinates matterand destroys sin, disease, and death. This, Jesus demon- [25]strated; insomuch that St. Matthew wrote,“The peoplewere astonished at his doctrine: for he taught themas one having authority, and not as the scribes.”Thisspiritual power, healing sin and sickness, was not con-fined to the first century; it extends to all time, inhabits [30]eternity, and demonstrates Life without beginning orend.[pg 190]Atomic action is Mind, not matter. It is neither the [1]energy of matter, the result of organization, nor the out-come of life infused into matter: it is infinite Spirit, Truth,Life, defiant of error or matter. Divine Science demon-strates Mind as dispelling a false sense and giving the [5]true sense of itself, God, and the universe; wherein themortal evolves not the immortal, nor does the materialultimate in the spiritual; wherein man is coexistent withMind, and is the recognized reflection of infinite Life andLove. [10]And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came topass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake.—Lukexi. 14.The meaning of the term“devil”needs yet to belearned. Its definition as an individual is too limitedand contradictory. When the Scripture is understood, [15]the spiritual signification of its terms will be understood,and will contradict the interpretations that the sensesgive them; and these terms will be found to include theinspired meaning.It could not have been a person that our great Master [20]cast out of another person; therefore the devil hereinreferred to was an impersonal evil, or whatever workethill. In this case it was the evil of dumbness, an error ofmaterial sense, cast out by the spiritual truth of being;namely, that speech belongs to Mind instead of matter, [25]and the wrong power, or the lost sense, must yield to theright sense, and exist in Mind.In the Hebrew,“devil”is denominated Abaddon; inthe Greek, Apollyon, serpent, liar, the god of this world,etc. The apostle Paul refers to this personality of evil [30]as“the god of this world;”and then defines this god[pg 191]as“dishonesty, craftiness, handling the word of God[1]deceitfully.”The Hebrew embodies the term“devil”in another term, serpent,—which the senses are supposedto take in,—and then defines this serpent as“moresubtle than all the beasts of the field.”Subsequently, [5]the ancients changed the meaning of the term, to theirsense, and then the serpent became a symbol of wisdom.The Scripture in John, sixth chapter and seventiethverse, refers to a wicked man as the devil:“Have notI chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”Accord- [10]ing to the Scripture, if devil is an individuality, there ismore than one devil. In Mark, ninth chapter and thirty-eighth verse, it reads:“Master, we saw one casting outdevils in thy name.”Here is an assertion indicatingthe existence of more than one devil; and by omitting the [15]first letter, the name of his satanic majesty is foundto be evils, apparent wrong traits, that Christ, Truth,casts out. By no possible interpretation can this passagemean several individuals cast out of another individualno bigger than themselves. The term, being here em- [20]ployed in its plural number, destroys all consistent sup-position of the existence of one personal devil. Again,our text refers to the devil as dumb; but the originaldevil was a great talker, and was supposed to have out-talked even Truth, and carried the question with Eve. [25]Also, the original texts define him as an“accuser,”a“calumniator,”which would be impossible if he werespeechless. These two opposite characters ascribed tohim could only be possible as evil beliefs, as differentphases of sin or disease made manifest. [30]Let us obey St. Paul's injunction to reject fables, andaccept the Scriptures in their broader, more spiritual[pg 192]and practical sense. When we speak of a good man, we [1]do not mean that man is God because the Hebrew termfor Deity was“good,”andvice versa; so, when referringto a liar, we mean not that he is a personal devil, becausethe original text defines devil as a“liar.”[5]It is of infinite importance to man's spiritual progress,and to his demonstration of Truth in casting out error,—sickness, sin, disease, and death, in all their forms,—that the terms and nature of Deity and devil be understood.He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; andgreater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.—Johnxiv. 12.Such are the words of him who spake divinely, wellknowing the omnipotence of Truth. The Hebrew bardsaith,“His name shall endure forever: His name shall[15]be continued as long as the sun.”Luminous with thelight of divine Science, his words reveal the great Principleof a full salvation. Neither can we question the practi-cability of the divine Word, who have learned its adapta-bility to human needs, and man's ability to prove the [20]truth of prophecy.The fulfilment of the grand verities of Christian healingbelongs to every period; as the above Scripture plainlydeclares, and as primitive Christianity confirms. Also,the last chapter of Mark is emphatic on this subject; [25]making healing a condition of salvation, that extends toall ages and throughout all Christendom. Nothing canbe more conclusive than this:“And these signs shallfollow them that believe; ... they shall lay hands onthe sick, and they shall recover.”This declaration of [30]our Master settles the question; else we are entertaining[pg 193]the startling inquiries, Are the Scriptures inspired? Are [1]they true? Did Jesus mean what he said?If this be the cavil, we reply in the affirmative that theScripture is true; that Jesus did mean all, and even morethan he said or deemed it safe to say at that time. His [5]words are unmistakable, for they form propositions ofself-evident demonstrable truth. Doctrines that denythe substance and practicality of all Christ's teachingscannot be evangelical; and evangelical religion can beestablished on no other claim than the authenticity of [10]the Gospels, which support unequivocally the proof thatChristian Science, as defined and practised by Jesus,heals the sick, casts out error, and will destroy death.Referring to The Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,of which I am pastor, a certain clergyman charitably [15]expressed it,“the so-called Christian Scientists.”I am thankful even for his allusion to truth; it beinga modification of silence on this subject, and also of whathad been said when critics attacked me for supplying theword Science to Christianity,—a word which the people [20]are now adopting.The next step for ecclesiasticism to take, is to admitthat all Christians are properly called Scientists whofollow the commands of our Lord and His Christ, Truth;and that no one is following his full command without [25]this enlarged sense of the spirit and power of Christianity.“He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do,”is a radical and unmistakable declaration of the right andpower of Christianity to heal; for this is Christlike,and includes the understanding of man's capabilities and [30]spiritual power. The condition insisted upon is, first,“belief;”the Hebrew of which implies understanding.[pg 194]How many to-day believe that the power of God equals [1]even the power of a drug to heal the sick! Divine Sciencereveals the Principle of this power, and the rule wherebysin, sickness, disease, and death are destroyed; and Godis this Principle. Let us, then, seek this Science; that we [5]may know Him better, and love Him more.Though a man were begirt with the Urim and Thum-mim of priestly office, yet should deny the validity orpermanence of Christ's command to heal in all ages,this denial would dishonor that office and misinterpret [10]evangelical religion. Divine Science is not an interpo-lation of the Scriptures, but is redolent with love, health,and holiness, for the whole human race. It only needsthe prism of this Science to divide the rays of Truth, andbring out the entire hues of Deity, which scholastic theol- [15]ogy has hidden. The lens of Science magnifies the divinepower to human sight; and we then see the supremacyof Spirit and the nothingness of matter.The context of the foregoing Scriptural text explainsJesus' words,“because I go unto my Father.”“Because”[20]in following him, you understand God andhowto turnfrom matter to Spirit for healing;howto leave self, thesense material, for the sense spiritual;howto acceptGod's power and guidance, and become imbued withdivine Love that casts out all fear. Then are you bap- [25]tized in the Truth that destroys all error, and you receivethe sense of Life that knows no death, and youknowthatGod is the only Life.To reach the consummate naturalness of the Life thatis God, good, we must comply with the first condition [30]set forth in the text, namely, believe; in other words,understand God sufficiently to exclude all faith in any[pg 195]other remedy than Christ, the Truth that antidotes all [1]error. Thence will follow the absorption of all action,motive, and mind, into the rules and divine Principle ofmetaphysical healing.Whosoever learns the letter of Christian Science but [5]possesses not its spirit, is unable to demonstrate thisScience; or whosoever hath the spirit without the letter,is held back by reason of the lack of understanding. Boththe spirit and the letter are requisite; and having these,every one can prove, in some degree, the validity of those [10]words of the great Master,“For the Son of man is cometo save that which was lost.”It has been said that the New Testament does not au-thorize us to expect the ministry of healing at this period.We ask what is the authority for such a conclusion, [15]the premises whereof are not to be found in the Scriptures.The Master's divine logic, as seen in our text, contradictsthis inference,—these are his words:“He that believethon me, the works that I do shall he do also.”That per-fect syllogism of Jesus has but one correct premise and [20]conclusion, and it cannot fall to the ground beneath thestroke of unskilled swordsmen. He who never unsheathedhis blade to try the edge of truth in Christian Science, isunequal to the conflict, and unfit to judge in the case;the shepherd's sling would slay this Goliath. I once be- [25]lieved that the practice and teachings of Jesus relative tohealing the sick, were spiritual abstractions, impracticaland impossible to us; but deed, not creed, and practicemore than theory, have given me a higher sense ofChristianity. [30]The“I”will go to the Father when meekness, purity,and love, informed by divine Science, the Comforter,[pg 196]lead to the one God: then the ego is found not in [1]matter but in Mind, for there is but one God, oneMind; and man will then claim no mind apart from God.Idolatry, the supposition of the existence of many mindsand more than one God, has repeated itself in all manner [5]of subtleties through the entire centuries, saying as inthe beginning,“Believe in me, and I will make you asgods;”that is, I will give you a separate mind from God(good), named evil; and this so-called mind shall openyour eyes and make you know evil, and thus become [10]material, sensual, evil. But bear in mind that a serpentsaid that; therefore that saying came not from Mind,good, or Truth. God was not the author of it; hence thewords of our Master:“He is a liar, and the father of it;”also, the character of the votaries to“other gods”which [15]sprung from it.The sweet, sacred sense and permanence of man'sunity with his Maker, in Science, illumines our presentexistence with the ever-presence and power of God, good.It opens wide the portals of salvation from sin, sickness, [20]and death. When the Life that is God, good, shall ap-pear,“we shall be like Him;”we shall do the works ofChrist, and, in the words of David,“the stone which thebuilders refused is become the head stone of the corner,”because the“I”does go unto the Father, the ego does [25]arise to spiritual recognition of being, and is exalted,—not through death, but Life, God understood.Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.—Actsxvi. 31.The Scriptures require more than a simple admission [30]and feeble acceptance of the truths they present; they[pg 197]require a living faith, that so incorporates their lessons [1]into our lives that these truths become the motive-powerof every act.ur chosen text is one more frequently used thanmany others, perhaps, to exhort people to turn from sin [5]and to strive after holiness; but we fear the full importof this text is not yet recognized. It means afullsalva-tion,—man saved from sin, sickness, and death; for,unless this be so, no man can be wholly fitted for heavenin the way which Jesus marked out and bade his followers [10]pursue.In order to comprehend the meaning of the text, letus see what it is to believe. It means more than an opinionentertained concerning Jesus as a man, as the Son of God,or as God; such an action of mind would be of no more [15]help to save from sin, than would a belief in any historicalevent or person. But it does mean so to understand thebeauty of holiness, the character and divinity which Jesuspresented in his power to heal and to save, that it willcompel us to pattern after both; in other words, to“let[20]this Mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”(Phil. ii. 5.)Mortal man believes in, but does not understand lifein, Christ. He believes there is another power or intelli-gence that rules over a kingdom of its own, that is both [25]good and evil; yea, that is divided against itself, and there-fore cannot stand. This belief breaks the First Command-ment of God.Let man abjure a theory that is in opposition to God,recognize God as omnipotent, having all-power; and, [30]placing his trust in this grand Truth, and working fromno other Principle, he can neither be sick nor forever a[pg 198]sinner. When wholly governed by the one perfect Mind, [1]man has no sinful thoughts and will have no desireto sin.To arrive at this point of unity of Spirit, God, one mustcommence by turning away from material gods; denying [5]material so-called laws and material sensation,—or mindin matter, in its varied forms of pleasure and pain. Thismust be done with the understanding that matter has nosense; thus it is that consciousness silences the mortalclaim to life, substance, or mind in matter, with the words [10]of Jesus:“When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of hisown.”(John viii. 44.)When tempted to sin, we should know that evil pro-ceedeth not from God, good, but is a false belief of thepersonal senses; and if we deny the claims of these senses [15]and recognize man as governed by God, Spirit, not bymaterial laws, the temptation will disappear.On this Principle, disease also is treated and healed.We know that man's body, as matter, has no power togovern itself; and a belief of disease is as much the prod- [20]uct of mortal thought as sin is. All suffering is the fruitof the tree of the knowledge ofbothgood and evil; ofadherence to the“doubleminded”senses, to some belief,fear, theory, or bad deed, based on physical material law,so-called as opposed to good,—all of which is corrected [25]alone by Science, divine Principle, and its spiritual laws.Suffering is the supposition of another intelligence thanGod; a belief in self-existent evil, opposed to good; andin whatever seems to punish man for doing good,—by saying he has overworked, suffered from inclement [30]weather, or violated a law of matter in doing good, there-fore he must suffer for it.[pg 199]God does not reward benevolence and love with pen- [1]alties; and because of this, we have the right to deny thesupposed power of matter to do it, and to allege that onlymortal, erring mind can claim to do thus, and dignify theresult with the name of law: thence comes man's ability [5]to annul his own erring mental law, and to hold himselfamenable only to moral and spiritual law,—God's gov-ernment. By so doing, male and female come into theirrightful heritage,“into the glorious liberty of the childrenof God.”[10]Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake.—2Cor.xii. 10.The miracles recorded in the Scriptures illustrate thelife of Jesus as nothing else can; but they cost him the [15]hatred of the rabbis. The rulers sought the life of Jesus;they would extinguish whatever denied and defied theirsuperstition. We learn somewhat of the qualities of thedivine Mind through the human Jesus. The power ofhis transcendent goodness is manifest in the control it [20]gave him over the qualities opposed to Spirit which mor-tals name matter.The Principle of these marvellous works is divine; butthe actor was human. This divine Principle is discernedin Christian Science, as we advance in the spiritual under- [25]standing that all substance, Life, and intelligence areGod. The so-called miracles contained in Holy Writ areneither supernatural nor preternatural; for God is good,and goodness is more natural than evil. The marvelloushealing-power of goodness is the outflowing life of Chris- [30]tianity, and it characterized and dated the Christian era.[pg 200]It was the consummate naturalness of Truth in the [1]mind of Jesus, that made his healing easy and instan-taneous. Jesus regarded good as the normal state of man,and evil as the abnormal; holiness, life, and health asthe better representatives of God than sin, disease, and [5]death. The master Metaphysician understood omnipo-tence to be All-power: because Spirit was to him All-in-all, matter was palpably an error of premise andconclusion, while God was the only substance, Life,and intelligence of man. [10]The apostle Paul insists on the rare rule in ChristianScience that we have chosen for a text; a rule that is sus-ceptible of proof, and is applicable to every stage andstate of human existence. The divine Science of this ruleis quite as remote from the general comprehension of man- [15]kind as are the so-called miracles of our Master, and forthe sole reason that it is their basis. The foundationalfacts of Christian Science are gathered from the supremacyof spiritual law and its antagonism to every supposed ma-terial law. Christians to-day should be able to say, with [20]the sweet sincerity of the apostle,“I take pleasure ininfirmities,”—I enjoy the touch of weakness, pain, andall suffering of the flesh,becauseit compels me to seek theremedy for it, and to find happiness, apart from the per-sonal senses. The holy calm of Paul's well-tried hope [25]met no obstacle or circumstances paramount to the tri-umph of a reasonable faith in the omnipotence of good,involved in its divine Principle, God: the so-called painsand pleasures of matter were alike unreal to Jesus; for heregarded matter as only a vagary of mortal belief, and sub- [30]dued it with this understanding.The abstract statement that all is Mind, supports the[pg 201]entire wisdom of the text; and this statement receives [1]the mortal scoff only because it meets the immortal de-mands of Truth. The Science of Paul's declaration re-solves the element misnamed matter into its original sin,or human will; that will which would oppose bringing the [5]qualities of Spirit into subjection to Spirit. Sin broughtdeath; and death is an element of matter, or materialfalsity, never of Spirit.When Jesus reproduced his body after its burial, herevealed the myth or material falsity of evil; its power- [10]lessness to destroy good, and the omnipotence of theMind that knows this: he also showed forth the errorand nothingness of supposed life in matter, and the greatsomethingness of the good we possess, which is of Spirit,and immortal. [15]Understanding this, Paul took pleasure in infirmities,for it enabled him to triumph over them,—he declaredthat“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hathmade me free from the law of sin and death;”he tookpleasure in“reproaches”and“persecutions,”because [20]they were so many proofs that he had wrought the prob-lem of being beyond the common apprehension of sinners;he took pleasure in“necessities,”for they tested and de-veloped latent power.We protect our dwellings more securely after a robbery, [25]and our jewels have been stolen; so, after losing thosejewels of character,—temperance, virtue, and truth,—the young man is awakened to bar his door against furtherrobberies.Go to the bedside of pain, and there you can demon- [30]strate the triumph of good that has pleasure in infirmities;because it illustrates through the flesh the divine power[pg 202]of Spirit, and reaches the basis of all supposed miracles; [1]whereby the sweet harmonies of Christian Science arefound to correct the discords of sense, and to lift man'sbeing into the sunlight of Soul.“The chamber where the good man meets his fate[5]Is privileged beyond the walks of common life,Quite on the verge of heaven.”

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become thesons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born,not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but ofGod.—Johni. 12, 13.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the

sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born,

not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of

God.—Johni. 12, 13.

Here, the apostle assures us that man has power to [25]become the son of God. In the Hebrew text, the word“son”is defined variously; a month is called the sonof a year. This term, as applied to man, is used in botha material and a spiritual sense. The Scriptures speakof Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of man; but [30]

Here, the apostle assures us that man has power to [25]

become the son of God. In the Hebrew text, the word

“son”is defined variously; a month is called the son

of a year. This term, as applied to man, is used in both

a material and a spiritual sense. The Scriptures speak

of Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of man; but [30]

Jesus said to call no man father;“for one is your Father,”[1]even God.

Jesus said to call no man father;“for one is your Father,”[1]

even God.

Is man's spiritual sonship a personal gift to man, oris it the reality of his being, in divine Science? Man'sknowledge of this grand verity gives him power to dem- [5]onstrate his divine Principle, which in turn is requisitein order to understand his sonship, or unity with God,good. A personal requirement of blind obedience tothe law of being, would tend to obscure the order ofScience, unless that requirement should express the claims [10]of the divine Principle. Infinite Principle and infiniteSpirit must be one. What avail, then, to quarrel overwhat is the person of Spirit,—if we recognize infinitudeas personality,—for who can tell what is the form ofinfinity? When we understand man's true birthright, that [15]he is“born, not ... of the will of the flesh, nor of thewill of man, but of God,”we shall understand that manis the offspring of Spirit, and not of the flesh; recognizehim through spiritual, and not material laws; and regardhim as spiritual, and not material. His sonship, referred [20]to in the text, is his spiritual relation to Deity: it is not,then, a personal gift, but is the order of divine Science.The apostle urges upon our acceptance this great fact:“But as many as received him, to them gave he powerto become the sons of God.”Mortals will lose their sense [25]of mortality—disease, sickness, sin, and death—inthe proportion that they gain the sense of man's spirit-ual preexistence as God's child; as the offspring ofgood, and not of God's opposite,—evil, or a fallenman. [30]

Is man's spiritual sonship a personal gift to man, or

is it the reality of his being, in divine Science? Man's

knowledge of this grand verity gives him power to dem- [5]

onstrate his divine Principle, which in turn is requisite

in order to understand his sonship, or unity with God,

good. A personal requirement of blind obedience to

the law of being, would tend to obscure the order of

Science, unless that requirement should express the claims [10]

of the divine Principle. Infinite Principle and infinite

Spirit must be one. What avail, then, to quarrel over

what is the person of Spirit,—if we recognize infinitude

as personality,—for who can tell what is the form of

infinity? When we understand man's true birthright, that [15]

he is“born, not ... of the will of the flesh, nor of the

will of man, but of God,”we shall understand that man

is the offspring of Spirit, and not of the flesh; recognize

him through spiritual, and not material laws; and regard

him as spiritual, and not material. His sonship, referred [20]

to in the text, is his spiritual relation to Deity: it is not,

then, a personal gift, but is the order of divine Science.

The apostle urges upon our acceptance this great fact:

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power

to become the sons of God.”Mortals will lose their sense [25]

of mortality—disease, sickness, sin, and death—in

the proportion that they gain the sense of man's spirit-

ual preexistence as God's child; as the offspring of

good, and not of God's opposite,—evil, or a fallen

man. [30]

John the Baptist had a clear discernment of divineScience: being born not of the human will or flesh, he

John the Baptist had a clear discernment of divine

Science: being born not of the human will or flesh, he

antedated his own existence, began spiritually instead [1]of materially to reckon himself logically; hence the im-possibility of putting him to death, only in belief, throughviolent means or material methods.

antedated his own existence, began spiritually instead [1]

of materially to reckon himself logically; hence the im-

possibility of putting him to death, only in belief, through

violent means or material methods.

“As many as received him;”that is, as many as per-ceive man's actual existence in and of his divine Princi- [5]ple, receive the Truth of existence; and these have noother God, no other Mind, no other origin; therefore, intime they lose their false sense of existence, and findtheir adoption with the Father; to wit, the redemption [10]of the body. Through divine Science man gains thepower to become the son of God, to recognize his perfectand eternal estate.

“As many as received him;”that is, as many as per-

ceive man's actual existence in and of his divine Princi- [5]

ple, receive the Truth of existence; and these have no

other God, no other Mind, no other origin; therefore, in

time they lose their false sense of existence, and find

their adoption with the Father; to wit, the redemption [10]

of the body. Through divine Science man gains the

power to become the son of God, to recognize his perfect

and eternal estate.

“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will ofthe flesh.”This passage refers to man's primal, spirit- [15]ual existence, created neither from dust nor carnal desire.“Nor of the will of man.”Born of no doctrine,no human faith, but beholding the truth of being; eventhe understanding that man was never lost in Adam,since he is and ever was the image and likeness of God, [20]good. But no mortal hath seen the spiritual man, morethan he hath seen the Father. The apostle indicatesno personal plan of a personal Jehovah, partial and finite;but the possibility of all finding their place in God's greatlove, the eternal heritage of the Elohim, His sons and [25]daughters. The text is a metaphysical statement of existenceas Principle and idea, wherein man and his Makerare inseparable and eternal.

“Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of

the flesh.”This passage refers to man's primal, spirit- [15]

ual existence, created neither from dust nor carnal desire.

“Nor of the will of man.”Born of no doctrine,

no human faith, but beholding the truth of being; even

the understanding that man was never lost in Adam,

since he is and ever was the image and likeness of God, [20]

good. But no mortal hath seen the spiritual man, more

than he hath seen the Father. The apostle indicates

no personal plan of a personal Jehovah, partial and finite;

but the possibility of all finding their place in God's great

love, the eternal heritage of the Elohim, His sons and [25]

daughters. The text is a metaphysical statement of existence

as Principle and idea, wherein man and his Maker

are inseparable and eternal.

When the Word is made flesh,—that is, renderedpractical,—this eternal Truth will be understood; and [30]sickness, sin, and death will yield to it, even as they didmore than eighteen centuries ago. The lusts of the flesh

When the Word is made flesh,—that is, rendered

practical,—this eternal Truth will be understood; and [30]

sickness, sin, and death will yield to it, even as they did

more than eighteen centuries ago. The lusts of the flesh

and the pride of life will then be quenched in the divine [1]Science of being; in the ever-present good, omnipotentLove, and eternal Life, that know no death, In the greatforever, the verities of being exist, and must be acknowl-edged and demonstrated. Man must love his neighbor [5]as himself, and the power of Truth must be seen andfelt in health, happiness, and holiness: then it will befound that Mind is All-in-all, and there is no matter tocope with.

and the pride of life will then be quenched in the divine [1]

Science of being; in the ever-present good, omnipotent

Love, and eternal Life, that know no death, In the great

forever, the verities of being exist, and must be acknowl-

edged and demonstrated. Man must love his neighbor [5]

as himself, and the power of Truth must be seen and

felt in health, happiness, and holiness: then it will be

found that Mind is All-in-all, and there is no matter to

cope with.

Man is free born: he is neither the slave of sense, nor a [10]silly ambler to the so-called pleasures and pains of self-conscious matter. Man is God's image and likeness;whatever is possible to God, is possible to manas God'sreflection. Through the transparency of Science we learnthis, and receive it: learn that man can fulfil the Scrip- [15]tures in every instance; that if he open his mouth it shallbe filled—not by reason of the schools, or learning, butby the natural ability, that reflection already has bestowedon him, to give utterance to Truth.

Man is free born: he is neither the slave of sense, nor a [10]

silly ambler to the so-called pleasures and pains of self-

conscious matter. Man is God's image and likeness;

whatever is possible to God, is possible to manas God's

reflection. Through the transparency of Science we learn

this, and receive it: learn that man can fulfil the Scrip- [15]

tures in every instance; that if he open his mouth it shall

be filled—not by reason of the schools, or learning, but

by the natural ability, that reflection already has bestowed

on him, to give utterance to Truth.

“Who hath believed our report?”Who understands [20]these sayings? He to whom the arm of the Lord is re-vealed; to whom divine Science unfolds omnipotence,that equips man with divine power while it shames humanpride. Asserting a selfhood apart from God, is a denialof man's spiritual sonship; for it claims another father. [25]As many as do receive a knowledge of God throughScience, will have power to reflect His power, in proof ofman's“dominion over all the earth.”He is bravelybrave who dares at this date refute the evidence of materialsense with the facts of Science, and will arrive at the true [30]status of man because of it. The material senses wouldmake man, that the Scriptures declare reflects his Maker,

“Who hath believed our report?”Who understands [20]

these sayings? He to whom the arm of the Lord is re-

vealed; to whom divine Science unfolds omnipotence,

that equips man with divine power while it shames human

pride. Asserting a selfhood apart from God, is a denial

of man's spiritual sonship; for it claims another father. [25]

As many as do receive a knowledge of God through

Science, will have power to reflect His power, in proof of

man's“dominion over all the earth.”He is bravely

brave who dares at this date refute the evidence of material

sense with the facts of Science, and will arrive at the true [30]

status of man because of it. The material senses would

make man, that the Scriptures declare reflects his Maker,

the very opposite of that Maker, by claiming that God is [1]Spirit, while man is matter; that God is good, but man isevil; that Deity is deathless, but man dies. Science andsense conflict, from the revolving of worlds to the deathof a sparrow.

the very opposite of that Maker, by claiming that God is [1]

Spirit, while man is matter; that God is good, but man is

evil; that Deity is deathless, but man dies. Science and

sense conflict, from the revolving of worlds to the death

of a sparrow.

The Word will be made flesh and dwell among mortals,only when man reflects God in body as well as in mind.The child born of a woman has the formation of hisparents; the man born of Spirit is spiritual, not material.Paul refers to this when speaking of presenting our bodies [10]holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable service;and this brings to remembrance the Hebrew strain,“Who healeth all thy diseases.”

The Word will be made flesh and dwell among mortals,

only when man reflects God in body as well as in mind.

The child born of a woman has the formation of his

parents; the man born of Spirit is spiritual, not material.

Paul refers to this when speaking of presenting our bodies [10]

holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable service;

and this brings to remembrance the Hebrew strain,

“Who healeth all thy diseases.”

If man should say of the power to be perfect which hepossesses,“I am the power,”he would trespass upon [15]divine Science, yield to material sense, and lose his power;even as when saying,“I have the power to sin and besick,”and persisting in believing that he is sick and asinner. If he says,“I am of God, therefore good,”yetpersists in evil, he has denied the power of Truth, and [20]must suffer for this error until he learns that all power isgood because it is of God, and so destroys his self-de-ceived sense of power in evil. The Science of being givesback the lost likeness and power of God as the seal ofman's adoption. Oh, for that light and love ineffable, [25]which casteth out all fear, all sin, sickness, and death;that seeketh not her own, but another's good; that saithAbba, Father, andisborn of God!

If man should say of the power to be perfect which he

possesses,“I am the power,”he would trespass upon [15]

divine Science, yield to material sense, and lose his power;

even as when saying,“I have the power to sin and be

sick,”and persisting in believing that he is sick and a

sinner. If he says,“I am of God, therefore good,”yet

persists in evil, he has denied the power of Truth, and [20]

must suffer for this error until he learns that all power is

good because it is of God, and so destroys his self-de-

ceived sense of power in evil. The Science of being gives

back the lost likeness and power of God as the seal of

man's adoption. Oh, for that light and love ineffable, [25]

which casteth out all fear, all sin, sickness, and death;

that seeketh not her own, but another's good; that saith

Abba, Father, andisborn of God!

John came baptizing with water. He employed a typeof physical cleanliness to foreshadow metaphysical purity, [30]even mortal mind purged of the animal and human, andsubmerged in the humane and divine, giving back the

John came baptizing with water. He employed a type

of physical cleanliness to foreshadow metaphysical purity, [30]

even mortal mind purged of the animal and human, and

submerged in the humane and divine, giving back the

lost sense of man in unity with, and reflecting, his Maker. [1]None but the pure in heart shall see God,—shall be ableto discern fully and demonstrate fairly the divine Principleof Christian Science. The will of God, or power of Spirit,is made manifest as Truth, and through righteousness,— [5]not as or through matter,—and it strips matter of allclaims, abilities or disabilities, pains or pleasures. Self-renunciation of all that constitutes a so-called materialman, and the acknowledgment and achievement of hisspiritual identity as the child of God, is Science that [10]opens the very flood-gates of heaven; whence goodflows into every avenue of being, cleansing mortals ofall uncleanness, destroying all suffering, and demon-strating the true image and likeness. There is no otherway under heaven whereby we can be saved, and man [15]be clothed with might, majesty, and immortality.

lost sense of man in unity with, and reflecting, his Maker. [1]

None but the pure in heart shall see God,—shall be able

to discern fully and demonstrate fairly the divine Principle

of Christian Science. The will of God, or power of Spirit,

is made manifest as Truth, and through righteousness,— [5]

not as or through matter,—and it strips matter of all

claims, abilities or disabilities, pains or pleasures. Self-

renunciation of all that constitutes a so-called material

man, and the acknowledgment and achievement of his

spiritual identity as the child of God, is Science that [10]

opens the very flood-gates of heaven; whence good

flows into every avenue of being, cleansing mortals of

all uncleanness, destroying all suffering, and demon-

strating the true image and likeness. There is no other

way under heaven whereby we can be saved, and man [15]

be clothed with might, majesty, and immortality.

“As many as received him,”—as accept the truthof being,—“to them gave he power to become the sonsof God.”The spiritualization of our sense of man opensthe gates of paradise that the so-called material senses [20]would close, and reveals man infinitely blessed, upright,pure, and free; having no need of statistics by which tolearn his origin and age, or to measure his manhood, or toknow how much of a man he ever has been: for,“asmany as received him, to them gave he power to become [25]the sons of God.”

“As many as received him,”—as accept the truth

of being,—“to them gave he power to become the sons

of God.”The spiritualization of our sense of man opens

the gates of paradise that the so-called material senses [20]

would close, and reveals man infinitely blessed, upright,

pure, and free; having no need of statistics by which to

learn his origin and age, or to measure his manhood, or to

know how much of a man he ever has been: for,“as

many as received him, to them gave he power to become [25]

the sons of God.”

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul;the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.—1Cor.xv. 45.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul;

the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.—1Cor.xv. 45.

When reasoning on this subject of man with the Corin-thian brethren, the apostle first spake from their stand- [30]point of thought; namely, that creation is material:

When reasoning on this subject of man with the Corin-

thian brethren, the apostle first spake from their stand- [30]

point of thought; namely, that creation is material:

he was not at this point giving the history of the spiritual [1]man who originates in God, Love, who created manin His own image and likeness. In the creation of Adamfrom dust,—in which Soul is supposed to enter theembryo-man after his birth,—we see the material self- [5]constituted belief of the Jews as referred to by St. Paul.Their material belief has fallen far below man's originalstandard, the spiritual man made in the image and like-ness of God; for this erring belief even separates itsconception of man from God, and ultimates in the opposite [10]ofimmortal man, namely, in a sick and sinningmortal.

he was not at this point giving the history of the spiritual [1]

man who originates in God, Love, who created man

in His own image and likeness. In the creation of Adam

from dust,—in which Soul is supposed to enter the

embryo-man after his birth,—we see the material self- [5]

constituted belief of the Jews as referred to by St. Paul.

Their material belief has fallen far below man's original

standard, the spiritual man made in the image and like-

ness of God; for this erring belief even separates its

conception of man from God, and ultimates in the opposite [10]

ofimmortal man, namely, in a sick and sinning

mortal.

We learn in the Scriptures, as in divine Science, thatGod made all; that He is the universal Father and Motherof man; that God is divine Love: therefore divine Love [15]is the divine Principle of the divine idea named man;in other words, the spiritual Principle of spiritual man.Now let us not lose this Science of man, but gain it clearly;then we shall see that man cannot be separated fromhis perfect Principle, God, inasmuch as an idea cannot [20]be torn apart from its fundamental basis. This scien-tific knowledge affords self-evident proof of immortality;proof, also, that the Principle of man cannot produce aless perfect man than it produced in the beginning. Amaterial sense of existence is not the scientific fact of [25]being; whereas, the spiritual sense of God and His universeis the immortal and true sense of being.

We learn in the Scriptures, as in divine Science, that

God made all; that He is the universal Father and Mother

of man; that God is divine Love: therefore divine Love [15]

is the divine Principle of the divine idea named man;

in other words, the spiritual Principle of spiritual man.

Now let us not lose this Science of man, but gain it clearly;

then we shall see that man cannot be separated from

his perfect Principle, God, inasmuch as an idea cannot [20]

be torn apart from its fundamental basis. This scien-

tific knowledge affords self-evident proof of immortality;

proof, also, that the Principle of man cannot produce a

less perfect man than it produced in the beginning. A

material sense of existence is not the scientific fact of [25]

being; whereas, the spiritual sense of God and His universe

is the immortal and true sense of being.

As the apostle proceeds in this line of thought, heundoubtedly refers to the last Adam represented by theMessias, whose demonstration of God restored to mortals [30]the lost sense of man's perfection, even the sense of thereal man in God's likeness, who restored this sense by

As the apostle proceeds in this line of thought, he

undoubtedly refers to the last Adam represented by the

Messias, whose demonstration of God restored to mortals [30]

the lost sense of man's perfection, even the sense of the

real man in God's likeness, who restored this sense by

the spiritual regeneration of both mind and body,— [1]casting out evils,healing the sick, and raising the dead.The man Jesus demonstrated over sin, sickness, disease,and death. The great Metaphysician wrought, over andabove every sense of matter, into the proper sense of the [5]possibilities of Spirit. He established health and har-mony, the perfection of mind and body, as the reality ofman; while discord, as seen in disease and death, was tohim the opposite of man, hence the unreality; even as inScience a chord is manifestly the reality of music, and [10]discord the unreality. This rule of harmony must be ac-cepted as true relative to man.

the spiritual regeneration of both mind and body,— [1]

casting out evils,healing the sick, and raising the dead.

The man Jesus demonstrated over sin, sickness, disease,

and death. The great Metaphysician wrought, over and

above every sense of matter, into the proper sense of the [5]

possibilities of Spirit. He established health and har-

mony, the perfection of mind and body, as the reality of

man; while discord, as seen in disease and death, was to

him the opposite of man, hence the unreality; even as in

Science a chord is manifestly the reality of music, and [10]

discord the unreality. This rule of harmony must be ac-

cepted as true relative to man.

The translators of the older Scriptures presuppose amaterial man to be the first man, solely because theirtranscribing thoughts were not lifted to the inspired sense [15]of the spiritual man, as set forth in original Holy Writ.Had both writers and translators in that age fully com-prehended the later teachings and demonstrations ofour human and divine Master, the Old Testament mighthave been as spiritual as the New. [20]

The translators of the older Scriptures presuppose a

material man to be the first man, solely because their

transcribing thoughts were not lifted to the inspired sense [15]

of the spiritual man, as set forth in original Holy Writ.

Had both writers and translators in that age fully com-

prehended the later teachings and demonstrations of

our human and divine Master, the Old Testament might

have been as spiritual as the New. [20]

The origin, substance, and life of man are one, andthat one is God,—Life, Truth, Love. The self-existent,perfect, and eternal are God; and man is their reflectionand glory. Did the substance of God, Spirit, become aclod, in order to create a sick, sinning, dying man? The [25]primal facts of being are eternal; they are never extin-guished in a night of discord.

The origin, substance, and life of man are one, and

that one is God,—Life, Truth, Love. The self-existent,

perfect, and eternal are God; and man is their reflection

and glory. Did the substance of God, Spirit, become a

clod, in order to create a sick, sinning, dying man? The [25]

primal facts of being are eternal; they are never extin-

guished in a night of discord.

That man must be evil before he can be good; dying,before deathless; material, before spiritual; sick and asinner in order to be healed and saved, is but the declara- [30]tion of the material senses transcribed by pagan religion-ists, by wicked mortals such as crucified our Master,—

That man must be evil before he can be good; dying,

before deathless; material, before spiritual; sick and a

sinner in order to be healed and saved, is but the declara- [30]

tion of the material senses transcribed by pagan religion-

ists, by wicked mortals such as crucified our Master,—

whose teachings opposed the doctrines of Christ that [1]demonstrated the opposite, Truth.

whose teachings opposed the doctrines of Christ that [1]

demonstrated the opposite, Truth.

Man is as perfect now, and henceforth, and forever,as when the stars first sang together, and creation joinedin the grand chorus of harmonious being. It is the trans-lator, not the original Word, who presents as being first [5]that which appears second, material, and mortal; andas last, that which is primal, spiritual, and eternal. Be-cause of human misstatement and misconception of Godand man, of the divine Principle and idea of being, there [10]seems to be a war between the flesh and Spirit, a contestbetween Truth and error; but the apostle says,“Thereis therefore now no condemnation to them which are inChrist Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after theSpirit.”[15]

Man is as perfect now, and henceforth, and forever,

as when the stars first sang together, and creation joined

in the grand chorus of harmonious being. It is the trans-

lator, not the original Word, who presents as being first [5]

that which appears second, material, and mortal; and

as last, that which is primal, spiritual, and eternal. Be-

cause of human misstatement and misconception of God

and man, of the divine Principle and idea of being, there [10]

seems to be a war between the flesh and Spirit, a contest

between Truth and error; but the apostle says,“There

is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in

Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the

Spirit.”[15]

On our subject, St. Paul first reasons upon the basisof what is seen, the effects of Truth on the material senses;thence, up to the unseen, the testimony of spiritual sense;and right there he leaves the subject.

On our subject, St. Paul first reasons upon the basis

of what is seen, the effects of Truth on the material senses;

thence, up to the unseen, the testimony of spiritual sense;

and right there he leaves the subject.

Just there, in the intermediate line of thought, is where [20]the present writer found it, when she discovered ChristianScience. And she hasnotleft it, but continues the ex-planation of the power of Spirit up to its infinite meaning,its allness. The recognition of this power came to herthrough a spiritual sense of the real, and of the unreal [25]or mortal sense of things; not that there is, or canbe, an actual change in the realities of being, butthat we can discern more of them. At the momentof her discovery, she knew that the last Adam, namely,the true likeness of God, was the first, the only man. [30]This knowledge did become to her“a quickeningspirit;”for she beheld the meaning of those words

Just there, in the intermediate line of thought, is where [20]

the present writer found it, when she discovered Christian

Science. And she hasnotleft it, but continues the ex-

planation of the power of Spirit up to its infinite meaning,

its allness. The recognition of this power came to her

through a spiritual sense of the real, and of the unreal [25]

or mortal sense of things; not that there is, or can

be, an actual change in the realities of being, but

that we can discern more of them. At the moment

of her discovery, she knew that the last Adam, namely,

the true likeness of God, was the first, the only man. [30]

This knowledge did become to her“a quickening

spirit;”for she beheld the meaning of those words

of our Master,“The last shall be first, and the first[1]last.”

of our Master,“The last shall be first, and the first[1]

last.”

When, as little children, we are receptive, becomewilling to accept the divine Principle and rule of being,as unfolded in divine Science, the interpretation thereinwill be found to be the Comforter that leadeth into alltruth. [5]

When, as little children, we are receptive, become

willing to accept the divine Principle and rule of being,

as unfolded in divine Science, the interpretation therein

will be found to be the Comforter that leadeth into all

truth. [5]

The meek Nazarene's steadfast and true knowledge ofpreexistence, of the nature and the inseparability of Godand man,—made him mighty. Spiritual insight of [10]Truth and Love antidotes and destroys the errors of flesh,and brings to light the true reflection: man as God'simage, or“the first man,”for Christ plainly declared,through Jesus,“Before Abraham was, I am.”

The meek Nazarene's steadfast and true knowledge of

preexistence, of the nature and the inseparability of God

and man,—made him mighty. Spiritual insight of [10]

Truth and Love antidotes and destroys the errors of flesh,

and brings to light the true reflection: man as God's

image, or“the first man,”for Christ plainly declared,

through Jesus,“Before Abraham was, I am.”

The supposition that Soul, or Mind, is breathed into [15]matter, is a pantheistic doctrine that presents a falsesense of existence, and the quickening spirit takes itaway: revealing, in place thereof, the power and per-fection of a released sense of Life in God and LifeasGod. The Scriptures declare Life to be the infinite I [20]am,—not a dweller in matter. For man to know Lifeas it is, namely God, the eternal good, gives him notmerely a sense of existence, but an accompanying con-sciousness of spiritual power that subordinates matterand destroys sin, disease, and death. This, Jesus demon- [25]strated; insomuch that St. Matthew wrote,“The peoplewere astonished at his doctrine: for he taught themas one having authority, and not as the scribes.”Thisspiritual power, healing sin and sickness, was not con-fined to the first century; it extends to all time, inhabits [30]eternity, and demonstrates Life without beginning orend.

The supposition that Soul, or Mind, is breathed into [15]

matter, is a pantheistic doctrine that presents a false

sense of existence, and the quickening spirit takes it

away: revealing, in place thereof, the power and per-

fection of a released sense of Life in God and Lifeas

God. The Scriptures declare Life to be the infinite I [20]

am,—not a dweller in matter. For man to know Life

as it is, namely God, the eternal good, gives him not

merely a sense of existence, but an accompanying con-

sciousness of spiritual power that subordinates matter

and destroys sin, disease, and death. This, Jesus demon- [25]

strated; insomuch that St. Matthew wrote,“The people

were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them

as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”This

spiritual power, healing sin and sickness, was not con-

fined to the first century; it extends to all time, inhabits [30]

eternity, and demonstrates Life without beginning or

end.

Atomic action is Mind, not matter. It is neither the [1]energy of matter, the result of organization, nor the out-come of life infused into matter: it is infinite Spirit, Truth,Life, defiant of error or matter. Divine Science demon-strates Mind as dispelling a false sense and giving the [5]true sense of itself, God, and the universe; wherein themortal evolves not the immortal, nor does the materialultimate in the spiritual; wherein man is coexistent withMind, and is the recognized reflection of infinite Life andLove. [10]

Atomic action is Mind, not matter. It is neither the [1]

energy of matter, the result of organization, nor the out-

come of life infused into matter: it is infinite Spirit, Truth,

Life, defiant of error or matter. Divine Science demon-

strates Mind as dispelling a false sense and giving the [5]

true sense of itself, God, and the universe; wherein the

mortal evolves not the immortal, nor does the material

ultimate in the spiritual; wherein man is coexistent with

Mind, and is the recognized reflection of infinite Life and

Love. [10]

And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came topass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake.—Lukexi. 14.

And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to

pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake.—Lukexi. 14.

The meaning of the term“devil”needs yet to belearned. Its definition as an individual is too limitedand contradictory. When the Scripture is understood, [15]the spiritual signification of its terms will be understood,and will contradict the interpretations that the sensesgive them; and these terms will be found to include theinspired meaning.

The meaning of the term“devil”needs yet to be

learned. Its definition as an individual is too limited

and contradictory. When the Scripture is understood, [15]

the spiritual signification of its terms will be understood,

and will contradict the interpretations that the senses

give them; and these terms will be found to include the

inspired meaning.

It could not have been a person that our great Master [20]cast out of another person; therefore the devil hereinreferred to was an impersonal evil, or whatever workethill. In this case it was the evil of dumbness, an error ofmaterial sense, cast out by the spiritual truth of being;namely, that speech belongs to Mind instead of matter, [25]and the wrong power, or the lost sense, must yield to theright sense, and exist in Mind.

It could not have been a person that our great Master [20]

cast out of another person; therefore the devil herein

referred to was an impersonal evil, or whatever worketh

ill. In this case it was the evil of dumbness, an error of

material sense, cast out by the spiritual truth of being;

namely, that speech belongs to Mind instead of matter, [25]

and the wrong power, or the lost sense, must yield to the

right sense, and exist in Mind.

In the Hebrew,“devil”is denominated Abaddon; inthe Greek, Apollyon, serpent, liar, the god of this world,etc. The apostle Paul refers to this personality of evil [30]as“the god of this world;”and then defines this god

In the Hebrew,“devil”is denominated Abaddon; in

the Greek, Apollyon, serpent, liar, the god of this world,

etc. The apostle Paul refers to this personality of evil [30]

as“the god of this world;”and then defines this god

as“dishonesty, craftiness, handling the word of God[1]deceitfully.”The Hebrew embodies the term“devil”in another term, serpent,—which the senses are supposedto take in,—and then defines this serpent as“moresubtle than all the beasts of the field.”Subsequently, [5]the ancients changed the meaning of the term, to theirsense, and then the serpent became a symbol of wisdom.

as“dishonesty, craftiness, handling the word of God[1]

deceitfully.”The Hebrew embodies the term“devil”

in another term, serpent,—which the senses are supposed

to take in,—and then defines this serpent as“more

subtle than all the beasts of the field.”Subsequently, [5]

the ancients changed the meaning of the term, to their

sense, and then the serpent became a symbol of wisdom.

The Scripture in John, sixth chapter and seventiethverse, refers to a wicked man as the devil:“Have notI chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”Accord- [10]ing to the Scripture, if devil is an individuality, there ismore than one devil. In Mark, ninth chapter and thirty-eighth verse, it reads:“Master, we saw one casting outdevils in thy name.”Here is an assertion indicatingthe existence of more than one devil; and by omitting the [15]first letter, the name of his satanic majesty is foundto be evils, apparent wrong traits, that Christ, Truth,casts out. By no possible interpretation can this passagemean several individuals cast out of another individualno bigger than themselves. The term, being here em- [20]ployed in its plural number, destroys all consistent sup-position of the existence of one personal devil. Again,our text refers to the devil as dumb; but the originaldevil was a great talker, and was supposed to have out-talked even Truth, and carried the question with Eve. [25]Also, the original texts define him as an“accuser,”a“calumniator,”which would be impossible if he werespeechless. These two opposite characters ascribed tohim could only be possible as evil beliefs, as differentphases of sin or disease made manifest. [30]

The Scripture in John, sixth chapter and seventieth

verse, refers to a wicked man as the devil:“Have not

I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”Accord- [10]

ing to the Scripture, if devil is an individuality, there is

more than one devil. In Mark, ninth chapter and thirty-

eighth verse, it reads:“Master, we saw one casting out

devils in thy name.”Here is an assertion indicating

the existence of more than one devil; and by omitting the [15]

first letter, the name of his satanic majesty is found

to be evils, apparent wrong traits, that Christ, Truth,

casts out. By no possible interpretation can this passage

mean several individuals cast out of another individual

no bigger than themselves. The term, being here em- [20]

ployed in its plural number, destroys all consistent sup-

position of the existence of one personal devil. Again,

our text refers to the devil as dumb; but the original

devil was a great talker, and was supposed to have out-

talked even Truth, and carried the question with Eve. [25]

Also, the original texts define him as an“accuser,”a

“calumniator,”which would be impossible if he were

speechless. These two opposite characters ascribed to

him could only be possible as evil beliefs, as different

phases of sin or disease made manifest. [30]

Let us obey St. Paul's injunction to reject fables, andaccept the Scriptures in their broader, more spiritual

Let us obey St. Paul's injunction to reject fables, and

accept the Scriptures in their broader, more spiritual

and practical sense. When we speak of a good man, we [1]do not mean that man is God because the Hebrew termfor Deity was“good,”andvice versa; so, when referringto a liar, we mean not that he is a personal devil, becausethe original text defines devil as a“liar.”[5]

and practical sense. When we speak of a good man, we [1]

do not mean that man is God because the Hebrew term

for Deity was“good,”andvice versa; so, when referring

to a liar, we mean not that he is a personal devil, because

the original text defines devil as a“liar.”[5]

It is of infinite importance to man's spiritual progress,and to his demonstration of Truth in casting out error,—sickness, sin, disease, and death, in all their forms,—that the terms and nature of Deity and devil be understood.

It is of infinite importance to man's spiritual progress,

and to his demonstration of Truth in casting out error,

—sickness, sin, disease, and death, in all their forms,—

that the terms and nature of Deity and devil be understood.

He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; andgreater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.—Johnxiv. 12.

He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and

greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.—

Johnxiv. 12.

Such are the words of him who spake divinely, wellknowing the omnipotence of Truth. The Hebrew bardsaith,“His name shall endure forever: His name shall[15]be continued as long as the sun.”Luminous with thelight of divine Science, his words reveal the great Principleof a full salvation. Neither can we question the practi-cability of the divine Word, who have learned its adapta-bility to human needs, and man's ability to prove the [20]truth of prophecy.

Such are the words of him who spake divinely, well

knowing the omnipotence of Truth. The Hebrew bard

saith,“His name shall endure forever: His name shall[15]

be continued as long as the sun.”Luminous with the

light of divine Science, his words reveal the great Principle

of a full salvation. Neither can we question the practi-

cability of the divine Word, who have learned its adapta-

bility to human needs, and man's ability to prove the [20]

truth of prophecy.

The fulfilment of the grand verities of Christian healingbelongs to every period; as the above Scripture plainlydeclares, and as primitive Christianity confirms. Also,the last chapter of Mark is emphatic on this subject; [25]making healing a condition of salvation, that extends toall ages and throughout all Christendom. Nothing canbe more conclusive than this:“And these signs shallfollow them that believe; ... they shall lay hands onthe sick, and they shall recover.”This declaration of [30]our Master settles the question; else we are entertaining

The fulfilment of the grand verities of Christian healing

belongs to every period; as the above Scripture plainly

declares, and as primitive Christianity confirms. Also,

the last chapter of Mark is emphatic on this subject; [25]

making healing a condition of salvation, that extends to

all ages and throughout all Christendom. Nothing can

be more conclusive than this:“And these signs shall

follow them that believe; ... they shall lay hands on

the sick, and they shall recover.”This declaration of [30]

our Master settles the question; else we are entertaining

the startling inquiries, Are the Scriptures inspired? Are [1]they true? Did Jesus mean what he said?

the startling inquiries, Are the Scriptures inspired? Are [1]

they true? Did Jesus mean what he said?

If this be the cavil, we reply in the affirmative that theScripture is true; that Jesus did mean all, and even morethan he said or deemed it safe to say at that time. His [5]words are unmistakable, for they form propositions ofself-evident demonstrable truth. Doctrines that denythe substance and practicality of all Christ's teachingscannot be evangelical; and evangelical religion can beestablished on no other claim than the authenticity of [10]the Gospels, which support unequivocally the proof thatChristian Science, as defined and practised by Jesus,heals the sick, casts out error, and will destroy death.

If this be the cavil, we reply in the affirmative that the

Scripture is true; that Jesus did mean all, and even more

than he said or deemed it safe to say at that time. His [5]

words are unmistakable, for they form propositions of

self-evident demonstrable truth. Doctrines that deny

the substance and practicality of all Christ's teachings

cannot be evangelical; and evangelical religion can be

established on no other claim than the authenticity of [10]

the Gospels, which support unequivocally the proof that

Christian Science, as defined and practised by Jesus,

heals the sick, casts out error, and will destroy death.

Referring to The Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,of which I am pastor, a certain clergyman charitably [15]expressed it,“the so-called Christian Scientists.”

Referring to The Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,

of which I am pastor, a certain clergyman charitably [15]

expressed it,“the so-called Christian Scientists.”

I am thankful even for his allusion to truth; it beinga modification of silence on this subject, and also of whathad been said when critics attacked me for supplying theword Science to Christianity,—a word which the people [20]are now adopting.

I am thankful even for his allusion to truth; it being

a modification of silence on this subject, and also of what

had been said when critics attacked me for supplying the

word Science to Christianity,—a word which the people [20]

are now adopting.

The next step for ecclesiasticism to take, is to admitthat all Christians are properly called Scientists whofollow the commands of our Lord and His Christ, Truth;and that no one is following his full command without [25]this enlarged sense of the spirit and power of Christianity.“He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do,”is a radical and unmistakable declaration of the right andpower of Christianity to heal; for this is Christlike,and includes the understanding of man's capabilities and [30]spiritual power. The condition insisted upon is, first,“belief;”the Hebrew of which implies understanding.

The next step for ecclesiasticism to take, is to admit

that all Christians are properly called Scientists who

follow the commands of our Lord and His Christ, Truth;

and that no one is following his full command without [25]

this enlarged sense of the spirit and power of Christianity.

“He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do,”

is a radical and unmistakable declaration of the right and

power of Christianity to heal; for this is Christlike,

and includes the understanding of man's capabilities and [30]

spiritual power. The condition insisted upon is, first,

“belief;”the Hebrew of which implies understanding.

How many to-day believe that the power of God equals [1]even the power of a drug to heal the sick! Divine Sciencereveals the Principle of this power, and the rule wherebysin, sickness, disease, and death are destroyed; and Godis this Principle. Let us, then, seek this Science; that we [5]may know Him better, and love Him more.

How many to-day believe that the power of God equals [1]

even the power of a drug to heal the sick! Divine Science

reveals the Principle of this power, and the rule whereby

sin, sickness, disease, and death are destroyed; and God

is this Principle. Let us, then, seek this Science; that we [5]

may know Him better, and love Him more.

Though a man were begirt with the Urim and Thum-mim of priestly office, yet should deny the validity orpermanence of Christ's command to heal in all ages,this denial would dishonor that office and misinterpret [10]evangelical religion. Divine Science is not an interpo-lation of the Scriptures, but is redolent with love, health,and holiness, for the whole human race. It only needsthe prism of this Science to divide the rays of Truth, andbring out the entire hues of Deity, which scholastic theol- [15]ogy has hidden. The lens of Science magnifies the divinepower to human sight; and we then see the supremacyof Spirit and the nothingness of matter.

Though a man were begirt with the Urim and Thum-

mim of priestly office, yet should deny the validity or

permanence of Christ's command to heal in all ages,

this denial would dishonor that office and misinterpret [10]

evangelical religion. Divine Science is not an interpo-

lation of the Scriptures, but is redolent with love, health,

and holiness, for the whole human race. It only needs

the prism of this Science to divide the rays of Truth, and

bring out the entire hues of Deity, which scholastic theol- [15]

ogy has hidden. The lens of Science magnifies the divine

power to human sight; and we then see the supremacy

of Spirit and the nothingness of matter.

The context of the foregoing Scriptural text explainsJesus' words,“because I go unto my Father.”“Because”[20]in following him, you understand God andhowto turnfrom matter to Spirit for healing;howto leave self, thesense material, for the sense spiritual;howto acceptGod's power and guidance, and become imbued withdivine Love that casts out all fear. Then are you bap- [25]tized in the Truth that destroys all error, and you receivethe sense of Life that knows no death, and youknowthatGod is the only Life.

The context of the foregoing Scriptural text explains

Jesus' words,“because I go unto my Father.”“Because”[20]

in following him, you understand God andhowto turn

from matter to Spirit for healing;howto leave self, the

sense material, for the sense spiritual;howto accept

God's power and guidance, and become imbued with

divine Love that casts out all fear. Then are you bap- [25]

tized in the Truth that destroys all error, and you receive

the sense of Life that knows no death, and youknowthat

God is the only Life.

To reach the consummate naturalness of the Life thatis God, good, we must comply with the first condition [30]set forth in the text, namely, believe; in other words,understand God sufficiently to exclude all faith in any

To reach the consummate naturalness of the Life that

is God, good, we must comply with the first condition [30]

set forth in the text, namely, believe; in other words,

understand God sufficiently to exclude all faith in any

other remedy than Christ, the Truth that antidotes all [1]error. Thence will follow the absorption of all action,motive, and mind, into the rules and divine Principle ofmetaphysical healing.

other remedy than Christ, the Truth that antidotes all [1]

error. Thence will follow the absorption of all action,

motive, and mind, into the rules and divine Principle of

metaphysical healing.

Whosoever learns the letter of Christian Science but [5]possesses not its spirit, is unable to demonstrate thisScience; or whosoever hath the spirit without the letter,is held back by reason of the lack of understanding. Boththe spirit and the letter are requisite; and having these,every one can prove, in some degree, the validity of those [10]words of the great Master,“For the Son of man is cometo save that which was lost.”

Whosoever learns the letter of Christian Science but [5]

possesses not its spirit, is unable to demonstrate this

Science; or whosoever hath the spirit without the letter,

is held back by reason of the lack of understanding. Both

the spirit and the letter are requisite; and having these,

every one can prove, in some degree, the validity of those [10]

words of the great Master,“For the Son of man is come

to save that which was lost.”

It has been said that the New Testament does not au-thorize us to expect the ministry of healing at this period.

It has been said that the New Testament does not au-

thorize us to expect the ministry of healing at this period.

We ask what is the authority for such a conclusion, [15]the premises whereof are not to be found in the Scriptures.The Master's divine logic, as seen in our text, contradictsthis inference,—these are his words:“He that believethon me, the works that I do shall he do also.”That per-fect syllogism of Jesus has but one correct premise and [20]conclusion, and it cannot fall to the ground beneath thestroke of unskilled swordsmen. He who never unsheathedhis blade to try the edge of truth in Christian Science, isunequal to the conflict, and unfit to judge in the case;the shepherd's sling would slay this Goliath. I once be- [25]lieved that the practice and teachings of Jesus relative tohealing the sick, were spiritual abstractions, impracticaland impossible to us; but deed, not creed, and practicemore than theory, have given me a higher sense ofChristianity. [30]

We ask what is the authority for such a conclusion, [15]

the premises whereof are not to be found in the Scriptures.

The Master's divine logic, as seen in our text, contradicts

this inference,—these are his words:“He that believeth

on me, the works that I do shall he do also.”That per-

fect syllogism of Jesus has but one correct premise and [20]

conclusion, and it cannot fall to the ground beneath the

stroke of unskilled swordsmen. He who never unsheathed

his blade to try the edge of truth in Christian Science, is

unequal to the conflict, and unfit to judge in the case;

the shepherd's sling would slay this Goliath. I once be- [25]

lieved that the practice and teachings of Jesus relative to

healing the sick, were spiritual abstractions, impractical

and impossible to us; but deed, not creed, and practice

more than theory, have given me a higher sense of

Christianity. [30]

The“I”will go to the Father when meekness, purity,and love, informed by divine Science, the Comforter,

The“I”will go to the Father when meekness, purity,

and love, informed by divine Science, the Comforter,

lead to the one God: then the ego is found not in [1]matter but in Mind, for there is but one God, oneMind; and man will then claim no mind apart from God.Idolatry, the supposition of the existence of many mindsand more than one God, has repeated itself in all manner [5]of subtleties through the entire centuries, saying as inthe beginning,“Believe in me, and I will make you asgods;”that is, I will give you a separate mind from God(good), named evil; and this so-called mind shall openyour eyes and make you know evil, and thus become [10]material, sensual, evil. But bear in mind that a serpentsaid that; therefore that saying came not from Mind,good, or Truth. God was not the author of it; hence thewords of our Master:“He is a liar, and the father of it;”also, the character of the votaries to“other gods”which [15]sprung from it.

lead to the one God: then the ego is found not in [1]

matter but in Mind, for there is but one God, one

Mind; and man will then claim no mind apart from God.

Idolatry, the supposition of the existence of many minds

and more than one God, has repeated itself in all manner [5]

of subtleties through the entire centuries, saying as in

the beginning,“Believe in me, and I will make you as

gods;”that is, I will give you a separate mind from God

(good), named evil; and this so-called mind shall open

your eyes and make you know evil, and thus become [10]

material, sensual, evil. But bear in mind that a serpent

said that; therefore that saying came not from Mind,

good, or Truth. God was not the author of it; hence the

words of our Master:“He is a liar, and the father of it;”

also, the character of the votaries to“other gods”which [15]

sprung from it.

The sweet, sacred sense and permanence of man'sunity with his Maker, in Science, illumines our presentexistence with the ever-presence and power of God, good.It opens wide the portals of salvation from sin, sickness, [20]and death. When the Life that is God, good, shall ap-pear,“we shall be like Him;”we shall do the works ofChrist, and, in the words of David,“the stone which thebuilders refused is become the head stone of the corner,”because the“I”does go unto the Father, the ego does [25]arise to spiritual recognition of being, and is exalted,—not through death, but Life, God understood.

The sweet, sacred sense and permanence of man's

unity with his Maker, in Science, illumines our present

existence with the ever-presence and power of God, good.

It opens wide the portals of salvation from sin, sickness, [20]

and death. When the Life that is God, good, shall ap-

pear,“we shall be like Him;”we shall do the works of

Christ, and, in the words of David,“the stone which the

builders refused is become the head stone of the corner,”

because the“I”does go unto the Father, the ego does [25]

arise to spiritual recognition of being, and is exalted,—

not through death, but Life, God understood.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.—Actsxvi. 31.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.—Acts

xvi. 31.

The Scriptures require more than a simple admission [30]and feeble acceptance of the truths they present; they

The Scriptures require more than a simple admission [30]

and feeble acceptance of the truths they present; they

require a living faith, that so incorporates their lessons [1]into our lives that these truths become the motive-powerof every act.

require a living faith, that so incorporates their lessons [1]

into our lives that these truths become the motive-power

of every act.

ur chosen text is one more frequently used thanmany others, perhaps, to exhort people to turn from sin [5]and to strive after holiness; but we fear the full importof this text is not yet recognized. It means afullsalva-tion,—man saved from sin, sickness, and death; for,unless this be so, no man can be wholly fitted for heavenin the way which Jesus marked out and bade his followers [10]pursue.

ur chosen text is one more frequently used than

many others, perhaps, to exhort people to turn from sin [5]

and to strive after holiness; but we fear the full import

of this text is not yet recognized. It means afullsalva-

tion,—man saved from sin, sickness, and death; for,

unless this be so, no man can be wholly fitted for heaven

in the way which Jesus marked out and bade his followers [10]

pursue.

In order to comprehend the meaning of the text, letus see what it is to believe. It means more than an opinionentertained concerning Jesus as a man, as the Son of God,or as God; such an action of mind would be of no more [15]help to save from sin, than would a belief in any historicalevent or person. But it does mean so to understand thebeauty of holiness, the character and divinity which Jesuspresented in his power to heal and to save, that it willcompel us to pattern after both; in other words, to“let[20]this Mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”(Phil. ii. 5.)

In order to comprehend the meaning of the text, let

us see what it is to believe. It means more than an opinion

entertained concerning Jesus as a man, as the Son of God,

or as God; such an action of mind would be of no more [15]

help to save from sin, than would a belief in any historical

event or person. But it does mean so to understand the

beauty of holiness, the character and divinity which Jesus

presented in his power to heal and to save, that it will

compel us to pattern after both; in other words, to“let[20]

this Mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

(Phil. ii. 5.)

Mortal man believes in, but does not understand lifein, Christ. He believes there is another power or intelli-gence that rules over a kingdom of its own, that is both [25]good and evil; yea, that is divided against itself, and there-fore cannot stand. This belief breaks the First Command-ment of God.

Mortal man believes in, but does not understand life

in, Christ. He believes there is another power or intelli-

gence that rules over a kingdom of its own, that is both [25]

good and evil; yea, that is divided against itself, and there-

fore cannot stand. This belief breaks the First Command-

ment of God.

Let man abjure a theory that is in opposition to God,recognize God as omnipotent, having all-power; and, [30]placing his trust in this grand Truth, and working fromno other Principle, he can neither be sick nor forever a

Let man abjure a theory that is in opposition to God,

recognize God as omnipotent, having all-power; and, [30]

placing his trust in this grand Truth, and working from

no other Principle, he can neither be sick nor forever a

sinner. When wholly governed by the one perfect Mind, [1]man has no sinful thoughts and will have no desireto sin.

sinner. When wholly governed by the one perfect Mind, [1]

man has no sinful thoughts and will have no desire

to sin.

To arrive at this point of unity of Spirit, God, one mustcommence by turning away from material gods; denying [5]material so-called laws and material sensation,—or mindin matter, in its varied forms of pleasure and pain. Thismust be done with the understanding that matter has nosense; thus it is that consciousness silences the mortalclaim to life, substance, or mind in matter, with the words [10]of Jesus:“When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of hisown.”(John viii. 44.)

To arrive at this point of unity of Spirit, God, one must

commence by turning away from material gods; denying [5]

material so-called laws and material sensation,—or mind

in matter, in its varied forms of pleasure and pain. This

must be done with the understanding that matter has no

sense; thus it is that consciousness silences the mortal

claim to life, substance, or mind in matter, with the words [10]

of Jesus:“When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his

own.”(John viii. 44.)

When tempted to sin, we should know that evil pro-ceedeth not from God, good, but is a false belief of thepersonal senses; and if we deny the claims of these senses [15]and recognize man as governed by God, Spirit, not bymaterial laws, the temptation will disappear.

When tempted to sin, we should know that evil pro-

ceedeth not from God, good, but is a false belief of the

personal senses; and if we deny the claims of these senses [15]

and recognize man as governed by God, Spirit, not by

material laws, the temptation will disappear.

On this Principle, disease also is treated and healed.We know that man's body, as matter, has no power togovern itself; and a belief of disease is as much the prod- [20]uct of mortal thought as sin is. All suffering is the fruitof the tree of the knowledge ofbothgood and evil; ofadherence to the“doubleminded”senses, to some belief,fear, theory, or bad deed, based on physical material law,so-called as opposed to good,—all of which is corrected [25]alone by Science, divine Principle, and its spiritual laws.Suffering is the supposition of another intelligence thanGod; a belief in self-existent evil, opposed to good; andin whatever seems to punish man for doing good,—by saying he has overworked, suffered from inclement [30]weather, or violated a law of matter in doing good, there-fore he must suffer for it.

On this Principle, disease also is treated and healed.

We know that man's body, as matter, has no power to

govern itself; and a belief of disease is as much the prod- [20]

uct of mortal thought as sin is. All suffering is the fruit

of the tree of the knowledge ofbothgood and evil; of

adherence to the“doubleminded”senses, to some belief,

fear, theory, or bad deed, based on physical material law,

so-called as opposed to good,—all of which is corrected [25]

alone by Science, divine Principle, and its spiritual laws.

Suffering is the supposition of another intelligence than

God; a belief in self-existent evil, opposed to good; and

in whatever seems to punish man for doing good,—

by saying he has overworked, suffered from inclement [30]

weather, or violated a law of matter in doing good, there-

fore he must suffer for it.

God does not reward benevolence and love with pen- [1]alties; and because of this, we have the right to deny thesupposed power of matter to do it, and to allege that onlymortal, erring mind can claim to do thus, and dignify theresult with the name of law: thence comes man's ability [5]to annul his own erring mental law, and to hold himselfamenable only to moral and spiritual law,—God's gov-ernment. By so doing, male and female come into theirrightful heritage,“into the glorious liberty of the childrenof God.”[10]

God does not reward benevolence and love with pen- [1]

alties; and because of this, we have the right to deny the

supposed power of matter to do it, and to allege that only

mortal, erring mind can claim to do thus, and dignify the

result with the name of law: thence comes man's ability [5]

to annul his own erring mental law, and to hold himself

amenable only to moral and spiritual law,—God's gov-

ernment. By so doing, male and female come into their

rightful heritage,“into the glorious liberty of the children

of God.”[10]

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake.—2Cor.xii. 10.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,

in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake.—2Cor.

xii. 10.

The miracles recorded in the Scriptures illustrate thelife of Jesus as nothing else can; but they cost him the [15]hatred of the rabbis. The rulers sought the life of Jesus;they would extinguish whatever denied and defied theirsuperstition. We learn somewhat of the qualities of thedivine Mind through the human Jesus. The power ofhis transcendent goodness is manifest in the control it [20]gave him over the qualities opposed to Spirit which mor-tals name matter.

The miracles recorded in the Scriptures illustrate the

life of Jesus as nothing else can; but they cost him the [15]

hatred of the rabbis. The rulers sought the life of Jesus;

they would extinguish whatever denied and defied their

superstition. We learn somewhat of the qualities of the

divine Mind through the human Jesus. The power of

his transcendent goodness is manifest in the control it [20]

gave him over the qualities opposed to Spirit which mor-

tals name matter.

The Principle of these marvellous works is divine; butthe actor was human. This divine Principle is discernedin Christian Science, as we advance in the spiritual under- [25]standing that all substance, Life, and intelligence areGod. The so-called miracles contained in Holy Writ areneither supernatural nor preternatural; for God is good,and goodness is more natural than evil. The marvelloushealing-power of goodness is the outflowing life of Chris- [30]tianity, and it characterized and dated the Christian era.

The Principle of these marvellous works is divine; but

the actor was human. This divine Principle is discerned

in Christian Science, as we advance in the spiritual under- [25]

standing that all substance, Life, and intelligence are

God. The so-called miracles contained in Holy Writ are

neither supernatural nor preternatural; for God is good,

and goodness is more natural than evil. The marvellous

healing-power of goodness is the outflowing life of Chris- [30]

tianity, and it characterized and dated the Christian era.

It was the consummate naturalness of Truth in the [1]mind of Jesus, that made his healing easy and instan-taneous. Jesus regarded good as the normal state of man,and evil as the abnormal; holiness, life, and health asthe better representatives of God than sin, disease, and [5]death. The master Metaphysician understood omnipo-tence to be All-power: because Spirit was to him All-in-all, matter was palpably an error of premise andconclusion, while God was the only substance, Life,and intelligence of man. [10]

It was the consummate naturalness of Truth in the [1]

mind of Jesus, that made his healing easy and instan-

taneous. Jesus regarded good as the normal state of man,

and evil as the abnormal; holiness, life, and health as

the better representatives of God than sin, disease, and [5]

death. The master Metaphysician understood omnipo-

tence to be All-power: because Spirit was to him All-

in-all, matter was palpably an error of premise and

conclusion, while God was the only substance, Life,

and intelligence of man. [10]

The apostle Paul insists on the rare rule in ChristianScience that we have chosen for a text; a rule that is sus-ceptible of proof, and is applicable to every stage andstate of human existence. The divine Science of this ruleis quite as remote from the general comprehension of man- [15]kind as are the so-called miracles of our Master, and forthe sole reason that it is their basis. The foundationalfacts of Christian Science are gathered from the supremacyof spiritual law and its antagonism to every supposed ma-terial law. Christians to-day should be able to say, with [20]the sweet sincerity of the apostle,“I take pleasure ininfirmities,”—I enjoy the touch of weakness, pain, andall suffering of the flesh,becauseit compels me to seek theremedy for it, and to find happiness, apart from the per-sonal senses. The holy calm of Paul's well-tried hope [25]met no obstacle or circumstances paramount to the tri-umph of a reasonable faith in the omnipotence of good,involved in its divine Principle, God: the so-called painsand pleasures of matter were alike unreal to Jesus; for heregarded matter as only a vagary of mortal belief, and sub- [30]dued it with this understanding.

The apostle Paul insists on the rare rule in Christian

Science that we have chosen for a text; a rule that is sus-

ceptible of proof, and is applicable to every stage and

state of human existence. The divine Science of this rule

is quite as remote from the general comprehension of man- [15]

kind as are the so-called miracles of our Master, and for

the sole reason that it is their basis. The foundational

facts of Christian Science are gathered from the supremacy

of spiritual law and its antagonism to every supposed ma-

terial law. Christians to-day should be able to say, with [20]

the sweet sincerity of the apostle,“I take pleasure in

infirmities,”—I enjoy the touch of weakness, pain, and

all suffering of the flesh,becauseit compels me to seek the

remedy for it, and to find happiness, apart from the per-

sonal senses. The holy calm of Paul's well-tried hope [25]

met no obstacle or circumstances paramount to the tri-

umph of a reasonable faith in the omnipotence of good,

involved in its divine Principle, God: the so-called pains

and pleasures of matter were alike unreal to Jesus; for he

regarded matter as only a vagary of mortal belief, and sub- [30]

dued it with this understanding.

The abstract statement that all is Mind, supports the

entire wisdom of the text; and this statement receives [1]the mortal scoff only because it meets the immortal de-mands of Truth. The Science of Paul's declaration re-solves the element misnamed matter into its original sin,or human will; that will which would oppose bringing the [5]qualities of Spirit into subjection to Spirit. Sin broughtdeath; and death is an element of matter, or materialfalsity, never of Spirit.

entire wisdom of the text; and this statement receives [1]

the mortal scoff only because it meets the immortal de-

mands of Truth. The Science of Paul's declaration re-

solves the element misnamed matter into its original sin,

or human will; that will which would oppose bringing the [5]

qualities of Spirit into subjection to Spirit. Sin brought

death; and death is an element of matter, or material

falsity, never of Spirit.

When Jesus reproduced his body after its burial, herevealed the myth or material falsity of evil; its power- [10]lessness to destroy good, and the omnipotence of theMind that knows this: he also showed forth the errorand nothingness of supposed life in matter, and the greatsomethingness of the good we possess, which is of Spirit,and immortal. [15]

When Jesus reproduced his body after its burial, he

revealed the myth or material falsity of evil; its power- [10]

lessness to destroy good, and the omnipotence of the

Mind that knows this: he also showed forth the error

and nothingness of supposed life in matter, and the great

somethingness of the good we possess, which is of Spirit,

and immortal. [15]

Understanding this, Paul took pleasure in infirmities,for it enabled him to triumph over them,—he declaredthat“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hathmade me free from the law of sin and death;”he tookpleasure in“reproaches”and“persecutions,”because [20]they were so many proofs that he had wrought the prob-lem of being beyond the common apprehension of sinners;he took pleasure in“necessities,”for they tested and de-veloped latent power.

Understanding this, Paul took pleasure in infirmities,

for it enabled him to triumph over them,—he declared

that“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath

made me free from the law of sin and death;”he took

pleasure in“reproaches”and“persecutions,”because [20]

they were so many proofs that he had wrought the prob-

lem of being beyond the common apprehension of sinners;

he took pleasure in“necessities,”for they tested and de-

veloped latent power.

We protect our dwellings more securely after a robbery, [25]and our jewels have been stolen; so, after losing thosejewels of character,—temperance, virtue, and truth,—the young man is awakened to bar his door against furtherrobberies.

We protect our dwellings more securely after a robbery, [25]

and our jewels have been stolen; so, after losing those

jewels of character,—temperance, virtue, and truth,—

the young man is awakened to bar his door against further

robberies.

Go to the bedside of pain, and there you can demon- [30]strate the triumph of good that has pleasure in infirmities;because it illustrates through the flesh the divine power

Go to the bedside of pain, and there you can demon- [30]

strate the triumph of good that has pleasure in infirmities;

because it illustrates through the flesh the divine power

of Spirit, and reaches the basis of all supposed miracles; [1]whereby the sweet harmonies of Christian Science arefound to correct the discords of sense, and to lift man'sbeing into the sunlight of Soul.

of Spirit, and reaches the basis of all supposed miracles; [1]

whereby the sweet harmonies of Christian Science are

found to correct the discords of sense, and to lift man's

being into the sunlight of Soul.

“The chamber where the good man meets his fate[5]Is privileged beyond the walks of common life,Quite on the verge of heaven.”

“The chamber where the good man meets his fate[5]

Is privileged beyond the walks of common life,

Quite on the verge of heaven.”

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