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.”

The 121st Psalm

King James Bible (1611)

¹ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

² My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

³ He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

⁴ Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

⁶ The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

⁸ The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Christian Science Sentinel, July 30, 1910

Someone has said the Psalms have been, and still are to mankind “rivers of refreshment and wells of consolation.” Their value is untold.

Probably the 91st Psalm is that which appeals to us most strongly, because it seems to bespeak a very wonderful “ark of safety,” where we can dwell with perfect confidence in the care and keeping of divine Love. But there is unfathomable richness embedded in other psalms, including those known as the “songs of degrees,” from the 121st to the 134th. The Revised Version calls them the “songs of ascents,” or literally they may be styled, “songs of pilgrimages”; and how beautifully suited they are to those who are journeying to the heavenly Zion as they are studied from the spiritual standpoint.

Take the 121st: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills.” The poetic beauty and the musical rhythm are only surpassed by the profound trust in God, the universal Father, as the protector and keeper of His children, which runs like a crimson thread through every word. This is one of the psalms that has cheered and comforted Christians in all climes and all circumstances. It was the inspiration of the Covenanters of the seventeenth century, as they worshiped on the hillsides of Scotland when dangers beset them all around. They would remember the God who never slumbers or sleeps and who is ever near at hand.

Mary Baker Eddy has told us that “if the disciple is advancing spiritually, ... he constantly turns away from material sense, and looks toward the imperishable things of Spirit.” (S&H, p. 21) Spiritual teaching such as this is clearly enshrined in that pilgrim song. The psalmist, at first using an illustration from the hills around Jerusalem, was struck by the thought that there are times when human assistance is of no avail, and was then inspired by a vision of the omnipresent, omnipotent Creator of the universe. Those who know what such a vision means — and it comes to every earnest truth-seeker — can well imagine that it brought courage, cheer, and consolation.

Then he goes on, “My help cometh from the Lord.” God will not suffer the foot to slip, nor will He forget to watch over His children. He will be a protection and a shade from all harm, and He will preserve from all evil — even “preserve thy soul.” What has God's child then to fear, when God is our “keeper”? Shall we ever falter in that journey from sense to Soul, respecting which we have so many guide-posts in the Bible and our text-book?

Error may suggest that help will not come when most needed. Let us remember what the Master did when so tempted. Promptly and vigorously he cast out the satanic suggestion, and it was forever destroyed by the Father's power.

As we hold fast to the promises of God's Word, and know that Love will “neither slumber nor sleep,” but keep us everywhere — in our going out to our daily avocations, when we return to our homes, now, and at all times, and “evermore,” — then all fear will be cast out, and our song will be one of gratitude and joy continually.

Christian Science Sentinel, October 5, 1918

“Christian Scientists, be a law to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake.” (S&H, p. 442)

That sentence, that concludes the chapter entitled “Christian Science Practice,” was considered vitally important by its author, Mary Baker Eddy. She called attention to it at the time of its publication by notice in the Sentinel, February 29, 1908, which is reprinted in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 236. A second notice, published in the Sentinel for June 12, 1909, requested that daily attention be given to this sentence.

The ancients evidently had strong belief in sleepless evil affecting sleeping mortals. The mara, or mare, was a supposed evil spirit oppressing the sleeper; hence, when one wakes from a woeful dream, he speaks of it as due to the nightmare.

Throughout the psalms there are indications of many a struggle with evil arguments at night. “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep,” is the assurance of the psalm, which further says: “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Everyone must also be on guard by day and by night against the intentional mesmerism of those who have made a study of what they call human psychology. From their careful investigations of human weakness, sin, folly, and pride, they have worked out what they believe to be potent methods for swaying people as individuals or in masses by inducing them to believe and accept and fear the mortal mind lie instead of trusting scientific truth. Mrs. Eddy says quite plainly, “In reality there is no mortal mind, and consequently no transference of mortal thought and will-power.” (S&H, p. 103) In its present phases psychology claims the exact opposite, denies the presence and action of Principle, and claims that human will shall rule the earth.

In order that we, too, may overcome the subtlety of the enemy and have power over the lying claims of sensual mesmerism and human psychology, there is need for us to follow the example of the Master and the guidance of that revelator who in following his example discovered Christian Science and made the way plain for us. Obedience to this guidance will enable all men to realize that ancient promise recorded in Leviticus: “And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid.”

Dwelling on divine faithfulness every night, we can enjoy “the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Christian Science Sentinel, December 25, 1915

I had reached the crest of the hill, and reined up my horse to rest while I looked out over the country with its expanse of valleys and hills. The beauty, the power, the wonder of the panorama led me to bow my head in thankfulness for its inspiration. Then I thought I heard these words of the psalmist: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.”

Was I dreaming, or did I really hear a woman's voice? I turned in my saddle, but saw no one. Unconsciously I gave my horse the rein and moved on, peering meantime into the bushes for a sight of the speaker. Seeing no one, I could but believe myself the subject of a queer, haunting experience. Near town, however, I met a miner friend.

“Anybody living up near the top of Big Creek hill?” I asked.

He smiled, and stepping closer to the horse, answered, “I ain't superstitious and I ain't religious, but there's something funny about that. A woman and her husband moved into the little cabin beyond where the trail forks. I've stopped in when I passed over to my claim, and we got to talking. It seems she was superintendent of nurses in a big hospital, and now she's brought him up here away from doctors and nurses and medicines and all those things, because he's supposed to have lung trouble. Ain't that the strangest thing you ever heard?"

I smiled to myself. The recollection of the psalm began to clear the seeming mystery.

“And the strangest of all,” he continued, “is that he gets better and stronger. I don't know how or why. When they first came up here he couldn't move, and she'd sit and read to him out of a little book. It wasn't a Bible, but sounded like it in spots. Now he works about the house, and he walked over to my place the other day.”

“Do you think he is getting better?” I asked.

“Do I think it?” he repeated rather firmly; “I don't think it, I know it.”

I wished that I might tell him of the “little book,” but instead I simply asked him to visit them as often as he could, for I knew he had come upon those who had learned to look up to the spiritual heights whence cometh our help. On reaching the hotel, I turned to the familiar pages of Science and Health and read again with gratitude, the chapter on Footsteps of Truth.

Christian Science Sentinel, July 28, 1917

That divine Love is the real source of supply, is proved many times every day by honest and willing seekers after Truth. When we look at money, we are apt to think it has power and is our supply, when in reality it has no power and is not our supply. If we fail to realize this, then we make the belief in money our master; but when we know that God and nothing human or material is the source from which all our needs are met, we see this false master disappear. The psalmist says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

In my own efforts to grasp the truth of being, I found it was no easy task to prove God's allness. Many dark hours were spent in reaching out for His loving help, but I always remembered Jesus’s words about the man who had put his hand to the plow, and pressed on. At one time I was away from home and without my trunk for nearly three weeks, during which time I began to realize the nothingness of material possessions. At different times I was without money for days. My true supply came as good friends sent to us lectures and helpful letters.

One day I was nearly eleven miles away from home and had only one cent; but I began to rejoice in God, and turning my face toward Jerusalem, as did Daniel, I started home. After walking the entire distance, I realized that I was nearer my Father's house than I ever had been before. In my efforts to find the kingdom within, I also saw what the trouble had been with me, — that it was laziness, love of ease, and lack of love for my neighbor. When I became mentally active and began to express love to those about me, I began to reap a harvest of love. I learned that God's supply comes to us in activity, right thinking, joy, peace, dominion, righteousness, love. When we really desire truth above all else, we shall give up everything for it, and it will surely come to us. The suffering we may have to meet in our journey only purifies us and makes us fit for the kingdom where nothing can enter “that defileth ... or maketh a lie.” The understanding and demonstration of Love is ever God's loaf, and we can truly pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Christian Science Sentinel, April 18, 1903

“Are you going to believe that lie?” These words were addressed to a discouraged person whose business seemed on the verge of collapse. After everything had been done from the standpoint of Truth, and things failed to look brighter, the business man was stating the condition of affairs to a Christian Science friend. When the question “Are you going to believe that lie?” was asked, error was ready with its reply, “Well, I can't meet my bills.”

Just think of one of God's ideas being unable to pay honest debts! Amid the gloom, that question "Are you going to believe that lie?" would come again, and the answer changed before business changed. “No; I won't believe that lie; my Father is rich, my Father is all compassion, His promises are sure, — no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly,” and the gloom was dispelled. It always will be if we listen to the voice of Truth.

The Bible records Joshua's command, “Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city,” then the walls fell flat.

Whenever there is inharmony, — discouragement, sickness, lack in finance, lack in love, lack in church attendance, — it is ours to know and declare the truth, the allness and the abundance of God our Father, remembering He that keepeth thee will not slumber; then, having done all we can, stand.

Christian Science Sentinel, August 24, 1918

According to the psalmist, dwelling “in thy holy hill” is a spiritual state reserved for him “that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” Scripture is constantly referring to hills and mountains, thus pointing to an important spiritual significance.

Moses went up into the mount to receive the Ten Commandments, Jesus preached his immemorial Sermon on the Mount and was transfigured on a mount, and Paul addressed the Athenians about their unknown god and his own known God from Mars Hill. It is natural for the spiritually minded to exclaim with the psalmist, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” The Christian Scientist who has stood on Bow Hill and at Pleasant View is made glad to think that Mary Baker Eddy spent so much of her earthly life in high places graced by noble prospects and far visions.

When spiritually interpreted, hills have a tendency to turn thought upward, to produce mental elevation by symbolizing strength, exaltation, and endurance. In that wonderful analysis of creation which Mrs. Eddy has given us in the chapter entitled “Genesis” in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she states (p. 511), “Spiritually interpreted, rocks and mountains stand for solid and grand ideas.” Such mountains are indeed hills of God, the high places of true worship, arising above earth’s mists into the pure air of God’s kingdom. To be “poor in spirit,” to be meek, to “hunger and thirst after righteousness,” to be merciful and “pure in heart,” and to be a peacemaker, are all qualities which prepare one to rise into the hills of God and learn of His “solid and grand ideas.”

Christian Science teaches the spiritual reality of God's everlasting hills. That God is good is one of these unshakable ideas founded upon the rock of ages. This idea, when it falls upon the erroneous belief that God can display transitory human qualities, grinds that belief into the powder of nothingness. That God's man is made in God's image and likeness and hence is wholly good, is another solid and grand idea upon which one can lean in the hour of trial. The soldier at the front may pillow his head upon it and, like Jacob of old, have the vision of a ladder with the angels ascending and descending upon it. This imperishable idea can be a life-saver to those at sea attacked by hidden undersea foes. It comforts anxious parents, feeds the fatherless and widows, supplies shelter for the homeless, clothes the forlorn, rejoices receptive minds, stills the questionings of would-be philosophers, and makes the worldly-wise like unto little children.

That character is safe which is built upon the rock upon which Jesus said he would build his church, upon the spiritual understanding of man's real nature, — “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” To be spiritually in the heights permits the dust to return unto dust, vanquishes that which is “of the earth, earthy,” and makes the clouds servants of the most high God. The vapors lie below, separating from the world those who are obeying the call to come out and be separate; or else the clouds wrap them about in a protecting mantle so that they may receive the spiritual import of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, and rejoice in the beauty of mount Zion. To be thus lifted up is to draw all men unto the Christ, Truth, to encourage humanity to brave the dangers, discouragements, and fatigues of the climb, to cheer the fainthearted, to satisfy the thirsty ones, and to lengthen the vision so that it can never again be shortened.

In an exquisite allegory Mrs. Eddy has used the incidents of a mountain climb to illustrate spiritual progress. These are the opening words of this allegory (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 323): “Picture to yourself ‘a city set upon a hill,’ a celestial city above all clouds, in serene azure and unfathomable glory: having no temple therein, for God is the temple thereof; nor need of the sun, neither of the moon, for God doth lighten it. Then from this sacred summit behold a Stranger wending his way downward, to where a few laborers in a valley at the foot of the mountain are working and watching for his coming.”

The “Stranger,” recognized as the Christ, Truth, leads the obedient and ready into the heights by an ascent which to human sense may seem at times to be rugged, but which leads, through heavenly aspirations and scientific demonstrations, to the spiritual New Jerusalem, "set upon a hill," established forever in fadeless beauty and harmony.

Christian Science Sentinel, April 21, 1928

The Psalmist sang: “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul;” “The Lord preserveth all them that love him.” How gracious the promises! But that they shall be fulfilled in our experience lies with us. How faithful shall we be? The way is defined to us by Christian Science; it is for us to follow it. Many have started joyfully as they saw the great possibilities of divine Science, with its revelation of Love's allness — but the sacrifice of materiality has sometimes seemed too much for them. Courage, steadfastness, loyalty to Truth, are necessary if one would enjoy the fruitage of Christian Science.

Between the point at which the apprehension of God's nature begins to appear, and the realization of the absolute allness of divine Love, lies the period of conquest over the evil beliefs which beset mortal existence. And as the realization is secured, the proof of healing is gained. Our revered Leader puts it splendidly when she writes (Science and Health, p. 569), “He that touches the hem of Christ's robe and masters his mortal beliefs, animality and hate, rejoices in the proof of healing, — in a sweet and certain sense that God is Love.”

How often have men contemplated the healings reported in the New Testament, and wondered how the Master and the disciples brought them about! The healings they have not doubted; but how were they performed? It remained for Christian Science to solve the century-long problem of spiritual healing.

In 1866 Mary Baker Eddy experienced an instantaneous healing of a bodily condition which her physician had pronounced incurable. This healing gave her the clue, so to speak, to the Science which she felt certain lay behind her experience; and for several years she followed it up, devoting her time to the study of the Bible in order to discover the Principle and rules of spiritual healing. This Principle and its rules she did discover; and the Science she named Christian Science.

What, then, is the method of Mind-healing carried out by Christian Science? Mrs. Eddy answers the question on page 460 of Science and Health in the words: “Our system of Mind-healing rests on the apprehension of the nature and essence of all being, — on the divine Mind and Love's essential qualities.” In that simple sentence the whole ground of spiritual healing is surveyed. And what does it show? That spiritual healing depends upon the understanding of God as divine Mind, or Love, and of the qualities which constitute His nature.

Nothing is more valuable to know about God than that He is Love. Indeed, to understand, to know, to realize, that God is Love is to possess the power which is able to solve all of earth's problems. The truth that God is Love is one of the most wonderful truths ever revealed to mankind.

Where men fail is in not realizing clearly enough and fully enough Love's allness. God being infinite, Love is infinite. There is therefore no real presence, no real power, other than the presence and power of Love. This is absolutely true. How to realize it to the exclusion of every belief to the contrary is the necessity.

Is there a way of gaining a clear realization of divine Love and its essential healing qualities? Yes, through prayer — the way of Christ Jesus. This method is beautifully referred to on page 15 of Science and Health, where Mrs. Eddy writes: “To enter into the heart of prayer, the door of the erring senses must be closed. Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error.” How well the Christian Scientist knows the way; but how feeble sometimes are his efforts to pursue it! Yet there it is, clearly defined; and if he would succeed in healing disease and sin, he must pray aright by silencing material sense and entering into conscious communion with the healing Principle, Love.

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A Psalm of Life

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

What The Heart Of The Young Man Said To The Psalmist.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, — act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

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From Mrs. Eddy

Christian Science Journal, October, 1883

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” — Acts 16 : 31.

The scriptures require more than a simple admission and acceptance of the truths they present; they require a living faith in them that so incorporates their lessons into our lives, they become the motive power of every act.

In order to comprehend the meaning of the text, let us see what it is to believe. It means more than an opinion entertained concerning Jesus as a man, as the Son of God, or as God; such an action of mind would be of no more help to save from sin than a belief in any historical event or person. It means to so understand the beauty of character and divinity that he presented, and his power to heal, that it will lead us to pattern both — in other words, to “Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 2:5.)

Mortal man believes there is another power or intelligence that rules over a kingdom of its own that is both good and evil, divided against itself, and therefore cannot stand. Let man deny this theory that is in opposition to God, and recognize God as Omnipotent, placing his trust in, and working from, no other Principle, and he can neither be sick nor a sinner. When wholly governed by the one perfect Mind, which has no sinful thoughts, man will have no desire to sin.

To arrive at this point of unity of Spirit, God, we must commence by turning away from material deities, denying material sensations in their varied forms of pleasure and pain, with the understanding that matter has no sense, and silence its claim in the words of Jesus: — “When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8 : 44.)

When tempted to sin we should know that evil proceedeth not from God, but is a belief of personal sense; and if we deny the claims of such a belief and recognize man as the idea of God and governed by Spirit not matter, the temptation will disappear.

On this Principle, sickness is treated. We know that man's body as matter has no power to change or to govern itself; and a belief of disease is as much the product of his thought as sin is.

Man should suffer for nothing but sin. All suffering is the fruit of the tree of knowledge arising from some belief, fear, theory, or bad deed based on person and material law as opposed to science, divine Principle, and its spiritual laws. It flows from the supposition of another intelligence than God. This so-called mind — self-existent, evil, opposed to good — would punish man for doing good by saying he has over-worked, been exposed to inclement weather, or violated some of the laws of evil in doing good and so he must suffer for it.

God does not reward benevolence and love with penalties, therefore we have the right to deny the supposed power of evil, although dignified with the name of law, and to understand our ability to annul its false claims and be amendable only to moral and spiritual law, God’s government. By so doing, we shall come “into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21)

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History Corner

The military and military life have been part of my life, and I honor all of those who went to serve our country in its wars and international entanglements. I don’t celebrate death, but honor their lives, their willingness to receive the call to help and to leave the comfort of their homes and their families, to serve a greater purpose. I honor their courage, strength, and the prayers to God that so often come with this type of service.

I was very happy to find an old Sentinel article, describing a Memorial Day service, which Mrs. Eddy organized in 1907, to honor those who had served in our wars. It was interesting to note that the Lesson Sermon for that week was on “Christian Warfare,” which was very fitting, being that our nation was celebrating this very important day.

Christian Science Sentinel, June 1, 1907

By special invitation of the Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy, the Memorial service of the E. E. Sturtevant Post, No. 2, G.A.R., together with the allied organizations, Woman's Relief Corps, Daughters of Veterans, Sons of Veterans, and the Spanish War Veterans, was held yesterday (Sunday) afternoon at 4.30, in First Church of Christ, Scientist. It is said to be the first time in the history of the Church in this country that such an event has occurred.

The Post, the Sons of Veterans, and the Spanish War Veterans assembled at Grand Army Hall and marched in a body to the church. National tunes were played on the beautiful chimes of the church for half an hour preceding the service. As the Post was marching from headquarters, “Onward, Christian Soldiers” was played, and was continued on the organ as they went to their seats. The subject of the Lesson-Sermon was in harmony with the occasion, being, “Christian Warfare.”

The First Reader, Prof. Hermann S. Hering, gave the following able address: —

“The purpose of Memorial Day — a yearly reminder of this great moral struggle and of the faithful ones who sacrificed themselves on its behalf — a noble one, for it tends to emphasize the issue that was involved, educates the world to perceive its import, and gives opportunity for an expression of our deepest feelings, brotherly love, gratitude, and respect.

“Mrs. Eddy, well known to us all as a most patriotic citizen, not only of this Commonwealth and city, but of our Nation, in many ways and for many years has shown her interest in this day and her sympathy with its purpose.

“It is most fitting, also, that a Memorial service is held at which the veterans and their friends may congregate for divine worship and lift up their thoughts to the infinite Father, the giver of all good, thanking Him for all His benefits and praying for more of that divine Life which makes them and all of us better soldiers of Christ. Gratitude to God for even a little good perceived is an acknowledgment, though feeble, of Him as the source of all being, and opens the heart to a great influx of that good.

“The great struggle of which you beloved veterans are victorious survivors, and of which we all are the beneficiaries, was a struggle for principle and not for personality. The issue was the question of human freedom or human slavery. This country has been the arena of many struggles for liberty, both political and religious, and seemed early destined to become the land of the free. It offered a home to the politically oppressed, and also to the Puritans, Quakers, and Pilgrims from other lands, who desired to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. On its sacred soil were fought the two great issues, — the Revolution, which resulted in national independence, and the Civil War, which preserved our integrity as a Nation and committed us to the cause of universal freedom. The tendency of the Government of our land has steadily been towards greater freedom, and under God's guidance and protection it will so progress.

“Allow me now to turn your attention to the Lesson-Sermon, which tells us of still another conflict, the Christian warfare, in which we all have enlisted under the captain of our salvation, our great peacemaker, Christ Jesus. Mrs. Eddy has translated his orders to us in unmistakable language, showing us how to fight the good fight of faith, how to overcome our adversary, the evil one, how to gain the victory, how to establish peace.”

At the conclusion of the impressive service, while the large congregation remained standing, the Post and affiliated organizations marched out, after visiting Mrs. Eddy's room in the church.

When is a better time than now

To meet the foe, to face the fight?

To stand the test that needs our best,

And trust in God to aid the right?

Where is a better placed than here

To stand upon the truth we know?

To claim the true, the false eschew,

And in the grace of God to go?

How is a better way than this

To serve the God that we adore,

Than to obey His voice today

And prove dominion evermore?

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Interesting Squibs

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts . . . take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.

Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them.

When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.

I have seldom seen anyone who deserted truth in trifles, that could be trusted in matters of importance.

The giver of either good or evil always gets more than he gives.

The seeds of our own punishment are sown at the time we commit sin.

If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're misinformed.

If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.

I was educated once — it took me years to get over it.

He is not rich that possesses much, but he that is content with what he has.

We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.

One night alone in prayer might make us a new man, changed from poverty of soul to spiritual wealth, from trembling to triumphing.

He who cannot pray when the sun is shining will not know how to pray when the clouds come.

Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.

We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.

Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.

Example isn’t another way to teach — it is the only way to teach.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.

The time to pray is not when we are in a tight spot, but just as soon as we get out of it.

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From the Early Workers

Christian Science Sentinel, May 12, 1917

Outlining materially robs life of elasticity and hedges it about with limitations. It places every individual and every undertaking in a frame of matter from which escape is difficult; moreover, this habit is scientifically and Christianly unsound, because God, Spirit, really does all the outlining and does it for the best.

In the Glossary of Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy, under the heading “Mind” we read, “Deity, which outlines but is not outlined” (p. 591). Yet how persistently mortals attempt to belittle man, thus restricting their friends, their own capabilities, their business enterprises, their sources of income, their spiritual progress, and their careers, by seeking to establish hard and fast material conditions which stifle spiritual spontaneity.

From birth the child is subjected to a process of being outlined — the color of the eyes and hair, the temperament and special aptitudes, are linked to ancestral conditions; the prospects of success in a profession or a trade are made the subject of prophecy for the future, and so the child encased in this mental frame begins the role of living a human life.

If this prophecy were strictly scientific, it would place the child in the arms of a heavenly Father-Mother God, and a glorious unfoldment would then be possible, endowing the child with gifts of grace and beauty, talent and power, and out of this would grow a fearless human, not designed for suffering, but for the sunshine of spiritual joy, developing evermore into the likeness of perfection. We read on page 63 of Science and Health: “In Science man is the offspring of Spirit. The beautiful, good, and pure constitute his ancestry.” In Science man's future is just as definitely assured as is his divine origin.

Christian Science does not teach that human beings should not make their moves, but that these moves should be in accordance with God's outlining and not with the world's. Shall, then, the right activities of men be made to fit into imaginary outlines, or shall they be permitted to burst the bounds of mortal thinking under the impulsion of divine inspiration? The desire to prearrange and predetermine materially springs from lack of trust in God.

A saving movement like that of Christian Science advances upon the wings of revelation and inspiration. The culminating moment in the raising of Lazarus was when Jesus commanded, “Loose him, and let him go.” This was the power of God using Jesus to outline the truth for Lazarus.

Today Christian Science is repeating this saying in behalf of every child, man, and woman; every nation is hearing this cry of resurrection, of freedom, and of obedience to God. A tremendous undercurrent of spirituality inspired by a woman's discovery is bursting through the crust of human selfishness and conceit, liberating the pent up hopes of the millions, breaking barriers, and wiping away the outlines drawn by the carnal mind, in order that those may prevail which have been determined by Deity, with whom all things are possible.

Christian Science Journal, January 1907

Mary Baker Eddy has written, “Love is the liberator.” (S&H page 225.) Liberty is a reliable index of moral progress. The immoral think of liberty as the right to do wrong, not understanding that all wrongdoing leads to slavery and anarchy and is its own punishment. But obedience to perfect law, that the wise and virtuous strive for, brings the only true freedom and real liberty.

In the history of the human race, all truly good and great men are emancipators. All forces for human betterment are emancipating forces. And religion, to the degree that it is true and uncorrupted, stands for the ideal liberty. Christianity is a religion of freedom. The mission of Jesus was that of an emancipator. In announcing his mission, he said, “The Spirit of the Lord [and ‘where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty’] is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Jesus admonished his followers against the tyranny of all forms of selfish personal domination and human will control. He taught them to recognize the Christ as their Master and themselves as brethren, and even servants of each other. He taught them that the only exaltation that was possible among his disciples must come through humility, and that the only standard of greatness among them must be that of service.

While Jesus taught and demonstrated perfect freedom from evil through perfect union with God, nevertheless, his whole life and teachings were, and are, the strongest possible rebuke and denial of anarchy. He never taught that we are free to choose evil, to return evil for evil, or even to attempt to overthrow human tyranny through human rebellion. He taught that “whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Every one who errs in any way becomes the slave of his error, and can only be set free through “the Son,” through Christ, divine Truth. Only the Christ way, the right way, the way of Love, leads to freedom. The giver of either good or evil always gets more than he gives.

While evil is temporal, fleeting, and capable of being destroyed, the good is real, permanent, and indestructible. Humanity never has found, and never can find, any real satisfaction in sin, ignorance, and bondage.

The faith that works by love, sets free from the tyrannical sense of law as something imposed from without, and reveals the law of God as the law of our own being, as the divine Principle and perfect necessity of all being. The law is seen to be written in our minds and hearts, and in the very nature and constitution of the universe. It is also seen to be God with us, Life with us, Love with us; and not only with us, but with the whole creation as well. Perfect conformity to this law is seen to be perfect liberty, “the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Christian Science Journal, August 1894

A child once stood at the door of a beautiful palace. To her wondering gaze it looked like magic within — all lights, and color and flowers. A desire seized her to go in, and catch the odor of all that world of bloom. A voice from within urged her to enter, “Look at the lilies,” it said, “the lotus, the orange-flowers. The perfume will lift you into ecstasy. Come.” Just as she was about to enter, another voice, gentle and firm, from without whispered, “Do not yield to that desire. In the heart of every flower is an adder, and you will be wounded. There is no real joy there.”

The child paused, but a strain of music caught her ear, and she darted in. All around her the beauty and light seemed perfect, and the flowers waved her a welcome. She turned to a bed of glowing blossoms, and stooped to inhale the delicious fragrance, when quickly, from beneath the leaves, flashed the glitter of a serpent, and the child recoiled in terror and pain. “You chose the wrong flower” said the voice, “go on to others. There are no more serpents.”

“All will harm you,” came the soft voice from the doorway, “Oh! do not go farther.” But on and on she wandered; ever a moment of hope that the next flower would hide no adder-thrust, ever a pang of sorrow, pain and disappointment. Ever the voice within, with fair promises, urged her to go on, — ever the voice at the door, though growing fainter, besought her to return.

The lights grew dim, the color faded, the flowers drooped, and in the gathering dusk, an aged form wrinkled, sad, and worn passed out of the door, to the sound of a mocking laugh from the voice within.

As she painfully crept down the marble steps, lo! a Woman stood before her, and her face shone like the face of an Immortal. The weary outcast stretched out her hands and touched her shining garments; she heard again that voice of ineffable sweetness, and her youth returned, and the pain was gone, and the fear-filled clouds of night rolled away.

“Who art Thou, oh glorious Revelation!” she cried. In accents of glowing tenderness came the answer, “My name is Science. I wait for thee in Love. Yonder is the palace of Human Belief. When thou didst desire to enter it, I warned thee, but when thou couldst not believe me, thou didst go on to find for thyself that all therein is false. If thou couldst have listened to my word this pain would have been spared thee. The flowers are self-will, self-love, personality, passion, flattery, ambition, admiration, pride, vanity, pleasures of sense. If thou stoop to inhale the atmosphere of any of these, thou must feel the sharp sting of betrayal, pain, wounds and disappointment. Oh! henceforth place thy hand in mine, thou child of God, and I will show thee the secret place of the Most High. ‘Set not thy mind on things on the earth.’ Spirit fills thy desires, and before thee is spread all the fairness of thy Creator's universe, if thou wilt but lift thy gaze above matter into the eternal sunshine of Mind's celestial day. Waste not one thought on the illusions of time, sense and mortality. Not one of their pleasures is real, but I, Divine Science, if thou follow me, will show thee that man is the image of his God, and that ‘all things are put under his feet.’ Under the rays of Infinite Truth, thou shalt see thy sorrow, thy self, thy sin, thy pain melt away, and thou shalt know that thy disappointed desire was only an illusive dream, for Love has supplied all thy need."

“Truth crushed to earth will rise again, The eternal years of God are hers; But error wounded writhes in pain, And dies amid her worshippers.”

Christian Science Journal January 1918

From those primeval dawns of which it is written, “The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy,” to that "Lord's day" on the isle of Patmos when St. John was bidden to say to the angel of the church in Thyatira, respecting the one that overcometh, “I will give him the morning star,” this distinguished herald of approaching day has ever symbolized some new revelation of Truth to a waking world.

In the spiritual universe, however, there is but one “morning star,” the reflection of the Christ-idea, and the glory of this star, with all other bright and shining ones, is radiated out into the immensity of God's creation, unfolding Life and Love to the waking thought. It is this of which it is written: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” It rested over Bethlehem. John calls it the “Word,” and says: “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

The revelator saw its light shining through all the cycles measured off in time and space, till heaven and earth had passed away. His messages to the seven churches typified the ascendancy of this light of Truth even in pagan thought, as well as its growth in the individual consciousness, and showed also the gifts of God that follow the overcoming of error.

The church of Thyatira, to which was promised the “morning star,” was the fourth of these seven churches. It marked a spiritual as well as a cosmological dividing line, and represented that terrific struggle in human consciousness which comes after the light of Truth has laid bare the utter falsity of material sense and all its phantoms of night and darkness. John in his vision saw that at this period in world development the day of grace and the time for repentance would merge into a mighty purification and separation, ushered in by the reappearance of the “morning star,” the Christ-idea, sent to prepare the world for that promised day when the Sun of righteousness would “arise with healing in his wings.” It was to be the grand testing time of the entire human race, the moral battle ground of all the ages. It is our world of today.

Already the “morning star” has appeared above the rugged horizon of our time, and our earth is entering upon a new era of light and progress. To quote Browning, “The day's at the morn,” — the morn of a tempestuous but wonderful day. We who in some measure have discerned the spiritual import of the coming of Christ, Truth, to this age, may like the church in Thyatira take heed to the voice of the Son of God, “who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.” Then may we hear: “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith ... Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants.”

Now Jezebel was a prophetess of Baal, the great male divinity of the ancient idolatrous nations round Palestine. Ahab, king of Israel, married her, and through her subtle influence over him, Israel again fell into idolatry. Elijah, the prophet of Jehovah, denounced her and foretold her own and Ahab's self-destruction. John saw in her the personification of wickedness at its climactic period, — the consummation of every evil device, combining idolatry, hypnotism, sensuality, dishonesty, greed, mental and physical assassination, blasphemy. There was not one atrocious claim of error which did not find a place in the maelstrom of moral degeneracy that this wife of Ahab, king of Israel, represented.

This complex manifestation of idolatry and wickedness not only propagated itself in Israel in the time of Elijah, but thought to destroy the Christ-idea, the light of the world, by putting to death Jesus of Nazareth, who reflected that light in all its purity. It sought to pervert the teachings of the apostles. It caused the early church in the third century of our era to ally itself with the belief of worldly place and power, and with cunning sophistry has ever since mesmerized it into believing that evil is as real and as powerful as God, good; that matter and Spirit commingle; that death opens the door to eternal life.

These and other falsities were uncovered when the “morning star” began to rise upon our world of today. Its bright light at once disturbed the equilibrium of mortal mind, and set Jezebel's kingdom on fire with resentment, hatred, malice, war, pestilence, bringing about the time of great tribulation of which it is written in Revelation: “And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”

As the morning star in the heavens seems to divide night from day, so the light of Christian Science, the truth of being, as discovered by Mary Baker Eddy, is clarifying individual consciousness as well as world politics. As in Ahab's time Elijah called all the people together unto Mt. Carmel and said unto them: “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him,” so to-day Truth is calling to the people of all the world assembled at this testing time, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”

The Spirit further says to this church in Thyatira, “He that over-cometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” This is to be not a man-made power, nor a treaty-made power; rather is it to be a power made, “not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” To him is also given the “morning star,” the power to manifest the Christ-idea, to walk with and talk to God; to speak with authority to every form of error. Its name in our age is Christian Science, defined by its Discoverer, Mrs. Eddy, on page 1 of “Rudimental Divine Science,” as “the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine Principle and rule of universal harmony.” It shines for all who will lift up their eyes and walk in its light. It brings the day when all shall know the truth. In the dawn of the twentieth century the “sons of God” are again shouting for joy, because human consciousness discerns a new heaven and a new earth, “wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Christian Science Journal, March 1893

To become dissatisfied with one's self is to desire something better, and this desire is inspired of God. Our blessed Master has said, and is still saying: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” He was appealing to this desire found in each and every human heart, this desire for good, for something pure and enduring. Unconscious though it may seem, the time will come when it will find expression, and the promise ever awaits it: “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find.” “I am the way.” What way, asks this awakening desire? It is the way that leads away from self, and onward and upward into the realm of Spirit; the way that every man, woman and child must follow; the way that is unseen to the outward man; the way that leads from sense into Soul, from matter into Mind; the way that leads to eternal salvation, the living or thinking way, the one and only way because it is the right way.

Mortal man for a brief space of time surmises a way of his own, finds pleasure and satisfaction in things pertaining to the world, resorts to worldly policies, is controlled by them, loses sight of the golden rule of justice and honesty, and caters to public opinion, only to surrender at last to the Truth, whose ways are not man’s ways. He reaches eventually, through multiplied trials and experiences, where he can say with the wise man: “All is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Up to this point he has been travelling his own road, and seeing thousands upon thousands going in the same direction, he has mistakenly said: “My way is right.” When everything was moving along smoothly, earth’s possessions increasing and public opinion endorsing, Truth came to this deceived one and said: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world,” but the desire for the good was smothered, hence the reply: “Go thy way for this time and let me go mine.” It was no effort to love the world and its ways, but to depart from it involved adherence to Principle, which Principle demanded self-denial, therefore it was rejected. With this mortal there was something at stake. In his own estimation there was something to be lost in the denial of self and he did not care to be the loser.

After a few short years the scene changes. His way has become extremely unreliable, and through unavailing efforts to secure health and happiness from it, he turns from it and is willing for the first time to be shown a better way, the way of Truth. With him there is a hope for something better, and if it proceeds from a “good and honest heart,” it soon ripens into an earnest desire to “overcome evil with good.” The voice of Truth coming to this condition of thought says: “If a man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.”

In this Scripture is sounded the key-note of Christian Science, self-denial, which necessitates an understanding to distinguish between the real and the unreal. Before seeking the Truth of Christian Science we had often wondered why the way that led to Life should be “strait” and “narrow,” and why there should be but “few” who could find it. The true meaning of self-denial, which is not understood outside of the teachings of Christian Science, has fully explained the mystery, however, and we are enabled for the first time to enter this strait and narrow way, leading us gradually to the understanding of Life which “flesh and blood cannot inherit.” Christian Science is showing us how, through the denial of self, to lose the supposed life of matter that we may find the Life that is real and eternal.

HE who hath made thee whole

Will heal thee day by day;

He who hath spoken to thy soul,

Hath many things to say;

He who hath gently taught

Yet more will make thee know;

He who so wondrously hath wrought,

Yet greater things will show;

He loveth always, faileth never;

So rest on him to-day, forever!

Christian Science Sentinel, June 1885

Christian Science Journal, August 1899

In this Science of Being, man is the divine ideal, inseparable from the Father or divine Mind. Through Christian Science this ideal is elevating and purifying human life and character. Christian Science offers to all a system by which each one may prove for himself or herself the transfiguring power of this ideal, held steadfastly in thought, subduing all things unto itself, dispelling the illusions of sin, sickness, and death, until this ideal becomes the only real. How exquisitely St. Paul described this wonderful, transfiguring, universal process. “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” “Then will come the statelier Eden back to man,” then will the desire of all nations be realized, —

When from the lips of Truth one mighty breath

Shall, like a whirlwind, scatter to the breeze

The whole dark pile of human mockeries:

Then shall the reign of Mind commence on earth,

And starting as from a second birth,

Man, in the sunshine of the world's new spring,

Shall walk transparent like some holy thing.

A consciousness — permeated with this abiding Christ, or divine ideal of ever-present Love — radiates health and holiness as spontaneously as the sun emits light.

The Spiritual Idea of Truth, manifested by Jesus, has been slowly working all these centuries, till in this age, near the close of this century, one human consciousness has been clear, pure, spiritual enough to let in the Light of infinite Love, and the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy gives us Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures that unlocks its hidden treasures and solves the mysteries of Being.

In the plenitude of her maturity, she in selfless love and matchless wisdom, is leading this great movement toward the physical and spiritual freedom of the race.

It is, perhaps, a surprise to many that this Science of Sciences should have come through a woman — a woman meek and mighty. Strong in the strength of spirit, brave with the courage of a God-bestowed evangel. Nor is this strange. Truth is not a tower of Babel, a structure of material hypotheses and theories, reaching Heaven on a material basis. It is a revelation, descending from God, out of Heaven. It is spiritually discerned by the pure in heart. The transparency of a purified affection, a selfless glorified life of love and tenderness were the requisites. Woman first proved the divine fatherhood of God. First at the sepulcher, she saw the immortality of man proven and rise superior to fleshly conditions and material laws, and now woman has given us the Science of Infinite Being, revealing the limitless possibilities of man, as heir through divine birthright of all good, eternal life and perfection.

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A little while ago I was commissioned to make a short film about a group of local people who were working together to improve the cleanliness of the river that runs through our village.

It’s a subject I am passionate about, so I was really pleased to be invited to do this. I spent several happy hours filming along the length of the river, capturing the water in its different stages — from dramatic waterfalls to long smooth stretches — the wildlife and the plant life, beautiful even in their winter bareness.

I started to think about the river being a metaphor for God, for Life. Each tiny drop of water flowing along the length of the river experienced the smooth and peaceful, the choppy and the rough, they got trapped circling in whirlpools, they smacked up against rocks. I guess every drop of water got to have every possible experience, from the easy to the difficult, and yet not once did its true identity as precious water change, no matter how rough the waters. Not once did it leave the safe, firm guidance of its parent, the river.

One day I was filming a long straight stretch of the river. It was a beautiful early spring day and the light was just perfect, with the sun reflected in the water. I zoomed into the distance, just where the river started to curve away, and the sunlight was literally dancing on top of the water. It created the most beautiful sparkles. They were formed, they were, and then they vanished, thousands upon thousands of perfect, exquisite star shaped sparkles. Actually they were so perfect it was almost as though they were in some sort of animation. I couldn’t really believe what I was seeing.

I was continuing my thoughts of the river and these beautiful sparkles that were a part of it, and no matter what was going on in the river, no matter what supposed pollution, no matter what problems, all I could see was pure, exquisite, perfect sparkles as the water met the sunlight. Nothing could take that purity away from them.

A few days later I was doing my watch and I was thinking of young people and all the supposed influences and pressures that they are facing, and I was just knowing that they are the blessed, exquisite, pure children of God. And I thought back to the river and I realized that when I thought of children as divine sparkles, it really helped me see them in their true identity.

So since then I’ve just been thinking of many people as divine sparkles, because each of us is a reflection and a celebration of the perfection of God, of divine Mind, and just as pure and exquisite and untouchable no matter what the suggestions might be.

Mrs. Eddy has stated that for a student to make real progress, they should study for four hours a day. I once asked that great Carpenter-taught practitioner I had in my life as a child, how long one should work or study each morning. She paused and thought for a moment and then said, “until you reach a state of uplifted thought.”

So this should be the objective — all the things we are learning and studying here at Plainfield are to achieve this exalted thought and retain it. This is the state of thought where instantaneous healing takes place. This is where I wish to reside.

I had started working as a freelancer in an international advertising agency. However, l discovered that most all of the clients turned out to be big drug companies.

I desperately needed the money to support my son, as I was a single mother without child support, but I was asking myself (and trying to ask God) if I should quit this job because there were so many medical messages with strong copywriting and images everywhere. I really felt like I was not in my right place.

In this environment, it was tempting not to think of jumping over the fence to the medical side to have a physical problem taken care of quickly, so that I could press on. In a crazy work schedule, and caring for a baby, too, it seemed that there just was not enough time to pray spiritually. I was trying to resist this temptation since I knew from past healings that, as stated in Science & Health on page 407, “Christian Science is the sovereign panacea, giving strength to the weakness of mortal mind.” The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” I would say to myself, “There is one attraction — I am attracted to all things spiritual.”

Before I continue, I should say that I do know that there are many well-intentioned researchers in the medical field who are trying to advance the medical cause. But this is not always the case. Sometimes, pure profit creeps in. For example, my boss came rushing into the office one day, and explained that she had double-booked two appointments. She decided that since I was a strong note-taker, she would send me in to take notes at a meeting with a prominent drug company that was developing and promoting a new drug. And she would take the other appointment. She said that this was the same type of thing that they always do anyway, but she just needed an update, and I should report back to her.

The agenda started by explaining that they had not done any research thus far, but they were just trying to decide what this new drug would do. “Well, the last drug we made was for ear, eyes, throat. So, why don’t we just say that this one heals joints and muscles.” And then they chose the symptoms the drug could heal, as well as the side effects that they would say that the drug could cause.

It was then agreed upon what size, color and shape the pill would take. The pill was to be two-toned, with little round capsules inside, since they felt that it would be impressive and instill faith and trust in the pill. Next came the name to promote the drug. They discussed that the name should seem serious, authoritarian, and instill the very fear it was supposed to cure. A name was decided upon.

Next was discussed how they could get the public to buy into it — such as a Foundation. “Yes, the Foundation we created for the last one was great. Lots of people poured time and money into it.” Free samples were to be given to doctors, advertising, etc. So you see, there — in that board room — the new drug was created. A board room drug. A designer drug. As far as I could tell, there would be no research done. It was a done-deal, just needing manufacturing.

The whole meeting was so amazing to me that when submitting the report to my boss, I commented that although I was quite careful when taking notes, I questioned that they could be accurate. She confirmed that it was accurate, and typical.

It became clear to me why I was there at that job, and in that meeting. To learn this lesson — how fake and mis-guided things can get, how I should not be beguiled. This lesson has often been a very sharp reminder to me.

After I learned a few new skills at that ad agency, I was lifted out of that job, and moved to a better, full-time job.

I just wanted to say sincere thanks to God for so patiently leading me, and that I’m very grateful that He has led me to Plainfield which has been causing quite a learning curve for me, although I have been in Christian Science for awhile.

Through studying at Plainfield Independent, I have come to learn and daily experience the divine Love, and it has enabled me to turn away abuse and hatred that would try to attach itself in my daily work and walk through our busy city streets. But importantly, I have also learned the Christ power in rebuking evil and scattering error.

The Roundtable discussion on Sunday, April 3, entitled “Be a Terror to Error” was absolutely fantastic in instructing us very clearly how we can rebuke error through the Christ power.

I used to think that Love was a passive thing and that rebuke was unrelated to Love; but through learning at this church, I now know that divine Love IS a rebuke to evil of every kind; and that the more pure and sublime is our love for God and our fellow man; the more Christly power we have immediately at hand to rebuke all that is unlike God, to cast out evil just as Christ Jesus taught.

The weapons of carnality are not the weapons of our Lord; and so carnal weapons will never prevail over the pure Christianity that is Christian Science. As was taught in the Roundtable, we must stand and so stand in Divine Love that error flees from the Christ Power that we embody and represent. Mrs. Eddy wrote: “Resist evil — error of every sort — and it will flee from you.”

I am so grateful for all that we are taught here! Thank you to my wonderful Plainfield practitioner, whose wisdom and love and holy power have reached to the other side of the globe. My everlasting thanks to God, to Christ Jesus, to Mary Baker Eddy, and to all the congregation of Plainfield Independent! Thank you!

I am very grateful for all I am learning here about Christian Science, and for the peace it brings to every part of my life.

There was a quote from Herbert Eustace that was discussed during a Roundtable which has really stayed with me. Part of it was: “Jesus saw the presence of God as the only sea, and therefore as a peaceful sea.”

This has meant so much to me. My practitioner has taught me to start all my watches by knowing God's allness, and this thought goes right along with that and is helping me to see God's allness more completely.

How wonderful to be able to trust that God is everywhere, and therefore His qualities are present everywhere and are the only real attributes that can be expressed or experienced.

This helps me to really know that the presence of God is the only life of our loved ones, which means their lives have all they need to be filled with purpose, and full of joy.

The presence of God is the only Church and Church website, and therefore it is harmonious and meets every need. And God's ever-presence is the only presence in every country, every household, business, and school. His peace and abundance and Love are all that mankind can experience or want.

I am so grateful to this Church and my practitioner for making the Truth of Christian Science so real in my life, and for the peace and purpose it has brought me.

I’m grateful for how Christian Science helps us to think rightly. How important it is to learn that the way in which we think has much to do with what we have learned about various things, what goes on, or what we see.

In my backyard different birds gather to pick various grains, and it’s so beautiful to see a mixture of God's creation. Occasionally a hawk comes by, and one time I saw it with a chipmunk. One day I saw this hawk on a branch facing away from me, and this time I prayed this way: “You are God’s loving creation, you do not need another chipmunk, but will find what you are to eat.” That’s all I said, and in a few seconds it flew away. About fifteen to twenty minutes later, the hawk came back and stood right below my window. I could see it start to pick up little things from the grass to eat, and then it flew away.

I was so humbly touched by this because it was as if the hawk was telling me, or showing me, it doesn’t need to eat another, to hurt another. I am so grateful for Christian Science because through it I have a different view of our world, I know now how to think differently about everything, and how much that counts.

The Bible tells us to love our enemies. This is exactly what Elisha did when he was surrounded by the enemy, so-called. Elisha trusted everything to God. He had no doubt that God was in complete control, and that God was his safety. Not only his safety, but the safety of the whole nation of Israel. God, of course, took care of him, and tricked the so-called enemy, bringing them into the presence of the king of Israel. The king of Israel asked Elisha if his army should kill them, but Elisha treated them with love. He fed them and sent them home to tell their king what happened.

Now, we don’t know whether the king of Syria was scared to death because his emissaries were blinded and tricked, or whether he had a change of heart because they were so loved and fed; or perhaps it was both. In any event, war was averted, and Elisha did more for the safety of the nation of Israel than anybody else did, without drawing one drop of blood from anybody.

This is a great example. This should be a great example to all of us who are students of Christian Science — to let God govern, and let God’s justice prevail.

I’m so grateful to Mary Baker Eddy for discovering this very practical Science of Christianity, and giving it to the world.

Christian Science, its “Clear Correct Teaching” and Complete Writings by Herbert W. Eustace is a book that wonderfully deals with, and handles, animal magnetism. In it he speaks about one of the ways that animal magnetism will try to get to us. And what is that? It is the belief that there’s a power other than God.

Mr. Eustace writes on page 560, “One of the most insidious and aggressive forms of this ‘direction by malicious minds’ comes as the pollution of the ‘air’ by hourly and daily harangues and mental absurdities. Because radio has many uses, it has by the false sense of the law of reversal, many abuses.” We can now also add television and the internet.

“Since radio is rarefied matter it is a nearer approximation to mentality, hence its hidden danger and the great need for carefully guarding against the subtlety of its use for suggestions, political, financial and religious. The Christian Scientist must think alone with God, and preserve the tablet of his mind ‘from every blemish free.’”

That is our clarion call, and that is why it is very wise to silence all noise pollution in whatever form it tries to enter consciousness. It is a mesmeric suggestion, animal magnetism, a belief that there is a power apart from God. And we can prove, and we do prove in our lives, that it is not the truth. There is one power, one God that we worship.

Church of the ever-living God,

   The Father’s gracious choice;

Amid the voices of this earth

   How mighty is thy voice.

Thy words, amid the words of earth,

   How noiseless and how pure;

Amid the hurrying crowds of time

   Thy step how calm and sure.

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Letters of Gratitude

On the heels of Sunday’s Roundtable (3/13/22), which included some discussion about saying grace before meals, I just came upon this in the biography, The Life of Mary Baker Eddy, by Sibyl Wilbur:

“In this house [the Phillips family home, in 1866] silent prayer was the custom before eating. Mary Baker yielded to this custom with great reverence, often saying it seemed to her like a holy communion” (p. 145).

I think it is so wonderful how Plainfield Christian Science Church prays with unity watches to bless people before each service. I have personally seen it work in many instances for me. I have no doubt many people are blessed!

For example, the February 13, 2022, Roundtable entitled “None of them that trust in Him shall be desolate” was so inspiring and helpful during a very traumatic time for me and my family. Everyone who participated in that Roundtable shared beautiful quotes, readings, and advice that helped. I especially loved the morning prayer that Florence read. The sentence, “Hold yourself constantly and conscientiously under God’s eternal law of blessings…” has helped me throughout the week. The explanation of how afflictions are beneficial so that we grow spiritually and get closer to God is so helpful. Especially the very important lesson not to pray, solve our problems, then go back to a human life apart from God. Instead, the most important aspect of life is our own personal relationship with God. We should demonstrate always and constantly.

Another example of an amazing service was Wednesday, February 16, 2022. The readings entitled “God the great and only Physician.” My husband and I were both so blown away by every sentence read!

I am so grateful for all I am learning thanks to Plainfield Christian Science Church!

I discovered a positive quote to hold close. “The sick argue for their own suffering, by admitting its reality” (S&H).

Mary Baker Eddy explains, on every page of the text, that every person has to face up to suffering, emotional, physical, and financial by admitting he or she argues for its reality. How to stop doing that? There is no mystery to it! Let the ideas of Truth live in you and dismiss belief in matter. Time alone is required to bring out the possibilities of Spirit, which is reached through understanding and conviction of Divine Science.

Most days you can find me in the garden and, depending on time and weather, the garden can range from being tidy and trimmed to being “girls gone wild.” If the latter is the case, I get focused and aggressive with my shears and prune back shrubs and bushes using a very heavy hand. The aftermath is akin to a battle lost, at first glance anyway. But given a little time and care the plants come back with even more vitality and beauty than before.

This hard pruning is what Plainfield has done and continues to do for me. I was a plant growing out of control; no rhyme or reason to live; no direction or purpose. I felt as though an alien had replaced whoever “me” used to be.

In seeking out this misery, I remembered an acquaintance that was a Christian Scientist, so I called her for advice on how to access online weekly Bible Lessons. She directed me to the Mother Church website, but when I attempted to access it, I was directed to Plainfield’s website. I thought it was a mistake, so I tried again with the same result. I called her back to ask about Plainfield and she said that was not the right site and to try again.

After numerous attempts, I gave up and decided to check out Plainfield’s website. I am so grateful I did. Not “me” that did the work, but God directing me to the right place: Plainfield. I am learning there are no mistakes, no coincidences, and I am so grateful for God’s loving and persistent guidance. I was an awful basket case, fearing life, fearing death, but He never gave up on me nor did Plainfield.

I am so grateful for my improved outlook and growing understanding of the Bible and Christian Science. I am especially grateful to release the burden of being in charge mortally and replacing it with a growing reliance on God for all things great and small. This has truly tidied up my garden in the very best way!

Thank you, all at Plainfield Christian Science, from the fullness, not bottom, of my heart.

Please accept the enclosed check as a donation to this wonderful church and its outreach to all of God’s precious children around the world, thirsty for Mary Baker Eddy’s genuine Christian Science. I am grateful that I found your website which I was searching for 20 years ago myself. My life has been transformed and continues to be blessed every day — so that, in turn, I may bless others.

Thank you for the Roundtable on Sunday January 30, 2022, which I have listened to a couple of times. So interesting to ensure we are guided by God in all that we do. Even a “good worker,” must be guided to do the right thing, not just the humanly good thing. Quite a thought that that way we are “growing apples, not just tying them on our tree.”

Over many moments this week I have felt a welling up of gratitude from within me for being part of the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent. It is here I am growing in my understanding of Christian Science practice, surrounded by all of the support needed for this journey.

Violet Hay, one of the first Christian Science teachers in England, involved in establishing a church in London, and later in Cape Town, wrote seven hymns in our hymnal. I was reading one today, No. 64, because it came to thought in the midst of this outpouring of gratitude.

“From sense to Soul my pathway lies before me,

From midst and shadow into Truth’s clear day.

The dawn of all things real is breaking o’er me,

My heart is singing; I have found the way.”

I have found Plainfield, the catalyst of change within me. I am joining all of you on this pathway and am so very grateful.

Thank you Plainfield Independent for this priceless work of teaching and practicing pure Christian Science. Thank you also for publishing all our early workers’ writings; they are our “saints,” as was pointed out to me recently. So accurate is this term “saints” to describe any thinker who has applied Christian Science in practical life and witnessed the Christ healing resulting.

To those thinkers, our early workers, whose writings have been rescued by the private publishing efforts of Plainfield Independent, we are forever grateful. And dear Plainfield Independent — thank you for highlighting the work of Andrew Hartsook also, who has written of the Truth of Christian Science and shown with absolute clarity the importance of each individual to do their duty to “God, to our Leader and to mankind.”

Thank you Plainfield Independent for featuring Andrew Hartsook’s writings on the website. GOD IS IN THE FIELD!

Thank you to the whole Plainfield Christian Science Independent Church members and friends. The Easter morning Roundtable was, as always, a wonderful presentation of God’s love and Truth.

I have been blessed by your outreach and faithful support of the Christ and the Comforter.

Thank you, God, Christ Jesus, Mary Baker Eddy, and the Plainfield Church for your expressed love for all mankind.

Recently while reading the Gospel according to John, I thought it might be good to listen to a version of it. After searching YouTube, I came across one read by David Suchet who immortalized Agatha Christie’s long running Poirot series. He has a voice that is both rich and mesmerizing at the same time, so I began to listen to it. I am not familiar with the Bible version he was using but it lacked the richness and context of the one we use at Plainfield. It quickly became a disappointment. The dramatic tenor he affected, and the interpretation of the dialogue seemed overdone and lacked sincerity. There wasn’t a moment to reflect nor absorb thoughtfully. It was truly full of “the letter” but not the Spirit, despite his theatrical tone. This brings me to the point I wanted to make: We are so fortunate to have such wonderful and dedicated readers at our church who read the weekly Bible Lesson with simple, pure, and honest voices. I am so grateful for this and grateful that Plainfield is not full of theatrical displays that may easily snare an audience, but lack the meat needed for growth.

Just wanted to share this.

My prayer this morning was, Dear Father, my prayer for today is to be patient and wait expectantly. Trusting/knowing that only Your perfect plan is unfolding. Nothing can change or interrupt this perfect plan. Your plan contains our daily bread and is full of blessings. Your will be done throughout this day!! Thank you!!

Thank you for the inspiring 3/20/22 Roundtable, “Man is Not Material, He is Spiritual.” Since reading Renie Conley’s testimony in A Century of Christian Science Healing (p. 191), I try to catch my thoughts when leaning on the side of matter and remember her quote: “The nature of the individual, more stubborn than the circumstances, will always be found arguing for itself, — its habits, tastes, and indulgences.” (Misc., p. 119)

Thank you for the wonderful resources you share. I look forward to learning more about the true spiritual history of America; George Washington, and others that Lynda shared. George Washington Carver is another great contributor you may want to add to the collection.

On the heels of the Sunday, 4/10/22, Roundtable, during which the inspirational book entitled May’s Boy was mentioned, I purchased a copy and have been hardly able to put it down! It is such an utterly uplifting, true story of boundless Mother-love reflected by May, and her constant prayers for her foster son, Leslie, which eventually brought out his musical genius.

May’s incredible example of unselfed love, blended with discipline, is so needed today. I’m sharing this gem of a find with others, as it is such a blessing to read. I just discovered several YouTube videos of Leslie performing, including one with his rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer,” with May singing along in the background, which is very moving. And, it turns out there is a sequel to the original book, entitled May’s Boy – the Rest of the Story, in case anyone else is interested. I can’t wait to read it.

I am always so grateful for the books and/or movies that are mentioned at Plainfield Roundtables and/or Bible Studies. During another Roundtable some time ago, the set of 12 children’s books written by a Christian Scientist, Olive Beaupre Miller, and called My Book House, was shared. Having no children of my own, I appreciated a good recommendation for my great nieces/nephews, and was thrilled to find a set in good condition to share with them. Thank you!

The Watching Point this week, number 361, is incredibly powerful and helpful. They all are, always so useful and often feel very relevant, but this watching point 361 has really helped me move forward in my prayers for healing.

To have this helpful reminder to see a claim of sickness, disease, etc., as merely mortal mind claiming something, has enabled me to cut through the fog and get straight to the point — the denial of that lie — then back it up with sound argument. To be able to immediately dismiss the issue as “yet another lie” takes any attempt at individuality out of the claim, removes any individual argument as to why a pain or disease might be feasible, cuts through all the excuses.

A lie is a lie, is a lie, no matter what the detail and can be immediately dealt with as such! Straight into the lie bin with all the other attempts!

Thank you so much to Mr. Carpenter for his amazing work and wisdom, and thank you hugely to all at Plainfield for making this wondrous work so freely available!

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Testimonies of Healing

from L. S. in New Jersey

I am grateful to be learning how to pray without ceasing, as a student of Christ and Christian Science. Before coming to Plainfield I had no concept of what this meant. Through regular practitioner support, classes, and many resources found on our website, I have been learning how to “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,” as Paul writes in the Bible (II Cor. 10:5).

One evening some time ago, I misjudged my footing while stepping off a small step ladder. I landed squarely on my elbow and shoulder. It happened so quickly I did not have a chance to catch myself. I started immediately to affirm God's presence and power, and that I could never fall out of His care. This is a powerful Truth that is also affirmed in the 91st Psalm, which I go back to in situations of need. I am very grateful my practitioner had advised me to commit it to memory for it has become a natural part of my thinking. “He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

The sharp pain faded pretty quickly but was still pretty tender around a bruise on the elbow. I mentioned the situation the next day to my practitioner. At the time I was feeling disturbed by the anger of an individual in my experience. Practitioner got me to laugh at the idea that we can't go around crawling on the ground to avoid falling, or in fear that others’ thoughts can disturb our peace. She reminded me that my dominion comes directly from God and that I was to move about with dominion, and to focus on this.

The rest of the pain left, and a day later all bruising faded as if the fall had never occurred, proving the teachings of Christ Jesus and Mrs. Eddy, that only good is going on, has ever gone on, and only will go on.

I am very grateful for our ever present God, Christ Jesus who showed us our relationship with God, for Mrs. Eddy who discovered the Science of the Christ, my practitioner who has been opening my eyes, and this church community that keeps you grounded in God.

from M. E. in Canada

Recently I had a dentist appointment for my regular cleaning. They usually ask me if I want to have an examination by the dentist and an x-ray, and I normally kindly decline the offer. They are persistent, and this time I said ok, we’ll do it.

About three weeks before the appointment, I thought I should probably be more conscious about what my substance is. I have to admit, I didn’t study a whole lot about teeth or substance; but as I brushed my teeth, I knew they are rooted and grounded in love, and my substance is God — things that were mentioned in a Roundtable. I also knew that, in God, nothing can decay and that substance is eternal. When the thought came up during the day, I did the same and kept knowing that all is well.

The dentist was pleased with my teeth and the x-ray, and said all looks well.

From childhood I had trouble with my teeth. I can’t remember a visit to the dentist where they didn’t discover something that needed treatment. When Christian Science came into my life, I didn’t bother to go to the dentist anymore. For 20 years now, my teeth haven’t needed any dental work, except for the cleaning. This appointment made me more aware of the fact that this is God working in my life. I am forever grateful, that this is so, and that also the dentist was able to see that all is well. Alleluia!

I am so grateful to Christ Jesus for his example, for Mary Baker Eddy for making his teachings accessible for us today, for practitioner support, as well as for all that the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent does. There are so many tidbits that help me apply Christian Science more than I did before. Now, while I am brushing my teeth I always (most times) remember to think about my divine substance.

from P. C. in Canada

Many years ago, I visited my senior friend Lydia and found her very frail. It was a shock since I had known her as a feisty, petite lady, who had inherited her father’s company, “Bulldog Construction.” When she bossed those big construction men around, they jumped in obedience, grateful that she had the business savvy to step up to the plate, and keep them all employed.

But I entered her beautiful apartment to find her skin and bone, and very weak. I asked if I could buy her groceries. She explained, “My good neighbors buy me food from the delicatessens nearby, but I can’t eat their food!” “Why not?,” I asked. She took me into her kitchen and opened the cupboards to show almost bare shelves, and she said, “Look at all those maggots! I just have to throw out the food!”

Lydia’s apartment was meticulously spotless, and she had a regular cleaning lady. “Lydia, I’m your friend. I know what maggots look like. I have to tell you that there are no maggots there!” “Yes! there are maggots! Maybe you just can’t see them!”

Lydia had once attended First Church, Toronto for years. She said that she loved the social outings and parties, but she didn’t understand the Science. I explained about God’s love for her; that she was not alone; and that Divine Love would not send her maggots. Just trust God to send you what you rightfully need.

I asked my husband to also take turns visiting her. He did so, and explained Christian Science to her, too. Now, she was eager to learn about Christian Science and began to eat normally, slowly gain weight, and she no longer saw maggots.

But her only relative, a young nephew, didn’t like to have any responsibility for her, and in a very heavy-handed way, put her in the hospital, although she felt great progress and wanted to rely on Christian Science.

In my first visit to the hospital, I saw that Lydia’s health had suddenly gone downhill, and she was terribly frightened. Her hands, arms and body were now severely shaking non-stop. Her physician gave her no hope of a remedy, and she didn’t mention the name of the diagnosis. But, I remembered that my mother (a medical nurse) had once pointed out a similar condition to me, and called it a type of ‘Motor Attaxia’ related to brain damage. But matter-brain is not Cause. The Divine Mind is Cause, and knows only perfection.

Lydia and I chatted for about a half hour, and then I told her that I needed quiet time to pray. So, I prayed, although her shaking made a distracting sound. In that noisy hospital, all I could think of was the Lord’s Prayer. For the first time, I considered it word by word, trying to think and understand what it meant.

The first word, “Our” became so wonderful and precious to me, that it took a l-o-n-g time to get past that word alone. OUR: Common to all; shared; everyone’s ownership; belonging; united; oneness; all-blessed; family; equal position; inheritance; community; symphony no separation between God and man. And on and on it went… a discovery, a cherishing time. Before I finished the prayer, I opened my eyes to see that the shaking had stopped completely, and it never returned.

Once, when my husband visited Lydia, she begged him to go to the head of the hospital and tell them to stop drugging her. She said, “That medicine makes me feel like I am bouncing off the walls. It’s not helping! They don’t listen to me! I want out of this hospital!” The head doctor visited and said that he would only release her once she could walk ten laps of the corridor.

Knowing that Lydia didn’t want the medical treatment, my husband (at Lydia’s request), took up prayerful treatment for her; and I was very pleased to witness that she became strong enough in about a week to walk those ten laps and joyfully return home.

I’m so very grateful to God that He woke me up to Christian Science, just like he woke up Lydia. I’m thankful that Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer, and his many teachings. Also, I greatly appreciate Mary Baker Eddy’s scientific goal to “re-instate primitive Christianity, and its lost element of healing.” (Manual 17:12) With many thanks to our Plainfield church for energetically promoting their teachings.

from S. P. in California

I would like to express my gratitude for Christian Science, and its correct teaching of who I am, and what to do when a situation presents itself that claims otherwise.

Several months ago I tripped and fell on my arm. It appeared not good, broken.

The radical response that came to me was, “This never happened!” Christian Science is radical and that radical statement is where I stayed. A Christian Science practitioner was also called to support me with this.

The practitioner and I did not discuss the happenings or effects of this fall, only the Truth of Christian Science, who I am as God’s spiritual, loved child, perfect, innocent, and complete now!

I had read once of a woman who had suffered for many years with migraine headaches, she would continuously say it was because she fell out of a tree on her head, when a child.

When finally asking for help in Christian Science, she was told, “Stop falling out of that tree and reliving the fall and its results! It never happened! You never fell!”

And with that, the headaches stopped. I stayed with that Truth.

It never came to me to use a sling or do anything different other than to go down the stairs backwards, in order to use the handrail with the other hand.

And the healing was complete. In fact, I never felt the healing of a broken arm the way one would think. And I know, with much gratitude, this was due to the absolute Truth in Christian Science that I stayed with from the very beginning…

It never happened!

I never fell!

from M. H. in Hawaii

While drawing the curtains of the morning, my sight was blinded suddenly by a kaleidoscope of colors and fragments. It was difficult to see and panic set in. I called my practitioner at this church. I told her I was trying to sit quietly, and she said to keep doing this and know that I was in God’s perfect embrace. Error tried to step in and plant seeds of a stroke or something equally menacing into my thoughts. My practitioner said to love God and man without stopping. Within half an hour all the symptoms disappeared.

I learned that no matter the problem, big or small, it can be healed through Christian Science. The experience has given me great encouragement to rely on God and God only, and to know that He does hear us. If support is needed, I am so grateful to know that practitioner help is available immediately through this church. Daily I count my blessing that I am a part of this Plainfield worldwide family!

With much Aloha and love.

from M. M. in Australia

Last week our ten-year-old daughter was out with a friend, doing some dancing when she fell on the side of her foot. She texted me that she heard a crack and thought she broke it. When she arrived home that evening, she was visibly uncomfortable. I told her she was perfect, and God had been with her throughout the day and was with her now. I reminded her that accidents are not part of her experience. The next day my husband thought it would be wise to take her to the doctor. I asked a Plainfield practitioner to pray for us and she reminded us of Hymn No. 324 that says,

“Take my feet, and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing

Always, only, for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.”

We went to the doctor where we had been when I was pregnant with my daughter. At that time they told us that there could be complications with our baby. They suggested doing a risky procedure to check that everything was okay. My husband and I decided not to do this, and we asked a Christian Science practitioner to pray for the rest of the pregnancy. Our daughter was born perfect. I told her this story before the x-ray and that she was perfect then and she is perfect now because she is the image and likeness of God. I saw the x-ray on the screen, and I could see no breakages. The doctor called me yesterday to confirm this. He said her foot is perfect.

I am so grateful for God’s support of us always, in so many ways. This was just another example of how God continues to bless us. I am grateful to Plainfield for giving my children Sunday School via teleconference and for the wonderful practitioners.

from V. T. in California

My heart is so filled with gratitude today for this church, Plainfield Independent. I am thankful for the Roundtables, for the Bible Lessons, the services and the wonderful work from all the practitioners.

I would like to acknowledge my gratitude for a wonderful healing I had few months ago. I woke up one morning and could not move or walk because of my back. The pain was very intense. It was very difficult for me to drive or to do my normal activities. I called a Plainfield Independent Church practitioner, and with loving kindness she told me to deny the lie right away. She also said that I was not material, not a victim. Also that error appears to disappear, and error couldn’t manifest itself. She told me that I have dominion over this, and to keep myself in the Love of God. She said that every action, movement — my whole being is perfect.

This seemed to calm my thoughts. I worked with those ideas for the whole week. Another time she emphasized to stay in divine Love, to just love and see everyone in the Love of God. I prayed and pondered those ideas and read Hymn 30 from the Christian Science hymnal, which she recommended.

I had to take a trip, which I did, and kept praying each day. I did not even know when the pain left; my thoughts were very preoccupied with the truth.

I am deeply grateful for this healing. I thank God each day for this church and my practitioner.

from M. M. in Mississippi

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. I am very grateful to be living on a lake. As the American Indians call it “a smile of the great spirit.” I am able to see an abundance of nature. I have observed God’s beautiful ideas in action. Bright green lizards with bulging red necks, monarch butterflies laying eggs on a specific plant leaf, big turtles digging holes to lay their eggs, geese and other birds making nests, magnificent gray heron fishing, and much more. 

On two occasions, while walking around the lake, I came across a water moccasin on the path. The first time I wasn’t sure what it was, but after researching I knew it was a cotton mouth or water moccasin, which is a poisonous snake. Once I knew what it was, I was so afraid walking past it, and I didn’t want to walk around the lake again.

I reminded myself that I am in God’s kingdom right now. Thoughts of fear do not come from God. Love fills all space. Both the butterfly and the poisonous snake are equally God’s expression. We are all God’s ideas and live harmoniously in God’s house. The snake expresses God’s beauty and love just like the turtles, flowers, and birds. 

Now, I continue to walk around the lake. I have not seen any snakes since. One time,  I heard one slither and splash into the lake as I walked by. If I do see a poisonous snake I will not be afraid anymore. I know it is God’s beautiful loving idea.

from M. E. in Canada

Last Wednesday I had an anger temptation. Then, in the afternoon I suddenly felt tired and heavy. The weather was unusual, warm but overcast and windy. It was as if the clouds were pushing down on me. Although I had indulged in the anger before quite a bit, NOW, I caught myself, and said to myself, this is not the Truth. This tiredness and heaviness are animal magnetism trying to put me down. I don’t have to listen to it. I don’t have to believe the false arguments.

I decided to take a break and read the excerpt from the Blue Book (pages 51, 98 & 205) about “I am” that someone posted on the forum at the end of February (also to be found in Forum Highlights Issue 207, Subject: Jesus Christ). I had printed it and have it handy when I need to know what I am. I also read other material from the Plainfield website. The result was that I forgot about the heaviness and tiredness. I was so happy. Then, when I saw the theme of the testimony meeting “Man’s birthright is Dominion over all temptations” (March 23, 2022), I realized that this was exactly what happened that day. I was tempted to believe that I am tired, heavy, and without energy. After I had turned to the word of Truth, dominion chased the clouds in my thinking away. Then, during the testimony meeting the clouds, which had been covering the sky all afternoon lifted and the evening sun came up. That made me smile.

I am so grateful to learn that I don’t need to believe those false arguments, that they are nothing but temptations. The only reason they come up is to give me some training in overcoming and having dominion over temptations. The rest of the evening I was full of energy and I did get much of the tasks done that seemed a burden in the afternoon.

Thank you to all, for your dedication at the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent and for your encouragement. It helps me to become better. Although it is still a struggle it is getting easier. Thank you to Christ Jesus, Mary Baker Eddy, and all of you in Plainfield.

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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.

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!

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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.

“Publish the Word”

Broadcast the Truth

“Freely ye have received, freely give”

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