About the cover:

From In Defense of Mary Baker Eddy, and the Remnant of Her Seed, by Paul R. Smillie:

In the Christian Science Sentinel of September 6, 1913 on page ten, Archibald McLellan stated three most important points about the cover of the Sentinel and a minor change made at that time on its cover. Speaking of this change he said, “Beyond this there can be neither desire nor occasion for change in the Sentinel, because,” he said, “Mrs. Eddy’s instructions forbid any change.” He explained this by saying, “Mrs. Eddy likewise gave instructions.” The word “instructions” is most important. Speaking then of the two women, the lamps and the inscriptions beneath them, he said they had been “preserved as expressive of our Leader’s thought. ...” Mrs. Eddy requested that the cover of the Sentinel be light blue in color.”

True Governance

Christian Science Journal 1902

Liberty is a theme that has occupied the attention of philosopher, statesman, politician, and theologian, since the beginning of human history. How much one may govern another, how much individual freedom of thought and action each of us has by divine right, are still unsettled questions.

Too much government — civil, ecclesiastical, and personal — is the curse of the centuries. The human mind's desire to control something or somebody besides itself results in countless forms of mesmerism. The first President of the United States said: “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, — it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant, and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.”

Anarchism, socialism, and all other isms of human origin pretend to have discovered a way out of the difficulties of government. But Christian Science alone promises any satisfactory or genuine remedy.

In Scripture we find a scientific statement of the divine method of government. “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Jesus proclaimed the liberty of the sons of God, when he said: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” Think of the individual integrity which is as free as the air, unfettered, and unharnessed by mortal cruelty or control!

Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience. Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly, and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love. Man's rights are invaded when the divine order is interfered with.” (S&H, p. 106)

Thus, in Christian Science we find the consummation of all Scientific teaching as to government, and the responsibility of the individual; for Love alone is the Governor, and no human government has the right to interfere or intervene.

You are the master of the bad tendencies of Socialism and not at all at their cruel mercies.

Christian Science Journal, December 1921

The Preamble to the United States Constitution states, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

How do we “promote the general welfare”? The record of Christ Jesus and the Scriptures is the cornerstone of all well-being. It is evident that since God is good and All-in-all, as the Bible repeatedly declares, in His creation well-being is the only state there is and can be. It is the divinely normal state of man in God's image and likeness.

Human types of welfare-measures fall roughly into two groups: those based on the divine right of the public to “fare well,” and the other based on an assumed obligation of the public to “fare ill.”

There is, of course, immense value to the public of good health; but there is great question as to the method of maintaining its health. On no question is the human mind so fearful. However, fear is bred of ignorance, and ignorance breeds chaos of thought, likely to yield to arbitrary domination.

In a democracy, the duty of the citizen is to be intelligent, not ignorant and fearful of the civic problems that come to him. It is each citizen’s obligation to check up on the thinking that has been done for him by his representatives in the government. And especially is it his duty to do so when the measures adopted are supposedly for his benefit. At the same time the community claims for its people “life, and breath, and all things” good, it is also claiming for them death and disease and all things evil!

On all of this shifting evidence of the material senses, arrayed against the absolute spiritual fact that man is God's image and likeness, the citizen who is a Christian Scientist has the privilege of gazing unafraid, even as Paul gazed upon pagan multitudes, and declared the source of being: “In him [God] we live, and move, and have our being.”

Only in spiritual comprehension can be found the resolution of all conflicting human theories of good, whether political, social, economic, or religious. In the light of the First Commandment, what is personal liberty, if not the freedom to know God, and man as His idea? And what is collective responsibility, if not alertness to see the absolute harmony of God's infinite creation?

Whoever proved more completely than did Jesus his individual freedom from human limitation? He knew God as Principle, and his liberty was divine immunity from the claims of evil of all sorts. Whoever stood more alert to his mission to mankind, to prove to them the practicability of the atonement? Jesus phrased succinctly the complete consistency of individual and collective welfare when he prayed, “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”

The fact that some are rich deprives no one. Christian Science is the opposite of socialism. Socialism tends to level all down. Christian Science raises the condition of all.

Moses’ simple ark of bulrushes, and Christ Jesus’ cradle in the manger, symbolize the protection given the pure and humble Christ-like thought. In every era there is always one individual who is nearer to the fullness of the Christ-like love. Through that individual, the Truth speaks most plainly to that age.

This great fact is true of nations as well, for one nation must always express more of the perfect Principle. Does it seem so unnatural that Christian Science should be discovered in a country whose beginnings were established upon the humble Christ-like purity of infinite Principle, Love? Christian Science develops in other countries too, but it could only have been discovered in America, because America was the only nation which would protect the Babe of Christian healing with the two wings of the eagle, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, which took the woman, Mary Baker Eddy, into the wilderness to bring forth her discovery.

Centralized government is the enemy of Christian Science. It denies the freedom that brought forth Christian Science. A centralized government suppresses this individual kingdom. The State is not to be used as an instrument of those inflamed with mad ambition. No crown, no royal head, centralized power, socialism, communism, or tyranny of any kind can dictate to the individual, for they are the anti-Christ. Pray for the protection and the reinstatement of the principles of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. An understanding of our heritage as individuals and as a nation is paramount to survival. Christian Science will not survive in a socialistic welfare state.

“Come out from among them and be ye separate” must be America realizing the importance of its national destiny. If we continue to think of America as just another nation in the world, we have already added to the danger confronting our demonstration. This lethargic thought will destroy America, and Christian Science with it. Look in the Christian Science Journal and see if you can find many Christian Science churches in any of the communistic countries. This tells the story quite clearly. We have religious freedom because we are a Christian nation

Patriotism is the love of Principle because it loves what God has provided for the protection of His children. America must stand as an example to the world. America and Christian Science must lift their neighbors up. Mortal mind would have us believe America is the same as other nations. In this way America would have no unique purpose, nor any destiny. Mortal mind would also relish the idea of Mary Baker Eddy as being thought of as a little old grey-haired lady, or of Jesus as just another prophet, or Moses as just another man among many. However, we know each is unique and fulfills a part of God’s infinite plan. They all have a place in God’s disposal of events, for their demonstrations are still with us. 

There is too little self-government in the Christian Science Movement. Americans are lethargic and listless because Christian Scientists are lethargic and listless about our Nation’s divine purpose. Our Nation is languishing in opulence and ease because Christian Scientists are using Science for pleasure in matter instead of for a destruction of materiality. Our Nation’s economy is bankrupt because her people are spiritually bankrupt and Christian Scientists talk of the letter without corresponding demonstrations. Inflated money is inflated talk, nothing to back it up.

Mrs. Eddy says, “Certain elements in human nature would undermine the civic, social, and religious rights and laws of nations and peoples, striking at liberty, human rights, and self-government — and this, too, in the name of God, justice, and humanity!” (Message for 1900 by Mary Baker Eddy, page 10) So you see we do have problems to handle. We must understand how this evil in human nature is attempting to undermine our civic, social, and religious rights, our laws and liberties. The following is the plan of these malicious minds:

To destroy deep religious faith.

To confuse and blur the understanding of the basic principles upon which our country was founded and of the men who founded these principles.

Completely annihilate confidence in the United States and in its way of life.

Control agriculture, housing, destroy financial policies, labor, and business.

The foregoing is not a guess. These are the plans of an organization in this country. This comes from them, it is not my own.

We must remember that a government that is big enough to do everything for us is also big enough to take everything away from us. Communism and socialism are the dark ideas which declare, “I want the crown but not the cross.” We must see a government of divine action manifest and not one of material reaction.

Christian Science, through Christian Scientists, must be guiding this Nation, because our mental work should be leavening the corrupt influences and erroneous practices of its citizens and officials, and destroying their false power.

Mrs. Eddy says: “But if our nation’s rights or honor were seized, every citizen would be a soldier and woman would be armed with power girt for the hour.” (Miscellany 277:22) If Mrs. Eddy meant metaphysically girting, she would have said men and women, but this statement denotes an unusual position for women for such a time. This would mean being armed with weapons of war as well as Truth. Women would not be spared the necessity of fighting physically as well as mentally if our nation were seized by armed intruders. Mrs. Eddy knows the importance of the ark and the cradle! Evidently she saw the future of our nation.

All the metaphysical work we do for our Nation will be useless unless we repair the badly damaged ark and cradle. Its purpose has been mistreated and abused by petty politicians, vicious opportunists, those mad with ambition, pseudo-intellectuals, and those self-acknowledged destroyers of Christianity, some ignorantly and some with malicious intent. Our mental work must stop this erosion immediately. We must see our primitive and ultimate nature in Christ. It naturally follows that we must understand America’s rich history and see the purity that brought her forth, or we cannot see the importance of America today. America must return to the house of her Father. She must return to the cradle and ark, for there and only there is her destiny protected. Only through adherence to her original compacts can she survive. “Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.”

The Truth about human government is that God is both the source and law to all of His divine creation. For this reason, the universe can and does exist and operate eternally without any friction, disintegration, or decay.

A nation’s government is determined by the predominant attitude and behavior of its people. Dictatorships only appear when people turn away from the freedom of their origin as children of God, and revert to material sense; when they leave the liberty of the son — the understanding — of God, and become enslaved to the tyranny of material sense, alias, the devil.

The Republican form of government came into fruition when Christian people were aware of man’s divine origin, God’s absolute rule, and therefore were willing to obey the law of God without mental reservation. In the Republic, the fount of government is in God.

Whenever and wherever the Republican form of government has failed, it is not due to the incompetence of that system. It is the failure of the citizens to recognize that this system can operate effectively only when Christianity, not materialism, prevails. Christianity is the cornerstone of the Republic. However, when the people are swayed by socialistic and communistic trends; when the political parties are more interested in votes than in principles, the Presidential office may disintegrate into a kind of dictatorial ruling of Caesars. While keeping its Constitutional name, the Republic could virtually be corrupted into a huge Socialistic Welfare State.

Christian Science may bring needed comfort in this appalling situation by revealing that — contrary to the human picture — neither good nor evil operates through person; but always in spite of personalization!

The world dream picture of an indolent humanity increasingly dominated by materialism and its communism should be of grave concern, but never cause for dismay. Having understood that his capacity is the Christ — the full operation of God’s law itself — he who lives Christian Science is not hypnotized by human seeming. He understands that he is dealing exclusively with misconceptions of the real, and not with outside events and conditions.

The forthcoming Presidential election has to conform to the law of God — the impersonal operation of God’s law. Personal idiosyncrasies, material greed, electoral gullibility melt away in the presence of Love’s irresistible, unassailable lawfulness. And the Republic, under the guidance of the divinely inspired Constitution, will vigorously reject materialism with its socialism, and will exemplify with Christlike eminence, the reign of Spirit.

Christian Science Sentinel, December 1919

Many people say the world is in a bad state, and ridicule anyone who expresses hope for its recovery. Each one has a choice. He can view evil as real and sit in condemnation upon half the population of the world because of its injustice to the other half, and so deepen his cynicism — or he can look within and remember his own experiences of God’s goodness, knowing this same goodness is available to all.

Here and there may be seen disorder; men wrecking, burning, destroying the property of others, and looting the visible things which they covet; but they are inevitably forced to say, How futile these stolen goods are to meet the needs of the multitude. They will be further forced to see that by production not destruction, by loving-kindness not by hatred, will the needs of the many be met.

One can picture with happiness the prospect of a world constructed, not through convulsions, revolutions, and the flowing of rivers of blood, but redeemed through the influences of men and women who are themselves redeemed from evil beliefs, pride, cruelty, enabled through Christian Science to judge righteous judgment, to proclaim salvation, to demonstrate healing, and to unfold in their characters something of the beauty of holiness.

In a psalm of David’s there is a characterization of the citizen of Zion as one “that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speak-eth the truth in his heart.” To be upright means much, for the idea of perfection or of completeness is involved. Hence came the proverb, “Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved.” It is further declared in the Proverbs of Solomon: “Righteousness delivereth from death. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way.”

Mrs. Eddy’s words, written years ago, fit the present hour and bring comfort. She says in Miscellaneous Writings, page 368: “Some of the mere puppets of the hour are playing only for money, and at a fearful stake. Others, from envy and malice, are working out the destinies of the damned. But … let us not forget that the Lord reigns, and that this earth shall some time rejoice in His supreme rule, — that the tired Scientist watchmen on the walls of Zion, and the true Christian at the foot of the mount of revelation, shall look up with shouts and thanksgiving, — that God’s law, as in divine Science, shall be finally understood; and the gospel of glad tidings bring ‘on earth peace, good will toward men.’”

The noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity.

Excerpts from “The Millennium”

Only those who have spiritual discernment realize what is taking place, and the import of the present time. Those of discernment realize that the world is passing out of a certain mental cycle or mode of thinking and living, into another cycle of enlarged thinking and better living, and of spiritual power.

When this great chemicalization has done its work, we shall find error destroyed and we shall discern that good only is at hand. And, in the meantime, we should understand that what appears so distressing in this present day is not crucifixion, but resurrection.

The following question was asked in the last metaphysical college class: “Is the world situation a chemicalization brought about by the revelation and demonstration of Christian Science, and is it so severe that it is destroying rather than redeeming?”

Mr. Young’s answer was: “We cannot say that Christian Science demonstration as partially appearing, produces chemicalization that will destroy rather than redeem; but we can take the attitude that Christian Science demonstrated by you and me does not chemicalize beyond our ability to take care of the chemicalization. So if your thought takes on something of the grandeur of God, that will take care of the situation. (See S&H 401:16)

“If Mind takes care of the situation we can do something more practical than answer the question. As the terror that seems so intense in other nations disappears, the evil itself will disappear. When we see it as God sees it, its terrors begin to disappear. If God were demonstrated this instant, the error would have no terror because we would recognize what is actually going on.

“As Christian Scientists, we should not make evil either real or personal, but we should not ignore it. Christian Scientists have a responsibility in this matter because Truth has been revealed to them.”

The Christian Scientist realizes that his consciousness, which is his world, with its people, and its religions, and its governments, and politics, are within himself, and that it depends largely upon himself whether his is the Kingdom of Heaven or a misconception of the Kingdom of Heaven. Every Christian Scientist should know the nothingness of Fascism and Communism, for both would bind us so that we could not think, and human beings must be free to think. Anything that threatens free thought is dangerous and we should demonstrate its nothingness.

Excerpt from 1915 Association Address

The most comfortable human condition called government is generally the worst. Under it, all things are arranged for everybody. Everybody knows just what he may and may not do, according to law, and individual freedom is not only a misnomer, but an impossibility, because thought is ever restrained and restricted by such a system. Consequently, whether a government claims to be the very acme of paternalism and the perfection of it, or whether it be socialism and the perfection of that, it is equally wrong, because in either case human laws take the place of divine individuality. If such governments were to prevail, happiness and eternal life could never be demonstrated. Christian Science is the right government and the only one. It will, in due time, be the only government.

No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people... When I speak of the Christian religion as the basis of government... I mean the primitive Christianity in its simplicity as taught by Christ and His apostles, consisting of a belief in the being, perfections, and government of God; in the revelation of His will to men, as their supreme rule of action; in man's... accountability to God for his conduct in this life; and in the indispensable obligation of all men to yield entire obedience to God's commands in the moral law and the Gospel.

Excerpt from Association Address of 1912

Mesmerism in the mass is to be mentally handled just as it would be in the unit. Ten thousand shadows are no more substantial than one. Let us suppose a political situation where a great mass of voters are mesmerized into supporting measures that are corrupt. If you want to give the situation the benefit of scientific treatment, your first move would be to declare the allness of Spirit and the nothingness of matter, the power of good and the impotence of evil. Know and declare that no aggregation of evil can stand against the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence of divine Mind.

Enlarge on this line, and then proceed to make your treatment more specific. Know and declare that the welfare and progress of your nation cannot be hampered or blocked by any individual or group of unscrupulous politicians, for God is on the field when He is most invisible. Know further, that no matter how unpromising the outlook may be, God has infinite ways and means of foiling error’s most strenuous effort and of defeating its nefarious schemes. Further expand your treatment by declaring that one with God is a majority, and you are that one. Whether your mental work will be the little leaven that will leaven the whole lump, I cannot say. But I do know that your endeavors will not be fruitless, and will bring peace and protection to you and yours.

Excerpt from 1936 Primary Class

During any election the thing to realize is that something is going on here that is God, that is government, that is governing divinely. If the voter will be so actuated by the demonstration of that divine Principle, he will do what he has to do with perfect wisdom, which is divine Love. This is true whether it be a national election or a branch church election of officers. But the demonstration of wisdom involves the ability to discriminate. There are sinners in all societies. During the seven years that the Massachusetts Metaphysical College was open, Mrs. Eddy taught over four thousand students there, she tells us; yet at the first Association meeting of her pupils it was evident that all who really remained loyal and faithful were a mere three or four hundred.

I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.

Image by Carl Miller

Christian Science Journal, October 1912

A woman was given a candle,

And she hid it away on the shelf.

It is all I have, she murmured,

And hardly enough for myself,

So I must not let any one see it,

But all through the coming night

I'll know it is ready and waiting,

In case I should need the light.

She stole through the empty chambers

To her own little cheerless room.

How dark it has grown! she shivered,

As she groped her way through the gloom.

I wish I could light my candle!

But she tried to be only glad

She had put it away so safely

Because it was all she had.

Another was given a candle,

And she stepped out into the night.

It is all I have, she murmured,

I must make the most of its light.

There are hearts that are breaking,—somewhere,

There are lives that are sad and drear;

I must hurry along with my candle,

To let them know it is here.

O'er valley and hill she wandered,

With that one little flickering flame,

And it brightened many a pathway

That was dark until she came.

It crept into desolate places,

It banished disease and sin,

And hands, outstretched, were waiting

To welcome the stranger in.

Two women met in the morning,

As the eastern skies grew red.

One came from her happy journey,

One came from her sleepless bed.

Each held in her hand a candle,

But the eyes of one were sad:

I could not light it, my sister,

Because it was all I had.

The other one made no answer,

But her face, in the sunrise glow,

Looked like the face of an angel,

And she only whispered low:

O Love divine, I thank Thee!

For she saw, now the night was done,

She had lighted a thousand candles

From that poor little flickering one.

A bird sang softly near them,

And it heard the sad one say:

No wonder she looks so happy!

Hers was the better way.

Not mine, said the other, smiling,

As she touched the drooping head;

It was not my way, my sister,

But the Father's way, she said.

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From Mrs. Eddy

Christ's lowly and quiet workers unconsciously bless the world. They come out every morning from the presence of God, and go to their business or their household work. All day long they toil. They drop gentle words from their lips, and scatter little seeds of kindness about them; and tomorrow flowers of God spring up in the dusty streets of earth, and along the hard path of toil on which their feet tread.

More than once, in the Scriptures, the lives of God's people are compared in their influence to the dew. There may be other points of analogy, but especially noteworthy is the quiet manner in which dew performs its ministry. It falls silently and imperceptibly. It makes no noise. No one hears its dropping. It chooses the darkness of night, when man is sleeping, and when no one can witness its beautiful work. It covers the leaves with clusters of pearls. It steals into the bosom of flowers, and leaves a new cupful of sweetness there. It pours itself down among the grass, and tender herbs, and plants, and in the morning there is fresh beauty everywhere. The fields look greener, and the flowers are more fragrant. All life sparkles with new splendor.

Is there no lesson here, as to the manner in which we should do good in this world? Should we not scatter blessings so silently, so sweetly, yet secretly, that no one should know what hand dropped them?

We hear the inquiry: How is it possible for us, while burdened with the cares and perplexities of this life, to hold ourselves in that realm of thought whereunto the Psalmist calls us? That is attainable only through spiritual growth, away from sense, into the higher altitude of Soul. We can but “see through a glass darkly” now; but as the darksome mists of sensualism and error shall roll away, the brighter sunlight of immortal Truth will increasingly appear, till we shall have overcome the belief of the former, bask in the glorious realities of the latter, and enter into a building, “a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Such are the teachings of Truth. Just in the ratio in which we understand and apply the law of Christ — Truth — in our daily life, will the Divine promises appear in demonstration. The first requisite is the elimination from our thought of every phase of error, remembering that whatever appears real to mortal sense is unreal to Soul. Only from this basis of thought will Divine Truth, spiritual law, respond to our call. Truth never responds to error's call, nor Soul to sense, any more than harmony responds to discord, or Love to hate. They being opposites, only the still small voice of Soul will open the spiritual fountain whereof we may partake and be healed,— with the promise also, that “It will be in us a well of living water, springing up into everlasting Life.”

Christian Science Journal August 1889, (Written August 1, 1882), by Mrs. M. B. G. Eddy

AH! solemn mountain at whose feet I stand,

Clouds do adorn thy brow, skies clasp thy hand;

Nature and God, in harmony profound,

With peaceful presence have begirt thee round.

And thou majestic oak, from yon high place

Guard'st thou the earth, asleep in night's embrace ?

Or from thy lofty summit, pouring down

Thy sheltering shade, her noonday glories crown?

Whatever thy mission, mountain sentinel,

O'er my lone heart thou hast a magic spell;

A lesson grave of life, thou teachest me —

I love the Hebrew figure of a tree.

Faithful and patient be my years as thine;

As strong to wrestle with the storms of time;

As deeply rooted in a soil of love;

As grandly rising to the heavens above.

Mrs. Eddy was raised a Jacksonian Democrat, which broadly speaking advocated for the rights of the common man. By the Civil War, Mrs. Eddy, along with others opposed to slavery, had shifted her support to the new Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln, which was pro-abolition. She noted, “During my residence in the South my politics were changed — I lost my fun, and gained a higher hope for humanity.” Soon, political partisanship would begin to permanently fall away for her.

With Mrs. Eddy’s discovery of Christian Science in 1866, political ideology gave way to an absolute faith in God and His government. This is apparent throughout her writings over the next 40 years in which concepts of government, justice, and equality — indeed all of democracy’s highest ideals — appear extensively, but nearly always in the context of God’s supremacy. “The Magna Charta of Christian Science,” she writes, “means much, multum in parvo — all-in-one and one-in-all. It stands for the inalienable, universal rights of men.”

“I am asked, ‘What are your politics?’ I have none, in reality, other than to help support a righteous government; to love God supremely, and my neighbor as myself.”

“Avoid being identified pro or con in politics. If you do otherwise it will hinder our cause, remember this. Keep out of the reach of such subjects. Give all your attention to the moral and spiritual status of the race. God alone is capable of government; you are not, I am not, but God has governed through His anointed and appointed one in the way of divine Science; — not politics nor the making or breaking of national laws or institutions. He, God, alone is capable of this.”

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History Corner

There have been important stages in the history of the Christian Science church, unknown things that have gone on that few people are aware of. One of these is about unauthorized literature, which we all here, — up until we became independent, — followed like little sheep. You were to only read authorized literature, according to what the organization told you. So, a member in California did some research and found some information for us.

“During Mrs. Eddy’s lifetime an attempt was made to let Christian Scientists know what literature dealing with their denomination originated with their church and what did not. Apparently, a great deal of literature that was being circulated about Christian Science did not originate in the church. This may have led to confusion, particularly with new members, and in 1891 just about every member was new. To resolve the problem, a church committee was organized. It was called the General Association for Dispensing Christian Science Literature. It would let members know which literature was church-originated and which was not. The committee’s purpose, nevertheless, was not to tell members what they could or could not read. An official of the Mother Church, William G. Nixon, announced the new committee in the Christian Science Journal, May 1891.”

And then, it says, — we find this in Six Days of Revelation, page 373 — “When Mrs. Eddy finally realized that the organization was set up to prevent the circulation of unauthorized literature among Christian Scientists, quite as much as to distribute authorized literature to non-Scientists, — because evidently that’s what happened — she was greatly distressed. To Nixon, who had supported the scheme and wrote the announcement for the Journal, Mrs. Eddy wrote: ‘Can it be that one who has written to me as you have on oppressive measures used in our Cause, could have done this? I will rip up my business relations and take all into my hands before this most wicked, proscriptive, un-Christlike measure shall be carried.’”

And then, according to church historian Norman Beasley, “News of the indiscretion came to Mrs. Eddy’s ears in June, and in the July issue of the Journal, she published this card: ‘Since my attention has been called to the article in the May Journal, I think it would have been wiser not to organize the General Association for Dispensing Christian Science Literature. I consider my students as capable individually of selecting their own reading matter as a committee would be chosen for this purpose. I shall have nothing further to say on this subject, but hope my students’ conclusions will be wisely drawn and tend to promote the welfare of those outside, as well as those inside the organization.’”

That was the card that was put into the Journal. It was never Mrs. Eddy’s intent that there be “authorized” and “unauthorized” literature!

Then it goes on: “There is no known record that Mrs. Eddy brought this subject up again. There was no further attempt by the Mother Church officials to control members’ choice of reading materials as long as Mrs. Eddy was here. After her demise, however, the Mother Church instituted what is called ‘authorized literature of The First Church of Christ, Scientist,’ while the activities of that organization (General Association for Dispensing CS Literature) were limited to letting members know the origin of the works about Christian Science. The policy on authorized literature was more encompassing. It actually told members what they could and could not read pertaining to Christian Science. In essence, it censored reading material for church members. This took on its most negative form when church officials in some communities tried to remove unauthorized books and literature from public libraries. The overriding difference this time was that Mrs. Eddy was not here to intervene.”

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Interesting Squibs

When Maine was a district of Massachusetts, Ezekiel Whitman was chosen to represent the district in the Massachusetts legislature. He was an eccentric man, and one of the best lawyers of his time. He owned a farm, and did much work on his land, and when the time came for him to set out for Boston, his best suit of clothes was a suit of home-spun. “I will get a nice suit made when I reach Boston,” he said.

Reaching his destination, Whitman found rest at Doolittle's city tavern. Let it be understood that he was a graduate of Harvard, and at this tavern he was at home. As he entered the parlor of the house he found several ladies and gentlemen assembled, and he heard the following remark from one of them: “Ah! here comes a countryman of the real homespun genius. Here's fun.” Whitman stared at the company, and then sat down. “Say, my friend, are you from the country?” remarked one of the gentlemen.

“Ya-as,” answered Ezekiel, with a ludicrous twist of the face. “And what do you think of our city?” asked one of the ladies. “It's a pooty thickly-settled place anyhow. It's got a sweepin' sight of house in it.” “And a good many people, too.” “Ya-as, I should guess so.” “Many people where you come from?” “Wal, some.” “Plenty of ladies, I suppose?” “Ya-as, a fair sprinklin.” “And I don't doubt you are quite a beau among them.” “Ya-as.” “Perhaps the gentleman from the country will take a glass of wine?” “Thank'ee. Don't keer if I do.” The wine was brought. “You must drink a toast.” “I eat toast; never heard of such a thing as drinkin' it. But I can give you a sentiment.”

The ladies clapped their hands; but what was their surprise when the stranger, rising, spoke calmly and clearly as follows: “Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to wish you health and happiness, with every blessing earth can afford, and may you grow better and wiser in advancing years, bearing ever in mind that outward appearances are deceitful. You mistook me from my dress as a country booby; while I, from the same superficial cause, thought you were ladies and gentlemen. The mistake has been mutual.” He had just finished, when Caleb Strong, governor of the State, entered, and enquired for Whitman.

“Ah, here I am, Governor. Glad to see you.” Then turning to the dumbfounded company he said: “I wish you a very good evening.”

When humor goes, there goes civilization.

Before we can pray, “Lord, Thy Kingdom come,” we must be willing to pray, “My Kingdom go.”

Cooperation is doing with a smile what you have to do anyhow.

I wonder why it is that we are not all kinder to each other. How much the world needs it! How easily it is done!

People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.

This is courage — to bear unflinchingly what heaven sends.

One man with courage make a majority.

This time, like all times, is a very good one if we but know what to do with it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these.

Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God and a scourge to Satan.

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Watches to Work with Often

March 12, 2020

“Fear, contagious belief, is both the hypnotist and the hypnotism. It is not contact, nor any form of matter, that has to be destroyed for the claim is purely mental suggestion — in other words, hypnotism.”

The constant, hypnotic drumbeats of the news media broadcasting error’s lies do not make them true or real! The still, small voice of Truth has all the power of God behind it and shatters error’s lies. The human mind may stand aghast at nothingness, but the divine Mind stands unmoved, shining the healing Love of God on all His creation, silencing and overpowering every mesmeric belief — and spreading the Word of Truth in its place! Good is all powerful, and error is a coward before Truth!

“Truth and Love are at work and error and hate can’t stand before them. They are destroying sin, disease and death. I know this and my faith in it cannot fail and I cannot fear.”

March 19, 2020

“The joy that accompanies spiritual understanding knows enough to give thanks for what eye hath not seen. That is why no one can take our joy away from us. The Master said this because he knew joy as a thing of consciousness which cannot be discovered, located or interfered with by that which seeks to make us unhappy.”

Since joy and gratitude are the two key ingredients in the recipe for healing, let us keep ourselves — and everyone — in the joy of the Lord! We can be so grateful that everlasting Life overflows with only good for all of God’s children. His economy, the economy of Soul, is balanced, abundant, meets every need — and cannot be manipulated by animal magnetism through fear or hate! God is calling to His children, and those who answer, reap the blessings that obedience to His law brings. Animal magnetism is powerless to entice anyone away from singing praises to God!

“Abiding thus in God and He in us, our life cannot be less than full, free, joyous, immune from disease, out of danger, and safe from destruction.”

To The Watchers

from Watches, Prayers, and Arguments, as given by Mary Baker Eddy, page 49

“Hear, O Israel, for the Lord, our God, is one God.”
You are not to come in your own name to pray.
You are not to control any mind.
You are to come only in the divine strength, and know that God will rule and does, and that hypnotism and evil minds cannot, and do not, control men or governments.
All power is God, good.
This is my only formula to Christian Scientists for prayer, and God will give you faith that will remove mountains.

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From the Early Workers

Christian Science Journal, September 1888

There is an old Jewish tradition to this effect. Solomon, when a young man, greatly desired to see a miracle. One day a prophet of the Lord appeared to him, and told him that he was ready to gratify his desire. The prophet placed the seed of a fruit tree in the ground. In a moment the earth was upheaved, the plant appeared above the surface, and in a single instant there stood before the astonished king, a tree laden with rich blossoms, which in a moment more, turned into ripe and delicious fruit.

The king expressed great surprise, whereupon the prophet exclaimed: “Why are you so astonished at seeing done in a few moments that which God has been doing every year since creation began?”

Christian Science Journal 1886

Good, by its very nature, is immortal. The humblest and poorest of the disciples of Jesus can impel waves of blessings, that shall deepen and widen as they forever flow. The world is indeed full of hurry, of violence, and of conflict, and it may seem to us a waste of breath to speak gentle words in the face of the whirlwind of strife; and yet in such a world God has promised that His gentleness shall make His people great.

Calmness, and the self-possession of a right purpose and a pure heart, disarm opposition, and win more than violence. The rudest nature, which would hurl back threatening and rebuke with fierce words of wrath, may be mastered and melted into penitence and love by a single look, like that which Jesus turned upon Peter.

You need not wait for great occasions; you need not ask for extraordinary abilities; you need not have a thought what the world will think of you: only let your daily walk be a living testimony unto Jesus, and God will keep that testimony in the world, widening and deepening and intensifying in power, as long as the Gospel shall be preached for the salvation of men.

Christian Science Journal, October 1900

An old Scottish minister preached a sermon on faith, arguing that faith alone would get men into the kingdom of heaven. The next morning he wanted to cross the ferry, and as he seated himself in the boat, the ferryman told him he had listened to his sermon the day before, and before crossing the river he would like to reason with him a little on faith. The old boatman began to pick his faith theory to pieces, by proving that faith without works was worthless. The minister ably defended his theory, but finally the boatman proved its instability through an illustration. He said, “You wish to cross this river. I will call this right hand oar faith, and the other works. You claim that the faith alone will get you into heaven. Now to reach the other side of the river I will follow your line of argument, and use this one oar.”

He was out in the middle of the stream by this time, and began to work diligently with the right hand oar, but instead of making progress, the boat went round and round in a little circle. The man looked at the minister, shook his head, and said, “There is something wrong here, for we neither go forward nor backward, so faith alone doesn't get us anywhere. Now we will try works.” Dropping the right hand oar and taking the other, he rowed diligently with that, and the boat reversed its movement, going in a small circle the other way. Still no progress. Finally the man took both oars, and said, “We have proved that neither faith nor works alone will get us anywhere, so now we will see what we can do with both together.” With the two oars he pulled a steady, even stroke, and in a few minutes reached the other side of the river, in a straight line. The minister then acknowledged that his theory was not demonstrable, and promised to correct his mistake.

“Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” To enlist on the side of Truth, with an earnest determination to obey orders and march in line, will give us strength to grapple with error, and prove Truth the victor. We must not fear because to mortal sense the forces of the enemy seem to outnumber those in the ranks of Truth. It may seem an unequal strife, but knowing that Truth destroys every error, we go forward. As when Gideon put to flight the Midianites and the Amalekites, and all the children of the east that lay along the valley like grasshoppers. With only three hundred men he went into the enemies' camp and put to flight their vast multitudes, demonstrating that the victory was won through the power of God, and not by their own strength in numbers. The poet Whittier wrote:

Shrink not from strife unequal!

With the best is always hope;

And ever in the sequel

God holds the right side up.

The side that God holds up is Truth; and as we look into its perfect law, and abide in it, and are inseparable from it, it gives vitality and strength to purpose and action, guiding, directing, and supplying, giving us the understanding of fixed rules.

Said a writer, “To the one who expects in some mysterious, chance way he is to be ushered into dominion, count him a hearer and not a doer. A mathematician must not only understand the principle, but he must apply every rule at the time and place where they appear. They cannot be set aside for any particular time, or changed about to suit different opinions and theories. They have their time and place, and any attempt to set them aside only brings confusion and loss.”

We read in Revelation 1: 3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Through the struggles and great sacrifices of one woman an infinite blessing has come to this age. and we are seeing prophecy fulfilled. What is your part and mine in this great work of Christian Science? Our Leader says in her book “Miscellaneous Writings,” page 155, “Strive for self-abnegation, justice, meekness, mercy, purity, Love. Let your light reflect Light. Have no ambition, affection, nor aim apart from holiness. ... Forget self in laboring for mankind.”

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Current Articles

The Plainfield Church website has a section called “Watching” that includes the “daily watch,” which is a watching point taken from Gilbert Carpenter’s book, 500 Watching Points for Advancing Students of Christian Science. These watching points were written by Mr. Carpenter, Sr., for his students, to “constitute a timely hint to his students, to broaden their demonstration of Christian Science as Mrs. Eddy set the example in her home.” (500 Watching Points, page i.) These are a collection of points Mr. Carpenter learned while living in Mrs. Eddy’s home, points to be aware of and alert to that will help us find the deeper meanings of the Bible and Science and Health, better able to demonstrate Christian Science in the smallest matters as well as in the greatest in our daily lives, and thus enable us to do better watches.

A recent watching point, number 443, really hit home for me, as I sometimes refer to part of my past as a wilderness experience.

This particular watching point reads:

“WATCH lest you forget that in Science there is nothing in your past that cannot be turned into a constructive step in your spiritual growth, on the basis that all things work together for good to them that love God. Hence we should never permit ourselves to regret anything in the past.

“Once Mrs. Eddy wrote, ‘God’s child can never make a mistake, can never lose an opportunity, can never cause a regret; his life is bright with abundant goodness, hope, promise. Love has a plan and a purpose for each and everyone to fulfill, and none can escape it or fail to perform the will of God.’”

Years ago a practitioner from the Plainfield Church gave me part of the verse from Joel 2:25, “And I will restore the years the locust hath eaten.” This helped a great deal, along with Ecclesiastes 3:15, “and God requireth that which is past.” These two statements helped me let go of the past and give it to God. But this particular watching point, helped me to see that I can let go of the whole concept of a mortal with a past, and to identify myself as God’s child — and not let error tell me otherwise.

What freedom this brings, to be able to know that what may have seemed to be a wilderness experience, was really a growing time; and that God’s plan for His child goes forward, whether we know it or not.

At a recent Roundtable (August 16, 2020) the TV show “Keeping Up Appearances” was mentioned. I love that show!

Everything that was discussed was so helpful, since something I always need work on is not to be so concerned with appearances, but rather focus on my relationship with God. A very good reminder, and very timely.

It reminded me of a healing I had a few years ago. I’d had a rather alarming situation that had a glorious healing, but it tried to return a few months later.

As I was praying, and making progress, while in Little Rock, Arkansas, in a bit of a downtrodden hotel, every morning I’d take a walk to a nearby park. One morning, an old song I hadn’t heard in years came into my head. So, I found it on YouTube, and began playing it over and over during my walks.

The female lead in the show “Keeping Up Appearances” was Patricia Routledge, who sang the song in the show. Singing this song, as I tromped through Little Rock, helped break the mesmerism, because I heard it as mortal mind’s refusal to give up its old story of how life should look, even presenting its way as God’s way, and trying to oppose progress and Love as they present themselves. The song is called “Not on Your Nelly.” It’s now something I say when error is clamoring to make itself believed. “Not on your nelly, your bloomin’ blinkin’ nelly. Absolutely positively NOT!”

In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy has written, “Acquaintance with the original texts, and willingness to give up human beliefs (established by hierarchies, and instigated sometimes by the worst passions of men), open the way for Christian Science to be understood, and make the Bible the chart of life, where the buoys and healing currents of Truth are pointed out.”

As someone who has sailed over 35,000 miles and who is an experienced navigator, this statement came very much alive for me. I well know the value of buoys to keep ships and sailors safe.

Buoys are our life-line and guide us safely into and out of ports — either by day or night. At night most are lighted with different colored lights for port and starboard, and with individual blinking patterns. They give us notice of shoals and reefs. While studying navigation, the very first knowledge to gain is everything about the buoys and all that they mean. The most important item to notice while looking at a chart of the sea is the location of buoys. Buoys have truly saved boats and lives and are the mainstay of anyone out at sea.

Truly, the Bible is our chart of life, pointing out the dangers and keeping us safely in the channels where navigation is secure.

God has the solution to every problem, worry, or dilemma that could ever present itself. Nothing is beyond His power! It is up to us to trust Him, listen for His guidance, and obediently follow it.

Recently, I was feeling rather sad and had a feeling of gloom, feeling uncertain about the future. While doing a watch during the night, I came upon an argument in Watches, Prayers and Arguments, given by Mary Baker Eddy: “I am an unresisting channel, through which Love shines with its full healing force. In the reality of being, is all I can ever want, need, desire or long for. In fact, I have perfect satisfaction. It includes more than I can possibly now discern or desire, in the measure of happiness, and the completion of every wish or prayer, that is wholesome or right for me to have. All other longings are destroyed in this realization.”

As I worked with these thoughts for the world, I could feel all the sadness draining away, and felt my joy returning. That’s what happens when we work unselfishly for others — it blesses us as well! I thank God for all the healing material we have been given.

When my husband and I returned from school term holidays to reopen our Boarding House school, we found that our cook had tested positive for Covid. We immediately contacted a Plainfield practitioner, who assured us of God’s loving protection. We particularly worked with Psalm 91 and page 222 from the Blue Book which says:

“Abide in the 91st Psalm and know that such abiding is treatment and protection. There is nothing that can make laws or influence you. There is but one Mind and that is Love. Do not give life to evil by attaching it to a person or thing. It cannot live without a body. Man is immortal, one. There is but one infinite manifestation. No error can attach itself to man, and why deceive ourselves by thinking it can do so? Every manifestation of life is ever-present and omnipresent good, and this carries within itself all healing, sustaining. Know that the kingdom of heaven is within you and this is your armour.”

Although the government was dictating how we had to lock down the Boarding House, I knew that there was one Mind governing us and that we were not living in a body that could either be sick or well, or be contagious. We had our armour of Love protecting us, not masks and hand sanitizer.

“Quenching the Fiery Darts of the Wicked, Animal Magnetism Handled,” an article on page 224 of Teaching and Addresses by Edward Kimball, was our daily bread and water. We read, pondered and listened to this article constantly to stay on the side of God.

During this time, our staff and students were calm, and we all had to take a government Covid test to make sure everyone was well. I was still working with our practitioner but became quite fearful, thinking what if all 16 people come back with negative results and I come back positive. I started to feel unwell and remembered that I had contact with that person, and I feared that I could have possibly passed it on to someone else. This was such a silly thought, as I knew I couldn’t — it’s impossible. I can only pass on good, love; but the nagging thought wouldn’t leave. I knew this was my ego talking, and I hadn’t handled the suggestion, so I bravely mentioned this to my practitioner. She said, “What makes you so special, that you will be the only positive one!” Well, I laughed and said “exactly,” and we had a good old laugh at such a ridiculous thought. This broke the mesmerism.

Also a dear friend sent me a beautiful poem from the Christian Science Journal of 1942 by Paul Stark Seeley entitled, “Protection.”

In reflection is protection;

This is God’s decree.

There’s no danger, harm or stranger

When I walk with Thee.

In reflection is protection;

Timeless, constant, kind.

Love’s bright armour shields me ever.

Mighty fortress, all-embracing Mind.

In reflection is protection;

This is God’s decree.

Truth’s own safety man is sharing,

Fearless, joyous, free.

What a beautiful poem confirming God’s government, care, wisdom and strength. To work every day and to help alleviate the fears of our international students, staff and parents, this poem was a constant guide for us during the day and night.

We had the test, and all our tests came back negative, even mine! But our staff and students still had to isolate in their rooms for another eight days and then have another test. My husband and I had to work full time for ten days, preparing and delivering all the meals and anything that they needed. We were on call all day and night. And it was a joyful time for us, expressing love and kindness to each. As no one was around in our work space, we were able to play lots of Plainfield’s audio recordings, and we felt very close to God.

Of course, we did the second round of testing and all came back negative, and we were all so happy and grateful. Our cook and his family also had a full recovery.

I am so grateful for the Plainfield website, and the love of the membership that goes into providing such a wonderful tool for the world. All the Roundtables, Bible Studies, audios, articles, watches, Love Is the Liberator magazine, daily calendar statement and more. Reading and listening to the Plainfield site over the last three years has been a constant inspiration through some difficult times. Sometimes I think that the discussion at the Roundtable was spoken just for me, as it always answered a problem or concern at the time. I am so deeply grateful for this, that after leaving our branch church 13 years ago and saying that I will never join another branch church, I am so happy to say that my husband and I would love to join the family at the Plainfield Church, and am enclosing our application for membership. Thank you, heavenly Father, for supplying all our needs.

Make sure you test positive for Faith,

Keep your distance from doubt

and isolate yourself from fear,

Trust in God through it all.

I was recently speaking with my daughter, who wanted to share some changes in the thinking of social workers, working in the field of Social Welfare. She explained how there was a new trend in the field, where workers were no longer encouraged to say, for example, “He is schizophrenic,” but were now to say, “He is suffering from schizophrenia.” I exclaimed, “Wow, this is what Christian Science teaches — separating the man from the false claim!” She went on to describe why this was important and looked for a word to best sum up the issue being discussed, when I again was able to say, “Because, when you call someone a schizophrenic, you label him and then he accepts this label as his identity.”

Yes! As she was speaking, I was following along at a different level of thinking — a spiritual view. She mentioned that, although the mental approach had changed, there were problems with the people, who had accepted this old label, as their identity. They wanted to be that label and didn’t want to be known differently, having found importance in being seen by others as disabled, with all of its benefits. So, there was resistance to a better translation of the human concept of man.

I couldn’t help seeing this in a broader context of Christian Science. Mankind has accepted the label that he is mortal, a human being who identifies with all good and bad that the label includes. Then “Comes the Christian Science gospel, sin it kills and grief it heals.” (Hymn 29) As Christian Scientists, we learn to separate out the false claims about a mortal identity (the chaff), from our real, spiritual identity, as the child of the one, infinite, good God (the wheat), so that we can assert the dominion that God promised us in Genesis 1:26-27, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

I am so grateful for the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent, and its practitioners — for their guidance in helping me to gain a greater understanding of my true identity as a child of God, and working with me in separating out false claims about myself from my real, spiritual identity. It was only when I found this church, that my understanding of Christian Science and how to demonstrate it was revitalized. Thank you for everyone, who shares their experiences and remarks on Christian Science.

Not long after arriving in Plainfield, the idea of putting things on the altar was spoken of at a Roundtable. I had never thought of that before, but having just gone through a very low period of my life, I was rather happy with the thought of giving everything to God and letting Him be in control.

Over the years of studying Christian Science here, I have really seen the benefit of placing my employment, my belongings, and even my children on the altar. Practically speaking, it gives me the ability to focus completely on what I feel God is directing me to do each day.

Before June of 2019, I had spent many years driving to Connecticut to get my kids at least once, if not two times, each month. After my son graduated, I started feeling less of a pull to take that drive, as each of them is an adult now and starting their life. For the remainder of 2019, I only saw them three more times, and in 2020, it wasn't until August that I saw them.

I love my kids, and am so happy to see them, of course, and I pray for them daily, knowing they are God’s children, not belonging to any human parent, that He keeps them safe in His care and has a beautiful life planned for them. But what has really stood out to me recently is how placing them on the altar and giving them to God has made it so my life doesn't fall apart when they are gone. I went so long having this persona I had built up that was dependent on other people and circumstances; and when that situation fell apart, I felt I had nothing left to stand on and my life hit a very low point.

Now I have God and what God has in store for me each day, and nothing can take that away. I am so grateful for that. And now I am placing no weird pressure on my children, because I am leaving it with God to bring us together, and God to keep us safe and fulfilled when we are apart. I spend no time being concerned about imaginary problems.

What a blessing Christian Science is! I am so grateful to my practitioner for helping me through the years with this.

I am grateful God led me to Plainfield Independent Church, as I really didn’t want anything to do with church organization and had given up on Christian Science.

Mary Baker Eddy says in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures on page 296, “Either here or hereafter, suffering or Science must destroy all illusions regarding life and mind, and regenerate material sense and self.”

I thought I could find happiness in the world and that I could choose my own way. While sometimes I had “human” success, there was also a lot of pain and suffering which eventually led me to read many spiritual books, philosophies, and teachings. None of them left me satisfied. Then somehow, I landed on Plainfield’s website.

Listening to and reading all that you offer has changed the way I see Christian Science. Plainfield is not the “peaches and cream” fake teaching of Christian Science. The most helpful “unauthorized” articles on the website, the Roundtables and Bible Studies on YouTube, have started to unlock the Truth about Christian Science.

Thank you for all the unselfish work that is done in this church, especially that of the practitioners.

I am so happy to be learning, through the teachings and examples at Plainfield Church, to apply Christian Science in all aspects of my life.

I manage several homes that are vacation rentals, and I had not thought about using Christian Science in respect to this. But, through working with my practitioner and with her prayers and guidance, I have been learning that I must and should be. Since I started doing so, the benefits have been really wonderful.

Last fall, right after a Wednesday Service, I got a call from a woman who had stayed in one of the properties a couple of months earlier. She told me that she felt she had to call and let me know that when her group stayed at this home, they all felt a sense of peace, and that certain aspects of their lives were restored during this time. I was so awed to hear this! It made me realize that I should be praying consistently for the harmony, peace, and protection of those who choose to stay at these properties. It also led me to think about what qualities of God these homes represent — joy, peace, love, beauty, kindness, healing, restoration, etc.

While many managers have mentioned how their guests have been very difficult this year, I have had the opposite experience. The guests who have stayed have consistently expressed what wonderful times they have had, and how their stay has been peaceful and enjoyable. In fact, it has been the most harmonious year we’ve had in thirteen years!

When I heard Elizabeth’s story, above, of how she prayed for the rental properties she manages, and how she considered all the qualities these properties represented, I was inspired to do the same.

We have had a standard Bay Tree on our patio for a number of years, which we have carefully looked after, fed, watered and tended to, so that it had grown into a beautiful mature tree. However, it had reached the point where it was too tall for me to clip it easily to keep it in shape, and was taking up a lot of room on the patio, and we were thinking of selling it. This seemed rather a daunting task because, being a somewhat unusual item, we thought it could be difficult to sell.

So I decided to take the same approach as was done with the holiday rentals, and considered what qualities this tree represented — beauty, of course, love and nurturing, order and precision, as it had been carefully shaped, and so on. Above all I thought about it being a blessing to a purchaser, and that God’s law of supply and demand could meet both our need and theirs.

I listed it at what I felt would be a fair price, on a local selling website, but after several days we’d had no enquiries. I held to this tree being a blessing to someone, and then a message arrived from a person quite a distance away, who was keen to purchase it, and he came early the next day to collect it and was happy with the price. He took it to complete his newly landscaped garden, and seemed very enthusiastic about its suitability. The proceeds will enable us to get some needed maintenance done to our roof and gutters before the winter, and we have more room on our patio, so the transaction has been a blessing all round.

I am most grateful to Plainfield Church for all that it has provided to help me learn how to better apply and live Christian Science in my daily experience. I am grateful for regular practitioner support from my kind and supportive practitioner at Plainfield Church.

At one point in my life I had to give up my license for the profession I have spent all my life working in since age 17. I did not know what to do at the time; so many questions came into my thinking. I remember I spent many hours just sitting quietly listening, and at that time I learned that I should only depend on God for the right decision. So I prayed, and silently listened. It came to me to let the license go. With some anxiety, I did obey and let it go.

I can tell you that the reward for that obedience has been completely wonderful. No human plan could have planned this journey leading me here to be a part of this holy mission. It required a lot of trust. That is why cultivating trust in God is an imperative action, especially when we are so uncertain of the future. It’s a two-way street. We have to trust God completely and He gives us what He has already planned for our lives.

Two things I’d like to share with anybody trying to make a decision on what to do. On page 74 of the Blue Book, Mrs. Eddy says, “God has a plan for all His children, and it is a gracious plan. I have my place in His plan, I have my work in His plan, and malicious mental malpractice can neither hinder nor prevent me from seeing a full, complete and perfect manifestation of what God’s plan is for me here and now.” I would also like to point to the last verse in hymn 216, which sums up all I had to do then. “Oh wait on Him with veneration, Be silent in humility; He leads you after His own council, His will is done and still shall be; All good for you His wisdom planned; O trust in God and understand.”

I think that veneration needs to be explained, because we are not to wait in fear and doubt but in veneration. In the 1828 Webster’s dictionary it says, “veneration: the highest degree of respect and reverence, respect mingled with some degree of awe, a feeling or sentiment excited by the dignity and superiority of a person or the sacredness of his character.” I cannot thank God enough for this explanation of how we are to wait on God. Christian Science is the only way that I have learned this.

One of the many important lessons that I have learned in this church was when I first arrived in Plainfield. I remember very well, one of the things that struck me was that our practitioner, Mrs. Evans, would often remind us that we are in a battle, and we had better make sure we are on the right side of that battle. I remember it used to bother me whenever she would remind us of that. I had a false impression that life wasn’t supposed to be a battle. I had this false impression of Christian Science, that everything was supposed to be nice. I thought I was supposed to deal with every situation diplomatically, work with people, persuade people, and avoid the battle. As a result I was having great difficulty in a lot of business and relationship situations, because I would avoid confrontation whenever I saw it. I would often not speak up when I should. It was often an uncomfortable and unhealthy situation, and it bothered me.

Mrs. Evans would continue to remind us that we are in a battle. One day I woke up and realized I was being totally selfish. I was seeing the battle as a battle of people. I was making it personal and real, instead of realizing that the battle is between good and evil, and that the battle is the Lord’s. I realized that I should trust what God is doing, and I should not fear the battle, but welcome it, because the enemy is not real.

That morning and I said, “ok, I’ll accept that.” I will enlist as Mrs. Eddy tells us to do if we are Christian Scientists. I will enlist and accept that there is a battle, and I won’t be afraid to do battle against evil, against error. I will stop taking it personally, and I will stop seeing it as a person. I won’t be afraid of hurting people's feelings if God instructs me to speak up. I will not be afraid of confrontational situations if someone is pushing a wrong agenda. I will be very happy to push back if that’s what God wants me to do.

When I came to that realization, that acceptance, I can’t tell you what a freedom it was for me. It was like a huge weight being lifted from my shoulders. It was like God opened up a whole new life for me, and I felt like a new person. From that point on I have done much better in confrontational situations, and in a lot of other situations. I feel that I have been much healthier, happier, and much more capable of doing what God really wants me to do, and not fearing the consequences. I’m very grateful for this lesson.

Years ago, when I first came here and was kind of down and out with many troubles and couldn’t focus above them, the practitioner here would quote to me from I Samuel 7:12. It was when Samuel had won a victory and he named the place where the victory was, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” The practitioner told me, that instead of being so focused on all my troubles, pains, and what was wrong in my life, I should recount all the many victories that I have had with God. Victories of healing.

We can all recount things if we think about it. Healings we have had, perhaps what would seem like a chance encounter that led to a wonderful job, or how you met your spouse, or various things where you have definitely felt God’s presence and power. Every time you think of those things say, “‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped me.’ and henceforth too He will.” When we remember all that God has done, that fortifies us to know all that God will do. If He was there for us once, He will be there for us again and again and again! That is the kind of loving Father we have!

In the poetry book called, Triumph and Other Poems, by Max Dunaway, this is a poem that he wrote:

(I Samuel 7:12)

“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us,”

and henceforth too He will.

He who ordains the way for us,

His purpose will fulfill.

And who will keep us from the good

He has in love prepared,

Or overrule the harmony

that should by men be shared?

Therefore will not we doubt the care

that guards our pathway still.

“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us,”

and henceforth too He will.

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Letters of Gratitude

Ten months ago, before I found Plainfield Church, I was blessed by losing a job that I so cared for and loved. Little did I know that another job was unfolding with more gifts than I can now imagine! A decision was made to deeply, intently, study Christian Science. I worked day and night for eight months, learning, understanding, and growing. However, even with the intensity, something seemed amiss. It seemed I was going nowhere. I continued to pray and study.

Reading another’s website, who is a Christian Science teacher, I found in the comment section a reference to your website. Oh, how the light did shine as I pored through much of the material prepared for all those to use to support and to know the real Christ Science.

Each new morning, I awake to “a world more bright” just knowing that Plainfield Church Independent, the lovely practitioners, a church family, a community working together as one furthering the Cause of Mary Baker Eddy, is right here. What more could I ask? The dedication and work that goes into the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent, and its website, is totally amazing. Whatever is needed, is right here at the touch of a button.

Gratitude sings from every pore! I have never known that this much joy existed, it is everywhere. And yet, I had not found it until reading, studying, praying about all the gifts I received through the Plainfield Christian Science Church. I am sure beyond measure; this is how it was for those surrounding Mrs. Eddy. Gratitude and joy unsurpassed. Thank you for being here.

I am so grateful to have found the Plainfield Church. I have learned so much about what it means to live the life of a Christian Scientist. Growing up, it was a religion. Since coming here I see it is a way of thinking and living. I am so grateful to be a part of this church’s outreach to the world. I am sending this check in addition to my monthly contribution to help this church’s mission in blessing all mankind. I am blessed when my goal is to bless others and that is a message that can’t be missed after finding Plainfield. Thank you for letting the need be known about reprinting the wonderful book by Eustace. It will bless so many. So much love and gratitude.

Thank you to everyone involved in providing to me the array of audio YouTube lessons written by foundational Christian Science members. Each one is a valuable gem that I can enjoy and learn from whenever I wish to do so. These recordings are fast becoming the most important part of my day, thus are fast becoming a part of me. I express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved in making them available to me.

Thank you so much for Forum Highlights #168, covering Lesson Sermons “Sacrament” and “Life.” Our Lessons are so wonderful and timely, all the daily Forum comments dig in, divulge, and explain meanings and practical applications we can use; and Forum Highlights completes this study with added information and links to learn more! This issue, #168, ended with hymn 58.

In our Unity Watch for August 18, 2020 was this sentence, “We are not sending His Word out into an indifferent world, but to the waiting ears and hearts of His children!”

Thank you all who selflessly do this important work to bless all mankind.

Sometimes all that seems to come from my heart is thank you, God, for showing me the way to the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent so as to learn Christian Science as instructed by His scribe, Mrs. Eddy. I was really touched by the song, “The Deer’s Cry,” so serene and beautifully rendered, and I cherish the words and will use them not only as a prayer for myself, but also for others upon whom my thought may rest. It is such a blessing to be part of this loving, healing church.

To the Plainfield Christian Science Church Independent, thank you for your devotion, dedication to Mary Baker Eddy, the Comforter and Christ Jesus. Your commitment, demonstration of harmony, expression of Spirit, stand out as beacons of hope to me.

Over the years, I had lost trust in the ecclesiastical expression of Christian Science, that seemed to have attached itself to the movement.

I love the camaraderie, respect, and solidarity expressed in your working sessions, whether Roundtable inspiration, Bible Study, or Forum participation. You all work together with a wonderful expression of Spirit’s presence. Thank you.

Last week I was mindful of your weekly Watching Point from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter. Praying about this watch allowed an unfoldment to more fully express God’s will than would have been the case had I attempted to finalize a serious decision too quickly.

I feel blessed as my love for God grows, as I more fully appreciate the fullness of His expression as exemplified by all of you. Thank you for your devotion, expression, loving attention to Science.

Thank you for the Roundtable on Sunday July 12, 2020, which I have just been listening to again this morning. It was especially interesting to hear Mrs. Eddy’s approach to “authorized literature,” which I had not heard before. Also, about the history of the Christian Science church — in “calling in” various writings which had until then been in the public domain. Thank you very much for making this known.

Thank you for steering me to all the wonderful and free downloads available on the PlainfieldCS.com website. I have been enjoying listening to and reading the many articles offered; especially like Bicknell Young’s writings, so much that I have one of his sayings taped on my desk.

With such a trove of articles and support at my fingertips, it was a natural next step to donate monthly to Plainfield Church through PayPal.

I am so grateful and humbled when I think of your Independent Church and its members and the constant and selfless work they provide.

I am so grateful for the calming Truth that Plainfield Church is providing during these uncertain times.

Thank you for your continued hard work.

Thank you for the inspirational Roundtable and an exceptional lesson on Mind. My reading of it each day took my thought up into spiritual consciousness right away, and I found myself abiding in harmony and peace, the place where God’s work is done.

This summer I have had the privilege of watching my grandchildren, ages 7 and 9, for one day per week. The other day the younger one had done something I felt needed correction. Consequently I asked her if she wanted to know how to be beautiful. Of course being beautiful is something that all children desire. She looked at me with the most serious, intense brown eyes and asked how. Then I told her a beautiful person must express gratitude. Again with those eyes, she asked what gratitude was. I asked her if she knew what being grateful meant, and that she knew.

What a wonderful experience I have had this summer enjoying the girls and sharing the rules of the universe with them. Thank you to this church and all the work that is accomplished so we can learn to apply, live and share God’s rules.

I’m very grateful for the August 19, 2020, Wednesday service, and I wanted to express my gratitude for the inspired readings on Faith, read with such conviction and love. The theme, “Standing Fast in Unwavering Faith,” was such an inspiration, and a much needed reminder to me, to think about just how much faith am I really expressing, if after praying I would allow even a hint of doubt, worry or disappointment enter my thinking.

The following statements, “Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Cor.) and “For with God, nothing shall be impossible” (Luke) really stood out to me. They inspired me to conscientiously strive to “Stand fast” no matter what, and have a strong and steadfast, unwavering faith, and know, as was read at the end of the readings, “Though empires fall, the Lord shall reign forever.” Thank you for these beautiful God-inspired readings.

Since finding Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent, I have been thinking much on the word gratitude. It fills this church, it is alive in every one of us who participate in the reading of the weekly Lessons, pray for the world through the watches, attend Wednesday evening and Sunday online services, listen to the Roundtable discussions, support the periodicals (Love is the Liberator and the Newsletter), study the articles on the carousel, post on the Forum and Bulletin Board, and so much more.

It is testified to each Wednesday night in the testimony meetings, where testifiers express heartfelt gratitude for the church, practitioners, healings, guidance, inspiration, unfoldment, and knowing God’s presence throughout the day. It means so much more than a word or momentary thought. I have been praying for something to define what I feel, what I think others are feeling and what this church opens in the hearts of those who love it. Finally, several nights ago, in watching a not so great movie on Moses, the best movie script line of all time was stated and it gave me what I had been searching for: “Gratitude is not a word. It is the desire to keep saying the word.” It is one thing to remember to give gratitude but a totally different thing to be driven to give it all the time because something so real and wonderful is now part of us.

My love to the Plainfield Church, to God, our Father-Mother, who dwells here and walks here, and the joy we all come to know because we have found the “pearl of great price.” It is an outpouring of love that never ceases, and could not anyway.

Enclosed please find my monthly contribution to support the glorious outreach of God’s love to the world which this church provides. The website material, the services, the Bible studies, Roundtable discussions, and endless practical and spiritual uplift including the priceless help of our ever-ready practitioners is much appreciated and a blessing to all.

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Testimonies of Healing

from E. S. in Georgia

Last week I was feeling some pain in my stomach and lower back. But instead of promptly handling it as we are taught in Christian Science, I started ruminating about what it could be. An aunt had written to me recently explaining she had been diagnosed with a condition that she was getting treatment for, and this was the second time this had happened in my immediate family.

I called my practitioner and explained my fear. Her immediate response was, “Can you dream her dream?” Well, no, I can't dream her dream or anyone else's dream. This was clear to me. She also told me that just because I might be afraid, it doesn't give the pain power. I had to stand with the fact that God is the only power and creator, I come directly from God since He made me, and know that if I am believing in anything other than this, I am disobeying God. This claim of disease was not true for my family members, and it isn't true for me.

I had left my armor off, so to speak, in entertaining this suggestion. The rest of the day I was on my guard, and it was clear to me that this was a suggestion only. Whatever pain I had felt disappeared, and it has not returned. I am grateful and appreciative for the practitioner's powerful denial of this when I called and for waking me up. I certainly needed the wake-up to keep my thoughts in the right place.

from M. H. in Hawaii

Thank God and Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent. I’ve been listening to “What God Is” by Herbert Eustace and am so moved with the truth that simple words are the most effective and to pay close attention to the definition of each word that comes to mind or is prepared to leave my mouth.

Yesterday after a long day of gardening, I experienced tightness in my chest, fatigue and difficulty breathing. The word “bound” came to mind, as in being bound by evil constricting/constructing/restricting life. Then came the message that I could only be bound in God’s loving care. He is responsible for every breath I take and could never impede it. Though tired, last night I clung to this message of being wrapped and comforted in Spirit. This morning I was greatly improved and could go about helping my family and assisting on the farm.

I never really thought about the words I speak on a daily basis. I needed to talk small talk for public relations purposes. I am on a new path today to be deliberate and considerate of each word and its scientific meaning. There is so much to learn but every step forward is a joyous one.

Complete healing is taking place.

from N. B. in Texas

Many years ago, I was about to go on a trip overseas for a month. As I was getting ready around my house, I dropped a heavy object on my big toe. The pain was so intense, that I couldn’t put any weight on it at all. Fear crept in and said, “You won’t be able to go on your trip now!” But, as I was taught in Christian Science, I challenged that suggestion vehemently.

The pain subsided somewhat, but I still couldn’t put any weight on it. So, I hobbled over to the phone and called my practitioner. After explaining what had happened, how badly it hurt, etc., he began asking me questions. “Now how did you do that again? How badly does it hurt? Did it ever really happen?” I began to laugh, as I realized he was showing me that I had fallen for the Adam dream, that somehow, I was out of God’s care, separate from His love and protection.

After we both laughed out loud, he reminded me that man was created by God in His image and likeness, in Genesis 1 that the Bible says, “everything that He made was very good.” Then he asked me again, “Now did it really happen?” I gladly answered with a resounding “NO. I’ve never been separated from God’s dear love.” The pain ceased immediately, and I was able to walk unimpeded, with no limp whatsoever. The next day I flew to Europe and was able to walk several miles a day without any side effects.

I am so very grateful for this healing and many, many others that I have experienced over the years. I am also grateful for Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy, and practitioners who dedicate their lives to helping others. And I have been truly blessed by the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent website and all that it has to offer.

from C. H. in New Jersey

I am grateful for practitioner help that healed me of nasty head pain, which appeared for a day and part of a night, and a swollen gland. This occurred the day before I was involved with a huge project that was to take place. The project involved emptying a large storage unit and involved manpower, trucks, and help from friends.

Each time doubt came as to whether I would be able to perform this task, due to the support of the practitioner, I was able to stop this negative thinking and turn to God for help, knowing that He was guiding and was in control of the whole situation. By 4:00 in the morning all was well. I fell asleep and awoke feeling fine. I even forgot about the swollen gland, which had disappeared.

Everything went smoothly through the whole day, and all the people involved were outstanding. They all did different jobs and worked with harmony and efficiency. I was so humbled by this whole experience. My practitioner said to give God great thanks, which I did, and still do. Only the power of God could have brought all these elements together so harmoniously and beautifully. As Science and Health states, “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings.”

from A. B. in England

I’m very thankful for a recent experience with our cat, when she was feeling below par. She had been off her food for a couple of days, but then appeared to become much more poorly, being very shaky on her feet and spending a lot of time sleeping. When she then refused a small offering of sponge cake and cheese, things were clearly serious.

I had been reading articles on the Plainfield website in relation to the claim of age, but not wanting her to suffer, I requested help from my practitioner, who most kindly agreed to help her. My practitioner asked me to read “The Word Made Flesh” chapter from Martha Wilcox’s Addresses on the website. This chapter explains how we can be taken in by illusions of the senses, and that appearance is not real. It also describes how Mrs. Eddy healed one of her horses by knowing that the horse was perfect, and the appearance of the problem was untrue.

I held to this idea for our cat, and with the kind help of my practitioner, within a couple of days, our cat was active and eating normally again.

I am so grateful for the practitioner’s help, for Mrs. Eddy’s writings, and those of the early workers provided freely on the website, for Christian Science, and for all that I am learning since finding Plainfield. Thank you.

from N. J. in California

I want to thank you for all for the wonderful work you all are doing. I joined your church from southern California about six months ago. I came into contact with you after lots of prayer, and found you on YouTube by the grace of God.

I have observed many churches, preachers, pastors and spiritual advisors over the years. But everything I heard from the Roundtable and services was so inspiring and so different from everything else I have heard or seen before.

Prior to my introduction to Christian Science, I was in a very dark place and had not realized how dark yet, as I was used to error talking with me, even though I prayed and meditated daily. I reached out to a Plainfield practitioner, and this began the change in my life. I changed beyond any other change that I have experienced before, as I have had many. This was real and concrete.

I was suicidal at the time I originally reached out, and thought this was a normal option for myself. I wanted to run, hide, avoid pending responsibilities that seemed to loom over my life, which I know was and is a lie.

My practitioner lovingly listened and directed me to God, Science and Health, and how to watch. This was the missing piece in my entire life. She taught me to pray and watch. This catapulted me into a new right relationship with our loving God. A relationship that can now be demonstrated and realized. What a blessing. What a magnificent change in me that has occurred after coming into connection with this mighty church and all the literature provided to support us in Christian Science. Now, six months later, I do not want to commit suicide. What a silly idea that was. I now know it was animal magnetism trying to take down one of God’s lights. Watching, studying the Bible along with Science and Health brought me out of the dark into the light, Truth.

I am so grateful for Mary Baker Eddy being a magnificent Leader and Teacher. I am grateful for the Plainfield Church and its dedication to Truth. Thank you, everyone at this church, for teaching me to stay, stand, pray, watch, and battle. This is the cup I need to drink from. Mark 13:37 — “What I say unto you, I say unto all all, Watch.” Peace and blessings.

from C. in Hawaii

Over a recent weekend, the media in Hawaii was proclaiming constant alerts about imminent Hurricane Douglas, a category 1 storm to hit landfall beginning with my side of the island, and possibly setting new records in destruction of life and property sometime between Sunday to Monday, then moving down the entire island chain.

These warning also made sure to repeat that due to current Covid restrictions, shelters were not going to be allowing many people in them.

I immediately reached out to God, along with my wonderful practitioner in Plainfield, I remained ceaselessly in prayer from Saturday on. Somehow, I wasn’t really feeling imminent danger, even while moving things inside that could be blown around, just in case.

In any case, even into late Sunday the weather remained pleasant and calm, though when I checked what the media was reporting, they still shouted the same dire warnings about an imminent direct hit. But as Tuesday’s Plainfield watch said, “Nothing can stop an outpouring of Love from going forth to reach the hearts and souls of all mankind.”

I prayed on, continuing to hold to the Truth for the entire state, and as of today, Tuesday, July 28, 2020 those shouting “Danger! Danger!” finally admit that Hurricane Douglas somehow miraculously passed the entire state by missing the last island by a mere 34 miles.

Isn’t God good!

Blessings to all, with special thanks to the Plainfield practitioner that helped hold the truth of Love’s nurturing environment for everyone here.

from K. D. in California

I would like to express gratitude to our Father-Mother-God for directing me to the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent; for the loving guidance of the Plainfield practitioners; the uplifting sharing of its members; and the new life, which has breathed into what I call Christian Science practice, since being led to this church. There are so many inspirations and enfoldments I could write about, and will, but now I want to thank my practitioner who has been working with me to learn more about God and His creation, which includes me, the image and likeness of God.

Recently I awoke in the morning to find physical signs and symptoms of something I was familiar with and definitely didn’t want — what the medical profession calls a bladder infection. Upon calling my practitioner, I mentioned this and asked for her prayer support, as I knew the symptoms would be causing more discomfort in a little time and would have to be addressed.

She shared with me the statement from Science and Health, “Health is not a condition of matter, but of Mind,” and lovingly reminded me of something that had unfolded to me earlier — health has always been mine as God’s reflection; therefore, how could I ever lose it? This was an opportunity to demonstrate it. She affirmed the truth about me and suggested that I read an article called “Infection: What It Is and How It Operates,” by Herbert Eustace. In this article, Mr. Eustace translates the thought of infection based on a material sense of life, into infection as a spiritual expression of life. He states: “Infection is Mind imparting itself to its idea, imparting its very name and nature, infecting its own expression with life, purity and perfection. ... Where morbid infections claim to be, there is the very presence of Mind imparting the infection of spirituality, ‘The beauty of holiness.’”

Working with all of these ideas, reading my Lesson, praying on the weekly watch and knowing that my practitioner was providing needed support, I went onto some research I was doing and soon realized that the symptoms were no longer there. The weekend passed and all was well until Sunday night, when the false claim arose mildly and briefly once again.

In speaking with my practitioner once again, she reminded me to recognize the false claim (I know who you are, animal magnetism), trying to distract me from doing my work for God and this could only ever be an illusion — it could not have any power.

Healing took place. This is the first time in my life that I have not had to get medical assistance with this issue. I am so very grateful to be in this church; so grateful for the support of my practitioner; so grateful for all of the spiritual food, always present on that table before me, and what a special article that was on “Translations” by Martha Wilcox, which continues to bless me.

from L. T. in New York

I just want to say how grateful I am for Christian Science, my practitioner, and all that I have been given since I became a member of this Church.

Sometimes it’s hard to describe the healings that have taken place, because my heart is so full. I feel if I open it just a little bit, it will all come pouring out. One thing for sure, heart and soul, Christian Science heals every human woe. The places I have been and the experiences I have had, have all disappeared in the morning sun. I have found a home, a family, and a true and loving Father. Who could ask for more?

One finds the element of joy more or less lacking in old theology; this makes it necessary for its adherents to approach religion from a sense of duty rather than desire. Then in order to force this duty upon man, old theology has had to build up punishments for any failure to adhere to it.

Christian Science has eliminated this old doctrine of hell­fire and damnation by making man’s search for heaven so replete with joy, that there is no need of using the fear of penalty in order to drive him upward. In disciplining a child, it is sufficient to deprive him of going to some place, if that place is attractive enough, without further punishment.

In the service will be found the instructions essential to this spiritual flight, showing what baggage must be left behind, what equipment is necessary, etc.

Old theology looks upon the Sunday service as the vital function, and as the proper resting place for thought, where man’s principal duty is to come and listen. In Christian Science the church service is where man comes to start his thought into spiritual activity, which should continue throughout the week, showing the service to be the beginning of wisdom. The service can be analyzed as consisting of seven definite obligations, corresponding to the seven days of creation, culminating in the day of rest when “God saw everything that he made, and behold it was very good.”

1. THE MUSIC. The first obligation in our Sunday service comes through the hymns and music, and is a call for that joyousness which is needed to open the minds of the congregation to spiritual desire. It is a command to make a “joyful noise unto the Lord.” It corresponds to the first day of creation when God said, “Let there be light; and there was light.” If a man were in the darkness of fear and someone brought light which showed that he was really in his father’s house where he had nothing to fear, would that not bring joy?

The Eiffel Tower at dawn

The night sky over Pilgrim Lake

Announcements

When Plainfield Church first became independent, we were asked, “How will you survive? What will you read?” As you can see below, through the grace of God, we have survived very well, thank you — and flourished!

We began by writing our own Bible Lessons, and then Independent Christian Scientists from all over the world began sending us writings by early Christian Science workers that were not available anywhere else. And we grew from there — and continue to grow.

Lectures on Christian Science,
by Peter V. Ross

And, our church book store is growing! We have just published a book of Lectures on Christian Science given by Peter V. Ross. This version is accurate and true to the original, just as Mr. Ross first published it. These lectures are wonderfully inspiring, and cover a variety of subjects. His wonderful “plain talking” reaches people at every level, encouraging and healing. This book is available in paperback version from Plainfield Church for $18.00, postage included.

Our Website

Our church website, plainfieldcs.com, has a wealth of inspiring and healing items to read and listen to, including recordings of past services, Bible Studies, and Roundtable discussions.

You will also find a treasure trove of articles and other literature by early workers in Christian Science, including Bicknell Young, Martha Wilcox, Herbert W. Eustace, and many others. There are also audio recordings of many of these articles and books. Audio recordings of the current week’s Bible Lesson, and a Forum to post comments relating to the Lesson are available, and also a Bulletin Board where you can post comments of a more general nature.

YouTube Channel

Our YouTube channel has over 3,000 videos of church services, classes, readings of books and articles, hymns, and music from our services, which are visited regularly by people from all over the world.

Check out all that we have to offer by going to:

YouTube.com/PlainfieldCS

Our Church Publications

Our church publications are available free on our church website, but sometimes it’s nice to have a copy in your hand to refer back to at your leisure, or during the night when there might be a need for comfort. Descriptions and subscription prices are included below.

Newsletter

In alternate months, our church publishes our church Newsletter, “Plainfield Independent.” This publication contains news about church activities, miscellaneous writings, and other fun things that will make you smile, laugh — and think.

Books by Early Workers in Christian Science

Plainfield Church is the source for many books and writings by early workers in the Christian Science movement, many of whom worked in Mrs. Eddy’s home and were taught by Mrs. Eddy herself. These priceless writings are available for purchase at very reasonable prices, and are listed, along with ordering information, on our church website, plainfieldcs.com. Many articles on our church website are excerpts taken from these books, so to have the complete works is a real privilege!

You can find a list of books we have available for purchase by clicking “Store” on the top menu of our website.

Church Membership

“When one sees that Christian Science is the only way, he is ready for church membership, and there is no other requirement.” — Mary Baker Eddy

This is the only requirement for membership in Plainfield Church. We welcome everyone who wishes to become a member and work for God to send in an application, which you can find under the “Members” tab on our website. Or send an email to our clerk at: clerk@plainfieldcs.com.

Websites in Other Languages

Our missionary work is expanding. We have recently launched websites in the languages of Hungarian, Ukrainian, Russian, Marathi, Nepali, Pashto, Persian, Sindhi, and Tamil, which join with our existing Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu — that makes seventeen languages other than English!

Much gratitude to all of our translators for their individual demonstrations which are working to bless every corner of the world!

We recently received the following email from someone new in Pakistan:

Accept my greetings and salute for the lovely way to produce your unchallenged true teachings about God, as our Mind, we as His ideal creation and making it clear what the Christian Science Church is giving to the spiritual-thirsty like me. The great work you and your Church is dealing regarding foreign languages is amazing and fruitful. I am having great blessings since I have started learning the Word of God through your website and YouTube channels. Especially Pashto, Sindhi, Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil and Marathi languages are doing great things spiritually in my life when I read and listen to the YouTube lessons.

I greatly appreciate it and ask my Lord for the unstoppable blessings for the whole church worldwide. May you always please my heart and soul by producing these lessons and other great material in all the languages of the world especially for my Pakistani and Indian people. Amen.

I thank you and the whole church again for all of this.

Our goal was, and still is, to get the Word of God out to people all over the world who need this pure, unadulterated Science, as we did, and still do. So you will see that much of what we provide on our website, plainfieldcs.com, is free. Please feel free to browse through all that we have there. You don’t even have to tell us who you are — we warmly welcome everyone!

But there are expenses involved in maintaining a website, and in maintaining our church home and our church services. So if you are helped by what you find here, and you wish to show your gratitude, please use the “donate” button on the website. It would be greatly appreciated!

Tenets of Christian Science

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,
by Mary Baker Eddy, pages 496-497

The following is a brief exposition of the important points, or religious tenets, of Christian Science:—

1.     As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.

2.     We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God’s image and likeness.

3.     We acknowledge God’s forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.

4.     We acknowledge Jesus’ atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man’s unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.

5.     We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.

6.     And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.

A note about the lighthouse sketch by Luanne:

Boston Light — little Brewster Island (outer Boston Harbor), Massachusetts

Boston Light was the first light station in North America and is the country’s oldest continuously used lighthouse site. The original structure, built in 1716, was destroyed during the Revolutionary War. Rebuilt in 1783, it has been called “the ideal American lighthouse.” Designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, it is the only manned lighthouse in the United States.

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