Actuated by Love

from Message for 1902, by Mary Baker Eddy, pages 8-9

No person can heal or reform mankind unless he is actuated by love and good will towards men. The coincidence between the law and the gospel, between the old and the new commandment, confirms the fact that God and Love are one. The spiritually minded are inspired with tenderness, Truth, and Love. The life of Christ Jesus, his words and his deeds, demonstrate Love. We have no evidence of being Christian Scientists except we possess this inspiration, and its power to heal and to save. The energy that saves sinners and heals the sick is divine: and Love is the Principle thereof. Scientific Christianity works out the rule of spiritual love; it makes man active, it prompts perpetual goodness, for the ego, or I, goes to the Father, whereby man is Godlike. Love, purity, meekness, co-exist in divine Science. Lust, hatred, revenge, coincide in material sense. Christ Jesus reckoned man in Science, having the kingdom of heaven within him. He spake of man not as the offspring of Adam, a departure from God, or His lost likeness, but as God’s child. Spiritual love makes man conscious that God is his Father, and the consciousness of God as Love gives man power with untold furtherance. Then God becomes to him the All-presence — quenching sin; the All-power — giving life, health, holiness; the All-science — all law and gospel.

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Body

Body and Matter

excerpts from Mary Baker Eddy, Lessons of the Seventh Day, pages 128-132

There is one Body, the body of all being. This body is perfect in form, comeliness, beauty, for it expresses the idea of God.

Mind is ever imparting perfect modes of expression outlining beauty, form, color, grace, symmetry, refinement, delicacy, beautified being. Know now what God is, and that is what body is. Heaven is here or we would not be here.

Everything in the material universe is a counterfeit of something real. What is the stomach? A counterfeit of some divine idea. But because it is the counterfeit of something real, do not go any farther and theorize. Just know God is present here.

Rise to the spiritual sense, then your body will respond. This is the resurrection. It is not to be resurrected from matter, dust. There was never any life in matter to be resurrected. The resurrection is seeing the real man that never was in matter. He never was sick to be made well. That was the way I did the healing. I never saw a material man before me, but the real man, perfect, and this healed instantaneously, and no relapse. This is the way Jesus healed.

Every action, incident, movement, faculty, function, organ, in the divine creation, is an idea of God and is constantly declaring: “I am.” Every idea must do this and cannot do otherwise. It does not know how to be otherwise than harmonious, lending its tone to the universal infinite harmony of divine, boundless, satisfactory being.

It seems to the material senses that pain etc. is in the lungs or elsewhere in matter, but the fact is that pain or suffering of any sort is no more in the body or matter in our waking state than it is in our night dream, for both states are dreams and not the reality of being.

Error says we are sick or discouraged; we don’t say it. It is error talking about itself. If we admit it, we have accepted a lie. Truth says, “I have perfect eyes, perfect heart, perfect limbs, etc; all there is to me is like God, like perfection.” We should discard mortal mind judgement, and pray for the Christ Mind.

My health and strength are from the Christ — Mind; therefore no mental arrow can reach me in any part or organ of my body, which is not flesh but is the immortal image of God, my Creator.

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The Temple of God

by Mary Beth Singleterry

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

Sometimes I hear people struggling with what should be the right concept of their “body.” Mrs. Eddy in the glossary defines Temple as “Body; the idea of Life, substance, and intelligence; the superstructure of Truth; the shrine of Love.”

So think of your body as, first, “the temple of God,” knowing that “the Spirit of God dwells in you”!! Then realize it is the “idea of Life, substance, and intelligence.” Amazing! Go on to see it as the “superstructure of Truth” and the “shrine of Love.”

Think about what each one of these statements means. A definition of “superstructure” is “anything erected on a foundation or basis.” And “shrine” means “a case or box in which sacred things are deposited”! So your body is based on Truth and sacred things are deposited there! Continually contemplating this correct concept of body will do so much more for you than all the mulling over about it in some material way — its bones, organs, weight, size, etc. — therefore — “Loose it, and let it go”!

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The Belief in Pain

by Florence Roberts

I grew up watching my mother often complain of pain in some part of her body. All too often I saw my patients complain of pain during my career as a medical nurse. And I have had my own share of this belief called pain.

‘What makes it feel so real?’ used to be a frequent question? It wasn’t until I pondered and prayed about the truth Christ Jesus taught through His healings, which has been made clear through Christian Science, that I caught a glimpse of why pain is a myth, an illusion; something to be discovered as a lie, and overcome.

The fact that when thought is preoccupied with other things one feels no pain, convinces me that it is not something in the body but a belief in mind. Mrs. Eddy has given the Scientific Statement of Being (Science and Health, page 468), which emphasizes man’s spiritual being.

This assures me that should I wake up in the morning with the sense of pain, I can know that it is not of God, and therefore cannot be true about me! I can vehemently deny its apparent reality and defend what God knows about me with some of the truths Mrs. Eddy has given us.

The following are statements from Science and Health that have helped me overcome the false sense of pain, as I pondered, prayed with them and took them into my heart:

“There is no pain in Truth, and no truth in pain;... “ (page 113:28)

“Spirit’s senses are without pain and they are forever at peace.” (page 214:32)

“Banish the belief that you can possibly entertain a single intruding pain which cannot be ruled out by the might of Mind...” (page 391:9)

With “the might of Mind,” I can consistently discipline my thinking with the correct understanding of my true being, as having the substance of Spirit; then I too can rejoice in the statement, “When we wake to the truth of being, all disease, pain, weakness, weariness, sorrow, sin, death, will be unknown, and the mortal dream will forever cease.” (Science and Health, page 218:32-2)

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Redemption of Body

by Samuel Greenwood

From the December 4, 1926 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

Jesus taught that men are not defiled by external things. Not food or atmosphere or any other material condition, but the “evil thoughts” which proceed “out of the heart” defile a man.

The redemption of the body involves a change of consciousness from evil to good. The conditions which debase and enslave the thoughts of men, sooner or later debase and enslave their bodies. Mrs. Eddy writes: “The scientific government of the body must be attained through the divine Mind. It is impossible to gain control over the body in any other way.” (S&H)

But mortals diligently try every other way to gain this control. They appeal to drugs, surgery, manipulation, hypnotism, and so on; but none of them ever evolved “the scientific government of the body.” After four thousand years of medical practice and two thousand years of doctrinal Christianity, the great majority of mankind still find themselves held in slavery to the material senses.

As evil thoughts impair and deplete the human system, so good thoughts preserve and sustain it. While anger and hatred inflame and poison both mortal mind and body, divinely reflected love quiets the turbulent elements of evil, bringing freedom and peace to mind and body. Moral uncleanness, in all its forms, saps the vital energies of men; while pure thoughts and spiritual desires strengthen and invigorate. And thus it runs all along the line of human experience: the mental qualities which would bind men to the beast, if given sway in consciousness, bring the body into subjection to fear and disease; whereas the mental qualities which unite men to divinity, liberate and protect them from all evil.

Righteous thinking, good, pure thinking, is not impossible to men. The ability to turn from evil to good is our common heritage. Although it may call for self-discipline and denial, it is no more difficult to think good thoughts than evil thoughts; and thinking good thoughts carries one straight into the kingdom of heaven. However overwhelming may seem the evidences of false belief, everyone may find hope and encouragement in Mrs. Eddy’s assurance that “the feeblest mind, enlightened and spiritualized, can free its body from disease as well as sin.” (Peo. p.11:5-7)

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The Word Made Flesh

excerpts from Addresses by Martha Wilcox, page 429-431

Once, when at Mrs. Eddy’s home, one of her beautiful horses was in a serious claim. This was reported to her and in substance she said, “What the horse is to you, is not actually the way that the idea is.” Dr. Powell said, “Things are not what they seem.” (No, things are what they are.) They are figures of the true. If our faith were more simple, we would see them as they are, expressions of the Divine in forms we call material.

Mrs. Eddy showed us that the so-called human mind held within itself its own self-made concept of horse, and attached to its concept of horse, its own qualities of being, sick or well. She also showed us that this one, so-called mortal mind, gives to each of us its own and the same concept of horse. She then showed us that this beautiful horse, which we all so much admired, was wholly within the realm of consciousness as image or idea.

She showed us that the Divine Mind was the only power that can formulate an idea, and that Divine Mind was the substance and character of every particular idea, and that the Divine Mind was all there was to what the human mind called horse.

She showed us that we did not need to heal a horse, but we did need to restore our vision from that which was untrue, to that which was true in the realm of consciousness. The work was not to be done on the horse, the only horse there was, was already perfect, and she showed us that the true horse was the one and the same horse in each individual consciousness.

We thoroughly understood that the horse, which we saw as material and sick, was to be seen as it was. We were not to change a sick horse into a well horse, but we were to change our thought from belief to Truth. We also thoroughly understood that the Divine Mind was the I, or Ego, present, that we were calling the personal I, and this Divine Mind, present, was conscious of and seeing its own contents or idea, horse.

The horse did not need healing. Mrs. Eddy only restored our vision to see Truth or fact, that the only Mind present was aware of its own perfection, and with the restoration of our vision from that of belief to Truth, the horse appeared to us as he had always been.

This was my first clear apprehension of the fact that a Christian Scientist has nothing to do with effects. If a Christian Scientist has the Divine Mind present as the only Mind, this Mind itself sees and is aware of its own identity as effect.

I understood for the first time that if I allowed the so-called human mind to have place, then the human mind would see and know its own imperfect concept, a sick horse needing healing. I understood the necessity of maintaining the fact of the one divine Mind.

True enough, it does seem that there is a so-called human mind that sees and feels the contents and qualities of its own erroneous mortal self, and in order that what I call the personal I, may see and feel the good, I must understand that the divine Mind, the one I or Ego, is all there is present to what I call my mind. I must let that Mind be present which is the cause of good, and which sees and feels itself as being all good effects. There is no other I or conscious being present.

It was the Saviour or impersonal Truth or Divine Mind that saw His own image and likeness. The human mind can see man only according to its own idea of itself, which is always material, corporeal, mortal and finite, and as long as I see or believe man as actually material and finite and corporeal, the Saviour or impersonal Truth is not present in my consciousness.

So every morning, and many times a day, I declare, “The I or Ego or Mind, the Saviour that is present here, is aware of Himself, and this awareness of Himself is His idea, or image like Himself, and is His individual child as divine intelligence or myself, Himself, as idea, is myself.”

Do you see the importance of having that Mind present which sees, and knows, and is all things, as they actually are? Do you understand that this Mind is the only Mind? The divine Mind is the great author of all His children, the sons and daughters of God, known in our human existence as men and women, but I must see men and women as they are, “expressions of the divine in forms we call material.”

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“The Inhabitant Shall Not Say, I Am Sick”

by Louise Knight Wheatley

“You are sick,” they said. “But that isn’t the truth,”

And the woman shook her head.

“The Bible declares, he that dwelleth in God

Shall not say, I am sick,” she said.

And she held to the truth throu’ a starless night,

‘Till the morning proved that her words were right.

“You are tired,” they said. But she smiled at that.

“How can I be tired,” said she,

“When the only work is work for God,

And He is my Life, you see?”

And she quietly went her busy way,

With a happy song in her heart all day.

“You are poor,” they said. But she only thought,

How little they know! God speed

The day when the world awakes to find

That Love is its only need.

And she still maintained, as her fortune grew,

Not money, but Love – if they only knew!

“You’re afraid,” they said. But she whispered low,

As if talking to someone near,

“Father, since Love is the only power,

What is there left to fear?”

And giving her hand to that unseen guide,

She crossed through the waters at His side.

“You are sad,” they said. But a brave heart shone

Through the glimmer of tears unshed;

And the answer came, “We are told to rejoice,

To rejoice evermore,” she said.

And she faced her grief with such steady eyes

That the world looked on in a dazed surprise;

For the world knows not of the peace that comes

To a soul at-one with God.

It is only those who are toiling on

In the path the Master trod,

Who can feel, through the dark, that loving hand,

And, holding it fast, can understand.

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Love

From 1937 College by Bicknell Young, page 21-23

First, last, and always, the great need is Love. Lack of love is the only trouble with the world today. Love alone will heal the distrust, jealousy, fear, and ignorance of the race, and in doing this, will heal its lack and disease. Love is Life, and its seeming absence is death. Any human being might be justified in not liking another person, but he should still love him. There would be something the matter with you if you liked them all. You do not like the unpleasant and objectionable things and call that love. You can love the real man, but if a human being seems to express nothing but evil, you cannot like him, and you cannot say that he is the son of God. The real man is the son of God, and that is all that is true about him, and anything else is an illusion and a misrepresentation. Love is so powerful that when the individual demonstrates it to the extent that it is the only Mind he has, it will do something to everything he comes in contact with. If it arouses hate, he can say he is sorry, but it has nothing to do with him.

Jesus was never more loving than when he scourged the money changers out of the temple; but it seemed a whip to them. Love will do things to that which is untrue and wicked that the untrue and wicked will feel. It is important to see that divine Love is Principle.

It is unfailing, never changing, always active and available; in fact, it is the basis of all creation. The statement, “God is Love” is the most metaphysical in the Bible. Human love is full of fear and doubt; however, it is not to be destroyed, but redeemed. We do not lose human affection in Christian Science, we lift it up. Don’t stifle human affection, but let it be more and more like God.

Elevate your thought of man, and love more. You not only have to recognize divine Love, you have to be divine Love. Divine Love is not a distant power that meets human needs. Divine Love will do nothing for a man until he takes it into his consciousness. (Told of a man who went to see a practitioner, and said to him, “Christian Science says, divine Love meets every human need. Why haven’t I been healed?” The practitioner said to him, “Where is your divine Love?”)

Mrs. Eddy always worked from the standpoint that disease could not stand where Love is. We need not only to believe in Love, but to live in Love, to be Love, and to know that there is no other being than Love. Love is the acme of all things, and Love is the divine Principle of all being, the Mind that is God, and the Life that is man. Love is the only essential Principle of the universe, and you cannot go beyond Principle. (Told of Mrs. Eddy simply surrounding a tree with love in the middle of winter while the ground was covered with snow, and bringing blossoms out on it, just as if it were the middle of spring. Also told of a man in England who had a garden, and one year a heavy frost came up; his wife said she would handle it. The man had one rose bush he valued very much, so he said he would throw a little straw over the bush. It was the only thing in the garden that died.)

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A Joyful Noise

by Laverne Fields

I have been doing a lot of praying and meditating and praising God, just for being God. And I have been consciously trying to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ so that I can be an instrument of His peace.

As a child, when my cousins and I would bicker, my grandmother would ask us, if we were a song, how would we sound? More specifically, how would we sound to God—would He be pleased? And we would laugh and make up right away, because we all wanted to please God.

One of my cousins recently reminded me of my grandmother’s question, and I applied it to my thoughts and feelings. I thought, if my thoughts and feelings are the instruments, on any given day what would my song sound like?

Yesterday my song began as a joyful noise unto the Lord, filled with thanksgiving and praise. I felt the Presence of God and it showed. It lasted for most of the day, until I received an e-mail that upset me. Instead of immediately bringing my thoughts and feelings into captivity to the obedience of Christ, I started complaining and ruminating, and complaining and ruminating—and I guess my song started to sound like a broken record filled with dark notes and mono-tones. This went on for a while until I realized that I was off-track, so I immediately started thanking and praising God for His goodness and His mercy until I felt the joy return. And ten minutes later, the individual that sent me the upsetting e-mail called to apologize—Praise God!

I am so grateful to God, to Mrs. Eddy, for this church—for practitioner support, and for all of you. I love you all.

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The Youth

by Benjamin Ndukwe

There is a great desire for truth, but the search has led many people astray, away from God and what is right, and many are turning to self-destructive behavior. Surprisingly, only a few have turned to God, the source of all good. This desire is more evident among young people.

This is a call for all workers to raise our voices and let the world know that what they are looking for is already here! We must destroy the mesmerism some of the youths are under when they say they are all alone and no one could know what they are going through, or that they are too young to serve God, or even come to church. We must let the world know that God is not an alternative that you can go to when all else fails—God is the first and the last, and everything in between; He is the only truth there is. Whatever is deceiving man is a lie and cannot sustain.

A preacher from Germany, who visited my home town a while ago, shared a story about a town he helped revive. A local minister had invited him for a special event. When he arrived at the church, there was not a single young person sitting in the congregation. He asked, “Where are the youths?” They told him that youths in this town don’t come to church anymore. “If the youths do not come to church, where do they go?” he asked.

After the service that evening, they drove about a mile to a very large building with a blinking sign saying “Disco.” Then the minister said to the preacher, “Here is where our youths are.” And to the minister’s surprise, the preacher stepped out of the car and rushed to the building. The security wouldn’t let him in, but he persisted until they let him in.

The inside was unbelievable. The music was loud, with smoke everywhere, so that no one could see or hear each other. He grabbed the microphone and he almost got thrown out. But his persistence paid off when he convinced the owner of the club that he came all the way from Germany for these young people, and since here is the only place he can find them, he was not leaving until he could speak to them. He asked if they could give him just fifteen minutes to speak to the young people, and it was granted him. Surprisingly, they listened, after a few boos and abuses were thrown at him. He spoke direct to them, like no one has ever done. He assured them about the love of God for all His children, especially the youth. He assured them that the lasting peace they’re all seeking can only be found in God. He could hear many of them crying in the audience, and some had already started leaving. They really accepted the truth. In his heart he knew he had planted a good seed, and God would take care of the rest. As the Bible says, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32).

A year later the preacher was invited to visit the same city. At the airport, his friend, the local minister, said he had a surprise for him. They drove to that same building, but this time there was another sign—a cross—and inside was an Evangelical Church. When he went inside, it was filled with people, mostly the youths, with vibrant energy to serve God. Many of them recognized him and came to hug him. They told him that after he left that night, they never went back to the club. The people had awakened to the truth, and error lost its power over the city and the young people. The youths rediscovered their place in God.

When man wakes up from his slumber, error loses its grip. Error has no power and no attraction. As Mrs. Eddy said in Science and Health, “There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit.” We must know that whatever seems to be holding our young people back will ultimately loosen its grip. We must oppose it with the Truth that sets all mankind free. This error has no power to persist, and it can’t have any influence over anyone.

We as Christian Scientists must help our young people understand that they are important to God. If one preacher can convert a whole city from darkness to light, from destruction to life, we today in Plainfield and all over the world are more than enough to turn a great number of people back to God, the only source of peace, life, and love. Mrs. Eddy wrote, “We, to-day, in this class-room, are enough to convert the world if we are of one Mind; for then the whole world will feel the influence of this Mind; as when the earth was without form, and Mind spake and form appeared.” (Mis. 279:27)

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Sword of the Spirit

By A. J. Gordon

From the January 1888 issue of 
The Christian Science Journal

The Bible says, “reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (II Tim. 4:2) This is the crucial test of effectiveness in rebuke, that we give it with all long-suffering. “Simon, put up thy sword again into its place,” said the Lord to Peter. He would not have said it, had it been the Sword of Spirit that Simon was wielding; for the Sword of Spirit lays open the heart, while the sword of the flesh only cuts off the ears.

Now there has been a long succession of Petrine apostles, starting from this point, valiant Swordsmen of the Faith, whose principal trophies are severed ears, and not converted hearts,—who have preached with such two-edged severity as to alienate their hearers, when they should have won them. We are not to rebuke for the sake of showing our valor or sharpness, but to win the offender.

One may preach a hard truth in a very soft and winning way. What else does the Scripture mean, when it says, “By manifestation of Truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience, in the sight of God.” Ah! a minister never seems so lovely to a hearer, as when that hearer looks at him through a conscience which has first been wounded by the Sword of Spirit, which he wields, and is then healed by the Anointing of Spirit. With what gentleness and tenderness should we rebuke! Hear the direction of Scripture on this point, “Ye who are spiritual restore such a one.” “To be carnally minded is death,” always and everywhere. Let us not forget that we are sent to save men, not to destroy them,—to win them, and not to wound them.

It is for us to set forth the beauty and excellence of Jesus Christ, and not to exhibit the follies and blemishes of human nature. For in either case we shall be unconsciously assimilated to the image of that on which we dwell. “I do not allow myself to look at a bad picture,” said Sir Peter Lely, the artist, “for if I do, my brush is certain to take a hint from it.” It is so, likewise, that caricaturists of human nature come at last to present very bad specimens of human nature in their own characters. They learn, unconsciously, to personate their own pictures, and to exemplify their own exaggerations.

Take now and then a sorrowful look at human nature; but for one look in this direction, take ten toward the perfect Christ. Hold him up steadily and faithfully, and all the while you will be growing into the same image, from glory to glory. This is the sublime end of our preaching, not to picture brilliantly and pointedly the imperfections of humanity; but to exhibit the perfection of Jesus Christ, and to conform men to his glorious example, “warning every man, teaching every man, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.”

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Hope

by Luanne Tucker

Webster’s dictionary defines “Hope” as:

“1. A desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it.

“2. One who, or that which, gives hope, furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good.”

One is the desire for good, and the other is the seed or act of Grace, or the revealer of Good.

Every time I was believing things were bad and there was no hope, right there, was Hope! I was desiring good, therefore, I believed Good to exist. I was trusting good to bring joy, and joy to bring happiness, and happiness to empower my faith in humanity, and humanity to enable me to bring joy to others. Right there, where hope appears to be lacking, is the desire to live free of discord—a desire for good. Therefore, by definition, Hope can never be lost or lacking, because there is always the desire for good, and the possibility of good is revealed to us by those who demonstrate good; and isn’t that Hope?

In order for me to bring that sense of hope out in others who appear to be lacking hope, I have to be that Heaven-born hope that will sustain them. I have to demonstrate within myself that childlike trust that assures me that All is God and in His hands. I have to be that example of humanity that is being desired. As long as I am Hope, others will always have Hope as their friend. We don’t actually have to give hope or get hope, at all. Hope is a seed planted long ago that only needs to be watered by Grace.

The belief that good is obtainable was inspired by the good I saw being demonstrated by others. The humanity that has been shown to me by my practitioner, and the resources that the Plainfield Church has available for study and contemplation, reveals to me the possibilities and expectation of good.

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God Answers Prayer

by Jeremy Palmer

I am incredibly grateful to God for saving me. In 2013 a series of poor choices finally caught up with me, and left me in a place where I was absolutely convinced the world, and especially my kids, would be better off if I was dead. I was moments away from suicide when—almost involuntarily—I said out loud, “God, I need your help.” A few minutes later my kids called, and my daughter said she had been distraught all day because she had a dream where I said I was leaving but wouldn’t tell her where I was going. Once off the phone, I thanked God, and tried to figure out where to go next.

But then I woke the next morning feeling once again that everything would be better for those I knew if I was dead. So then as I sat on the couch, I once again asked God for help. Almost as soon as I was done saying it, a squirrel jumped onto the window screen to the left of me, and a blackbird jumped onto the window screen to the right. For the next 20 minutes they looked at me. At first I was shocked, and then I just laughed! How absurd! There was no way that was coincidental. I felt that God had been watching and waiting for me to be ready.

At that moment I knew I wasn’t going to need a third try. Whatever God needed me for, I was here to do. And within two weeks I was directed here to Plainfield. And now, twenty months later, every single day I am grateful to be alive and useful and working for His glory. I am also grateful because I know that what happened to me wasn’t the equivalent of winning God’s lottery. Divine Love is working to bring all of us out of the personal hell of the human mind into the kingdom of heaven that is already within us. That is so wonderful, and it is a blessing to be a part of this church and its mission.

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A Subtle Disobedience

by Florence Roberts

Many years ago when I started studying Christian Science, my suffering sense was so intense that I kept reading everything I felt I needed to read, thinking that meant I was being obedient. All that reading, studying the lessons, attending services and lectures, did not bring much relief until I was awakened to the discipline of consistently applying the Truth.

This citation from page 476 of Science and Health: “Learn this, O mortal, and earnestly seek the spiritual status of man,” speaks to what we are to learn and practice about ourselves. This is what Christ Jesus, the greatest man and yet the humblest that ever lived, did. “By his obedience to God, he demonstrated more spiritually than all others the Principle of being.” (Science and Health, p 25:17-19.)

There is a subtle disobedience that can go unnoticed for a long time, if we are not awakened to it. The result of this disobedience is seen even in long-time practicing Christian Scientists who in “ignorant” disobedience, insist on holding onto the mortal view of self, while yet seeking to be healed readily of their dis-eases. We read in Science and Health, p. 19:26-28, “If living in disobedience to Him, we ought to feel no security, although God is good.”

Perfect God, perfect man as the basis of thought and demonstration is about the Christ man, the spiritual status of man which cannot be sick, which is under the law of God, not subject to mortal, material laws and beliefs of sickness, poverty, hunger, or discord of any kind.

Jacob embraced his new birth which revealed his true identity, Apostle Paul did the same. Living consistently with that recognition, they walked as God’s own likeness, and accomplished much!

We must humbly accept this new view of self with the deepest gratitude. We must love, nurture, cherish and mother it consistently to make it our own. This is the only view we can work from if we are to do the greater works, as Christ Jesus promised.

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A New View of Terrorism

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The Belief Called Mortal Mind Is the Only Terrorist

by Melissa Johnson

During Mrs. Eddy’s day, one of the aggressive forms of animal magnetism that needed to be handled was consumption. So significant was this disease in those days that it was referred to in Science and Health on several occasions. It was so greatly feared that it terrorized humanity for years. Of course as a result of the prayers of the early workers, consumption is practically unknown today.

The world would have us believe that the terrorism of today is a new problem, but it is no different than the consumption of earlier years—just wearing a different disguise.

In Australia during the Sydney siege, when a lone gunman held hostage innocent people in the Lindt Café, it was reported that there may be a terrorist cell operating here and that terrorism had finally reached Australia. This would imply that we never had it before.

Terrorism is a thought only and must be handled as such. If we only pray about it in terms of religious violence, hostage taking, etc., we are never getting to the root of the problem. Terrorism can appear in many forms. For example, a cell or group of cells destroying another, we call cancer; an individual demanding, controlling or intimidating another, we call a bully; someone interfering with a website is referred to as a hacker. These activities have gone on in the world throughout the ages, and they all are forms of terrorism.

In the Martha Wilcox address, “Deflection” (found on the Plainfield website) she refers to an horizon as not something that really exists, but as a name we give to that which seems to be but does not exist. It is merely a deflection. So it is with terrorism—it is a name we have given to something that doesn’t really exist, but that seems to be, right where the perfect idea of God is. Bicknell Young, in his 1936 Primary Class, says, “The great thing is to see evil as a belief, not as a fact. Then you have handled it. But not until then. Realize God and see the nothingness of evil. There is no other way.”

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Bible Study

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“No wisdom is wise but His wisdom.”

When Solomon was made king, he had the love and humility to ask God for wisdom to judge His people. Wisdom is understanding and intelligence, but also the right use or exercise of knowledge. A person might be quite intelligent and have a very good idea, but if it is not executed with wisdom from God, it will fail. Ultimately, it’s doing the right thing at the right time, and the only way to do this is through obedience to God, divine Mind.

The Bible says, “If any if you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James) If you don’t think you have wisdom, ask God for it! He will give it to you liberally. But we have to ask sincerely and humbly—it is a right desire to want to express the wisdom of God, and God blesses a right desire.

When Harry Truman was made President after the passing of President Roosevelt, in his speech he offered Solomon’s prayer. He said, “As I have assumed my heavy duties, I humbly pray Almighty God in the words of King Solomon, ‘Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?’ I ask only to be a good and faithful servant of my Lord and my people.” Then the audience erupted in such applause as had never been heard before. When he was elected President in 1949, he referred to Solomon’s prayer again, and at the end of his speech he said, “I am confident that the divine power which has guided us to this time of fateful responsibility and glorious opportunity will not desert us now. With that help from Almighty God which we have humbly acknowledged at every turning point of our national life, we shall be able to perform the great task which He now sets before us.”

It’s a good idea to pray now that our next President will be a humble servant of God, a servant of God and of the people. It’s not too soon to begin working in this way, and for all our officials—we should keep them in our daily prayers.

Many times people have the damaging misconception that people who are educated are also very wise. There are so many highly educated people who have no wisdom at all, and they do the worst things. And people turn to them because they think they’re so smart, so educated, that they must be very wise and have all the answers. But it’s only God who has all the answers. Mrs. Eddy had to contend with this. She had lawyers who were well educated, but she was getting her answers from God, and often they were contrary to what the lawyers wanted to do. Great humility is needed to hear God’s direction, and often the highly educated take pride in their education and intellect, and think they know everything. Mrs. Eddy often had to rebuke them.

In Proverbs it says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The fear of the Lord does not mean being afraid of God. Love for God, respect, and obedience to God and the fear to disobey him, that is the beginning of wisdom.

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History Corner

The Mother Church’s Windows

By Eloise Maybury Knapp (from mbeinstitute.org)

Comments on Some of the Windows in the Original Edifice of The Mother Church for Bliss Knapp’s Students’ Association, October 10, 1959

It is indeed a joy and inspiration to me to be on this platform of the original edifice of The Mother Church where our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, herself has stood. I used to tell my Sunday School classes that this Church is the greatest building on earth; not the largest, but the greatest. I believe that this is the greatest edifice which has ever been built. And why? Because every material law and obstacle which mortal mind could devise was broken during the building of it by our Leader’s understanding of God’s law, and in record time.

Mrs. Eddy has referred to this church edifice as “our Prayer in stone.” (Mis. 141:1); and she has also called it “this ‘miracle in stone.’” (Pul. 8:15) That shows her estimate of this building. Mr. Joseph Armstrong, in his book describing the building of this edifice, pays this tribute to Mrs. Eddy: “She alone, God’s chosen and anointed one, deserves the credit of this mighty victory for Mind’s supremacy; for it was her warning call and loving counsel that led on to success, in the face of such seeming odds. Her nearness to the great heart of Love endowed her with power from on high, before which every obstacle vanished.” (Page IV).

Mrs. Emilie B. Hulin, a student of Mrs. Eddy’s from Brooklyn, New York, and Mrs. Caroline Frame, another student of Mrs. Eddy’s from the same area, were appointed a committee to supervise the making of the stained glass windows for The Mother Church. The manufacturing firm was Phipps & Slocumb, located at that time on Bradford Street, Boston, who were commissioned to make the windows. One day Mrs. Eddy sent word to Mrs. Hulin that the windows for The Mother Church were not being made, although the manufacturing firm was sending out good reports on the work. Mrs. Eddy said to Mrs. Hulin: “If the windows are not done in time, you will be sorry, for God will never forgive you.” Think of the intensity of the importance of the time element for Mrs. Eddy to have said that!

After that warning, Mrs. Hulin and Mrs. Frame went immediately to the factory, and asked to see the work which had been done on the windows for The Mother Church. They were courteously received in the front office, and were told that the work on the windows was proceeding well, but that no outsider was allowed in the factory itself. While one of the ladies talked with the officials, the other one did her metaphysical work in order to get at the truth of the situation. Finally, the committee was permitted to go into the workshop itself — and there they found that the windows had not even been started, just as Mrs. Eddy had foreseen! Mrs. Hulin and Mrs. Frame made frequent visits to the factory after that experience; and some Christian Scientist was appointed to be always on hand to watch the work daily (see Armstrong’s Book, page 64), and help to explain the spiritual meaning of the Scripture to be illustrated. All the windows were finished in time for the first service in The Mother Church.

Three months after the dedication of this edifice, our dear Leader made her first visit to The Mother Church, for the building of which she had labored so long and valiantly. She came on a week-day, accompanied only by Calvin Frye and Miss Clara Shannon. Miss Shannon says that Mrs. Eddy walked slowly down the south aisle of the church, looking up and around as she walked. When she came to the steps leading to the pulpit, she knelt there, in prayer and thanksgiving.

Then Mrs. Eddy ascended to the pulpit, and stood behind the First Reader’s desk. There she repeated aloud the 91st Psalm:

Then standing behind the Second Reader’s desk, she repeated the Gospel hymn, “Guide me, Oh Thou great Jehovah! Pilgrim through this barren land.” (Hymn 90)

Then she walked down the steps, and up the north aisle, looking around and up at each window. Mrs. Eddy spent the night in “Mother’s Room,” the four Directors remaining all night in watchfulness in the Directors’ Room near the entrance to the church on Falmouth and Norway Streets.

One of the last By-laws in the Manual of The Mother Church reads as follows: “The Mother Church Building. Sect. 3. The edifice erected in 1894 for The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., shall neither be demolished nor removed from the site where it was built, without the written consent of the Pastor Emeritus, Mary Baker Eddy.” That By-law means to me that neither an atom bomb nor any other means of destruction can ever harm this original edifice of The Mother Church. Mrs. Eddy has written of her Church: “Methinks this church is the one edifice on earth which most prefigures self-abnegation, hope, faith; love catching a glimpse of glory.” (My. 6:27)

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Letters of Gratitude

“Serving God. It’s not something we do when things get better. Things get better as we serve God.” From the Liberator of January 2015 article entitled, “The Importance of Serving God,” by O. C. What good inspiration in this excellent issue of the Liberator!

I love what you are doing at Plainfield and love your website.

A friend who was a member of the church that I was led to withdraw from, quietly mentioned Plainfield Church to me. I looked into it, and she kindly subscribed for me to receive a free gift of several periodicals that were offered by Plainfield Church.

After receiving the free gift subscription, and listening to all the wonderful online programs offered, my desire as a sincere seeker of Christian Science began to take deep root. I felt that it was time to “enlist” and be part of a battalion of serious Christian Science students, and members who were ready to defend and live the daily duties.

I am privileged and honored to be accepted to Plainfield Church, a church that is moving mountains.

Enclosed is a contribution to aid in the great mission of this church to share with the world Mary Baker Eddy’s unadulterated revelation of genuine, practical Christian Science.

I just read the article Earthquakes, by Herbert Eustace. So wonderful! Another great example of the wealth of inspiring articles that Plainfield has to offer. Thank you so much.

Thanks to all for the awesome Bible Study on February 14, 2015! What an inspiration Hannah is. I was hardly aware of her before hearing Plainfield Bible Studies and Roundtables. Now she is certainly a favorite Bible character to learn from.

I am a regular visitor to your website, and thought to register my gratitude and appreciation for all of your beautiful resources on both YouTube and your website. I love the hymns, as well as the audio books of Mary Baker Eddy’s writings. I also read the history of your church and was so disgusted that a Boston Board would breach the Manual and then go on to institute a court case against a branch church. Mrs. Eddy clearly advised against initiating court cases. In return for her goodness, she was served the “bitter cup” by some of her early students, the press, the clergy, and even her own family, yet she never on her own instituted a court case against any of those people.

There can be no Christian Science without love, and there is certainly no love in breaching the Manual, delisting a branch church, and going to court. In August 1889 Mrs. Eddy wrote, “I do not approve of all that is done by my students. When they take sides against each other it almost prostrates me. O! When will this Spirit of Truth and Love prevail through the ranks of those who profess to be Christian Scientists? . . . Do remember the influence that is exerted mentally to prejudice my students against one another and by which they misjudge.”

God bless your congregation! We are One!

I thank God for Plainfield in continuing to hold up the standard of Christian Science. Such an unspeakable blessing—not only to me, but to the whole world, although the world may never comprehend the far-reaching consequences of your standard-bearing until far off in the future. I believe that your church has “come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”

I really enjoyed last Saturday’s Bible Study. Daniel prayed to God three times a day from his “chamber.” Interesting to note that it was a custom among devout Jews to set apart some upper room in their houses for prayer, the room farthest from any noise or disturbance. Jesus said a “closet” would do. Of course the point is about the importance of finding the time and a quiet space to devote to prayerful communion with God each day.

Thank you for all the Roundtables! I have started listening to all of them, starting from the beginning, and the lessons are so valuable. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that these are made available on the website.

Where would I be without the blessings from Plainfield? My association and my membership of the Mother church did nothing to help me on—useless!

My friend in Holland listened to the YouTube Sunday Service from Plainfield, and enjoyed it greatly, sang along with hymn 75, well known. She enjoyed it greatly! This is wonderful, reaching people all over!

I have been listening to your Wednesday meetings, some Roundtables, and have been using the very wonderful website which I find deeply inspirational. I have been an active Christian Scientist for many years; however, it pains me to admit that I have become quite challenged by the Christian Science culture, which often appears to be quite diluted from what I understand Christian Science to be. One practitioner friend and I have tried for twenty years to institute inspirational meetings like your Roundtables, and to work for lectures that would be reflections of deeply understood spirituality. This has been to no avail. In fact, lectures here have ceased entirely and I can’t say I am really sorry, as the ones we have had were mostly painful to witness. I’m sure you have heard all this before, and I want to always purify my thought regarding this church and the members, and never have a sense of animosity.

I am honestly drawn to Plainfield and the atmosphere of Love and strength that I sense. I wish to thank you and all your dedicated members for the website and their loving offering to the world.

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Science in Action

The following testimonies are offered with great love to those seeking encouragement and inspiration.

I would like to share a healing I experienced this morning. I woke up around 4:00 AM with pains in my chest and flu-like symptoms. The first intruding thought whispered, “You should have bundled up yesterday.” Before another erroneous thought presented itself, I recalled a quote I read on our website this week from Essays and Other Footprints, by Mary Baker Eddy. It reads: To all such whisperings answer, “I don’t believe you, you are a liar.” “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” Then from the Roundtable on Sunday, I recalled, from Philippians 4:8, “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” So, rather than giving in to the feeling of sickness, I started praising God for being God, and for being infinitely good, until the feelings of joy and gratitude were palpable. Before long the peace of God embraced me, bringing me to tears of joy. At that moment I knew that I was healed.

I am so grateful to God for this church, for practitioner support, for the website, the Roundtable discussions, and for your continued love and support. It is such a gift to belong to a movement of people dedicated to honoring and serving God. When God led me to this church two years ago, I said, “I think I’ll make this place my home,” and it has truly been the best home I’ve ever had.

Last weekend I started to develop respiratory problems and started coughing during the night. In the morning I called a practitioner, and she gave me a spiritual blessing and said she would pray to God for my health. Last night I didn’t cough at all, and I started to get better.

I strongly believe what is written in Science and Health. God bless Christian Science!

My dentist’s office called me in December and said that I should have a particular tooth extracted, but that I could wait until after the holidays. I said I’d wait.

Every time I prayed about it, the thought “No, don’t do it” kept coming to me. Last week, two months later, I went for a regular 6-month checkup. Before going I got help from a practitioner. First I was reminded that my teeth are rooted and grounded in Love. Then I was given a couple of articles to study, as well as a statement from Science and Health: “Mind is the master of the corporeal senses, and can conquer sickness, sin, and death. Exercise this God-given authority. Take possession of your body, and govern its feeling and action. Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man.”

I went for the dental exam, and at the end I was told everything was fine. There was no problem. I just couldn’t stop thanking God for His love and care. As soon as I left the dentist’s office, I called practitioner to share this wonderful news.

I thank God for bringing me to this church, and for the wonderful life I have here and the opportunity to help other people.

I am grateful for the weekly lessons and the clear correct teaching of Christian Science that I’ve been learning in this church.

Several years back when I first started listening to the Plainfield services, someone gave a testimony and mentioned how she had prayed with this week’s Golden Text from II Timothy, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

At the time I was having major mobility issues, so much so that I was afraid to cross the street or even go outside on very windy days for fear of falling. This made me very depressed, as I was a virtual shut-in in my own apartment. After listening to that Wednesday testimony, every time the fear would come, I would confidently say out loud that I was not given a “spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” just as is stated in II Timothy. Before I knew it, I could walk wherever and whenever I needed without fear.

I am very thankful for our Wednesday services and for our weekly lessons.

The first weekend of January I woke up with a lot of pressure in my head. As I went about my day, my left ear became very painful. I hadn’t had an earache since I was a child and remembered how it bothered me at that time.

I was able to get in touch with a Plainfield practitioner, who said she would pray for me right away. She suggested I study the section about infection in Herbert Eustace’s book, Christian Science: It’s Clear, Correct Teaching. As I read, it became clear to me that Mind is the only source of conscious being — my being — and Mind being infinite, leaves no place where an infection could be feared. It had no law behind it since God is the law of annihilation to any lie. Another idea that hit home with me is to see the meaning of infection as God imparting itself to its idea, infecting its expression (me) with life, purity, and perfection. After about an hour of working with truths, the pain in my ear just ceased. I am so grateful for this demonstration and for the practitioner’s immediate help.

I’m so grateful for the Plainfield Bible Studies and what they’ve taught me about the importance of being obedient to God—that it’s something we should strive for in our daily affairs. I’d like to share a small experience that gave me a deeper understanding of what that means.

For years it seems I had the hardest time finding a hair stylist that did a good job cutting my hair. I finally found someone I liked, but there was one problem—I did not feel comfortable in her salon, as the jokes and the language could be somewhat crude. But I didn’t make too much of it, since I really didn’t want to go out looking for a new hair stylist.

However, I noticed after attending the Bible Studies for a while, that I was finding it more and more offensive to go into that shop. And I remembered Mrs. Eddy’s statement, “Never breathe an immoral atmosphere unless in the attempt to purify it.” So I decided to pray before going in next time. And I did so. That turned out to be my worst day there, as the jokes and language were even more offensive than usual. I decided then and there that I would never return to that place. And it suddenly became crystal clear—why would I be putting a haircut above honoring God? I don’t think I would have been aware of something like that in the past—that obedience often involves sacrifice. It seems like a small thing, but it was a large awakening for me.

The Bible studies also taught me that with obedience, there is always a blessing. And that was the case here. When it came time for my next hair appointment, I discovered this wonderful little salon right near my home. I had never been aware of it being there. The stylist gave me a great haircut and I loved her quiet little shop. I am so grateful for the lessons learned through this experience.

Thanks to God and to the Plainfield practitioner who prayed so effectively with me. I had called for help because I was feeling anxious over a relative’s upcoming employment interview, and about a neighbor who had listened unwittingly to malicious, untrue gossip about my husband and myself and believed it.

As a result of the practitioner’s prayers, the naturalness of good was deeply felt. The interview process went forward, and the relative was hired. The article “Place” was very helpful. It was recommended by the practitioner and can be found on the Plainfield website.

From our neighbor, we soon received a friendly greeting. We had written a letter to him explaining a rather complicated situation, but only after telling the practitioner about the problem did the neighbor’s demeanor change from very frosty to gentle warmth. I felt God’s dear love in his greeting to us.

A recent message on our daily church calendar was, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be,” by Abraham Lincoln.

This really emphasizes how important our thinking is to our happiness! A practitioner in this church spoke recently about how essential it is to be grateful, and thus, joyous. If we’re struggling with a problem, or haven’t quite seen our way clear on something, it is so important to be grateful for all the things that we can do, and not dwell on anything negative. With each grateful and joyous, selfless thought, the negative thing (which God never made and, so, it was never real) — fades into its native nothingness!

At the end of last week I was laid up with a bad back; on Thursday there was much pain and it was hard to move. I called a practitioner in this church and was directed to work with the 91st Psalm, and to dwell in the “secret place of the most High.” I was told that Love can’t be strained or in pain — and each day I felt better and could do more. It was a wonderful time of dwelling with God in that secret place. I called the practitioner on Monday morning to express gratitude for the help, saying that there was just a touch of a problem, but I was taking that advice of being so grateful for everything that I can do; and the practitioner reminded me about Mary’s statement, “My soul doth magnify the Lord” (Luke 1:46), and to express Soul.

Well, yesterday, because I wanted to help my husband, I shoveled quite a bit of snow with perfect freedom and absolutely no aftereffects. I am very grateful to be learning in this church to be closer to God and to strive to do His will.

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Season of renewal

by Luanne Tucker

As I sit and ponder summer past

under the majestic maple tree,

thoughts of twinkling sunlight bask

amidst its amber leaves.

My heart does wonder where time has flown,

perhaps upon the eagle’s wing

where inspiration soars, be known,

dare I imagine such a thing?

I shall not involve my thoughts to winter;

‘tis such a far-off place.

It is my Father’s business

to provide me with that grace.

Spring tide buds will appear;

I know it will be so.

Heart draws the loved ones near,

a garden of seed to grow.

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Original Music

“Usta”

original lyrics by Peter Kidd, copyright 2015

I once knew a fellow who carried the world on his shoulders,

Like two granite boulders.

His jaw was more often than not clenched with effort and strife.

He tried to be what he believed was moral and upright,

But he just seemed uptight,

For he had forgotten that joy was the purpose of life.

And the name of that fellow was Usta, Usta — Usta B. Me.

And I haven’t heard from the guy from about the time I was set free.

See, we shared a cell in a prison, the very worst kind —

One you don’t know you’re in, the jail in your mind,

From which only Great Love can spring you out.

And the very same thing happened to me.

This perfectionist woman I knew was serene on the outside,

A storm on the inside.

And often, she hung by a thread, but you never would know.

She thought she could make things all right with her constant controlling,

But things kept on rolling —

And all the while, all that she needed to do was let go.

And the name of that woman was Usta, Usta — Usta B. Me.

And she and I clung to the same raft, adrift on a sad lonely sea.

Till one day I loosened my grip, and I reached out to Him.

In time, God restored me and taught me to swim.

And now I’m no longer afraid,

For I know Love made all that was made, and that includes me.

And try as you might, you can’t dig your way out of a hole.

The courage to stay with what’s right will give wings to your soul —

Then, soon you will realize the demons you thought clawed and clutched you,

Well, they never touched you,

And you won’t be looking for reasons you thought they were there.

You’ll think back on that fella named Usta, Usta — Usta B. You,

And laugh at the person who walked around town looking sullen and blue.

Who’s to tell you the path you must walk to be saved?

Choose to be who you are, walk the path God has paved,

And healing will touch all you see.

And healing will touch all you see —

That used to be me.

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Church Service

Max Dunaway

Into the house of God I went,

Weary at heart, my courage spent.

Forth from the house of God I came,

My heart a leaping, living flame.

Prayer and praise and Truth’s clear ring

Had touched my life and made it sing.

Be happy at all times and in all places; for remember it is right and a duty you owe to yourself and to your God to retain the right, no matter how loudly the senses scream. Remember only the good, then you will be communing with God, and harmony will be the inevitable result.

Edward A. Kimball

Fear is absolutely outrageous, unnatural, un-Godlike, unscientific, absolutely contrary to Truth, and is an absolute fraud upon you and every person that lives.

Edward A. Kimball

The presence and power of God always have been, and always will be, present to dispose of the illusions of evil.

Blanche Hersey Hogue

Prayer cannot change God, Christian Science tells us, but always, if it be honest, it changes us.

Blanche Hersey Hogue

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Final Thought

from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 14

Bodily presence

If we are sensibly with the body and regard omnipotence as a corporeal, material person, whose ear we would gain, we are not “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord” in the demonstration of Spirit. We cannot “serve two masters.” To be “present with the Lord” is to have, not mere emotional ecstasy or faith, but the actual demonstration and understanding of Life as revealed in Christian Science. To be “with the Lord” is to be in obedience to the law of God, to be absolutely governed by divine Love, by Spirit, not by matter.

Spiritualized consciousness

Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual, — neither in nor of matter, — and the body will then utter no complaints. If suffering from a belief in sickness, you will find yourself suddenly well. Sorrow is turned into joy when the body is controlled by spiritual Life, Truth, and Love. Hence the hope of the promise Jesus bestows: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; . . . because I go unto my Father,” —[because the Ego is absent from the body, and present with Truth and Love.] The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer of Soul, not of material sense.

“Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man’s dominion over the whole earth. This understanding casts out error and heals the sick, and with it you can speak “as one having authority.”

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Watching Point No. 258

from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter