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.”

“Now Are We Sons Of God”

Christian Science Sentinel, December 2, 1905

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: . . . Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”

This passage has always been a very precious one to every Christian, of whatever creed or sect. But to the majority of Christian thinkers, it is but a glorious possibility to be attained in the future, a star of hope pointing upward. When the Christian becomes a Christian Scientist, the passage is illumined, as an early morning landscape is transformed by the glory of the risen sun, and a discovery is made, the discovery of the little word “now.”

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” and St. Paul says we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” As the glorious truth is borne in upon us that, instead of being merely a future possibility, this is a present actuality — a glorious fact rather than a distant hope — the heart bows in wonder before the new-old truth, and there comes the question, How can it be that I, in whose character and conduct there seems to be so much which is unlike the Father, am now — even now — a child of God, a joint-heir with Christ?

To one who questioned this, there came this thought: Suppose the daughter of a great king should be taken from her father’s palace when she was a tiny baby, and should be brought up in the midst of poverty, ignorance, and vice; and that when she had grown to young womanhood, her real selfhood and inheritance should be made known to her. She would be even then the daughter of the king, had been so all the time, but there would be much which she must do before she could manifest what she really was, — a princess, one of the royal family.

She must leave her miserable abode and her evil companions, and go to the king’s palace. She must put off her filthy rags, and array herself in beautiful and clean garments. She must conduct herself in a manner befitting her true position, and learn to carry herself with the dignity of a princess. She must learn the etiquette of the court, and speak its language. Nay, more, she must become acquainted with its ideals and thoughts. She would know that, as the daughter of the king, there was immense wealth at her disposal, and she must learn how to come into possession of it, and how to use it wisely. When she considered herself a child of poverty and vice, she would expect to find in herself the hereditary tendencies of such parentage; but when she knew that she was the daughter of the king, this would be changed, and she would expect to find in herself tendencies and characteristics like those of her father, the king.

In like manner, to all Christian Scientists comes the discovery that we, too, are the children of a great King — “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” But we have been bound so long by supposed mortal laws and fear of disease, accident, poverty, sin, calamity, and evil of every sort, that much earnest work must be done before we can prove our position and demonstrate, even in a degree, what we are. We must arise from our miserable abode in materiality, we must cease to be “at home in the body” and “absent from the Lord,” we must seek and find our true home, — the consciousness of Spirit. We must put off the filthy rags of materiality, and array ourselves in the “garments of salvation.” We must learn to think of the things which are honest, and just, and pure, and lovely, and of good report. We must learn to speak the “new tongue,” the language of Spirit. We must learn to know that all good is at our disposal, if we seek first the things of the kingdom.

We have too long believed that our heritage was a material one, and that we were bound by certain tendencies which came from an earthly parentage; but now we know that God is our Father, and we should look for those qualities in us which are like Him, and this is what every true Christian Scientist is earnestly endeavoring to do — to prove his heritage by overcoming whatever in himself is unlike his Father, God. Each day we are coming to know with a greater degree of certainty, that God is indeed our Father, that we are, even now, His children; and thus we are enabled to say, “Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure.”

Christian Science Journal, July 1891

Esau bartered his birthright for a mess of pottage. For temporary gratification of sense, he sacrificed what? His rights as the son of his father. How petty and pitiful appears the equivalent that was received by the unwise Esau.

To Eve the first disobedience appeared slight, but it sank a world in woe, from which only Divine agency could release it.

As the surrendering of the spiritual to the material has brought these woes and burdens, the reversal of that position is what will lift this weight. Through the pleasures and beliefs of personal sense, the spiritual sonship of man is lost sight of; but as the unreality and worthlessness of these claims is revealed by Christian Science, we see the birthright restored.

Jesus showed and taught the way, but ears were dull to hear, and eyes dim to see it. Another disclosure, or revelation of Truth must be made by Mary Baker Eddy, that it might be more plainly seen what a wholly worthless mess the Divine birthright had been exchanged for — the dream of mortal sense. The nightmare of mortal existence in return for the joys and harmony of a heaven, which, in its glory, is beyond all human or finite conception.

Listen to the joyful message expressed by Divine Science: “The glad tidings of great joy.” — A lifting of the cloud of sense; a dissipation of the false evidences of mortal sense against the Truth, and what does man lose? Nothing! But his gain is Infinite, the true Father and Mother God, and his own spiritual home or existence is revealed to his consciousness, darkened by the claims of materiality and a false sense of God (Good).

Separate the evil from the individuality of man and it ceases to be, even in belief, and sinks under the curse of its own nothingness, “Dust to dust.” But let it attach itself to some individual in our thought, and it rears itself erect, takes on its false appearance of life, and begins its subtle and silent whisperings or suggestions. But detach it and it falls back again to dust, proving that evil has no life of its own, and its false appearance of life, it steals.

Truly must the Christian Scientist forgive his enemies; the Lord’s Prayer must be accepted thoroughly and entirely on that point, for a harsh thought held against anyone, is an open door for the silent utterings of error. The heart must be laid bare and we must see only love for our neighbor, even although they may appear to have misused us.

We are seeking for the restoration of our birthright, of which the false sense of God, or Truth, has so long deprived us; for our Heavenly Father’s mansion, our own true home and parentage in the Divine Mind; earnestly seeking spiritual things, tired of the food of husks which error has fed us upon.

Most earnest are our endeavors to retrace the wandering footsteps, willing, yea, glad to exchange the material mixture for our own true place again. And that is why, with head and heart, and all the aspirations of our nature, we welcome and hail the coming of the Divine Mind, Christian Science, seeing in it salvation from the senses. We know this is true for it denies the claim of good in evil, of power, might, and reality in evil, and teaches us how to meet and overpower evil’s false claims which would intercept our pathway from “sense to Soul.”

Christian Science Journal, July 1913

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”

O hope sublime, yea, surety passing sure!

’Tis ours on earth to rise above the sod,

To dare the heights immortal, angel-trod,

Till on the God-crowned peak we stand secure.

“Now” are we sons of God! So you and I,

With trustful confidence and Christly grace,

Can here and now this sacred truth apply,

Assured we need not suffer, sin, nor die

To enter heaven and see our Father’s face.

Imperishable, priceless, is our dower,

Dominion over every subtle foe!

’Tis ours the Father to reflect each hour,

And with divine authority and power

The vaunts of mortal thought to overflow.

’Tis ours with Truth to vanquish sin and strife,

To still the waves of error loud and rude,

Sickness with Love to heal, however rife,

And death’s dark shadow to dispel with Life,

Thus proving the omnipotence of good.

“Now” are we sons of God, and His alone;

Hence man’s perfection ever is intact.

O may we our immortal sonship own,

And fearless every rebel doubt dethrone

That dares to war with this eternal fact!

What we shall be it doth not yet appear,

It is enough that we may walk unshod

Within the holy city now and here;

Aye, rising higher as we persevere.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”

Christian Science Sentinel, September 18, 1909

Five postulates I have found to be very helpful are as follows: "God is the only cause. Spirit is the only substance. Love is the only force. Harmony is the only law. Now is the only time."

The last sentence is exceedingly impressive: “Now is the only time.” Mrs. Eddy says: “Eternity, not time, expresses the thought of Life, and time is no part of eternity.” (S&H, p. 468) In his second epistle, the apostle Peter says: “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” And Paul exclaims, “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Salvation from what? Salvation from whatever troubles us. We are apt to think that because we suffered in the past, we must continue to suffer. Remembering, instead of “forgetting those things which are behind,” as the apostle advises, we manacle the present and mortgage the future, and then wonder why we are not free. The three so-called periods, past, present, and future, are of human arbitration. God knows only an “eternal now.”

“Now are we the sons of God.” This reading from I John reaches us every Sunday from our pulpits. It gives promise of what we shall be when we awaken in the divine likeness. Truly, man is in that likeness now, but mortals must waken to that truth; otherwise, they are dreaming.

As in Christian Science we learn that the truth of being is unceasing, continuous, then we come to see that the present is perfect. Mary Baker Eddy has said, “There is no discordant past, no clouded present, no dreaded future.” All we have to concern ourselves with is that no clouds settle upon our present, and the future (as we call it) we can safely leave with God, to whom it belongs. We do not own the “future,” so we cannot mortgage it.

Dante is said to have measured his approach to Paradise by the light of love or divine understanding which played upon the uplifted features of Beatrice. It was the love or knowledge of God, Truth, that caused the face of Moses to shine. It was the consciousness of God as ever present that glorified Jesus, our Wayshower, and today it rests, like a coronal, upon our dear Leader, Mary Baker Eddy.

Christian Science Sentinel, September 30, 1905

Let us not think of salvation as something coming to us as a reward hereafter, but as a glorious possession to be enjoyed — aye, and to be lived up to — now. "Behold," wrote the apostle of love, "now are we the sons of God." We have not yet entered into the full inheritance; but we have enough to make life rich and joyous and well worth living.

Christian Science Journal, November 1926

One’s identity is brought out by filling one’s own place. No one can do another’s work. As Mrs. Eddy writes in Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 70), “Each individual must fill his own niche in time and eternity.”

In the Bible reference in Exodus is the record of the battle in Rephidim, where we are given a remarkable illustration of doing our work by filling our place. In this battle Amalek, the exponent of error, was arrayed against Moses, Truth’s representative. Moses, with the “rod of God” in his hand, went up to the hilltop; and Aaron and Hur went up with him. Below, Joshua was in command, and every Private was in his own place in the ranks. Thus all were able to bring out their own identity by each doing his duty, and a mighty victory of Truth over error was won.

The life of Jesus shows us how essential it is that we should be ourselves and should fill our God-appointed places. But the question arises, How are we to find our place, or know which work God has assigned to us?

Man’s identity in Truth is established; and it is unalterable. As mortals, we may appear to be unconscious of our true identity, but we cannot forever remain in ignorance of it. Proportionably to our realization of our identity in Truth, each occupying his own niche, we become participants today in Truth’s destruction of evil. As we align ourselves with omnipotent good, endeavoring to reflect or express only good, we begin to be able to see the work that God has for us to do; and we naturally see our place. If we faithfully and consecratedly do our work, looking only to infinite good for strength and understanding, we discover our own identity through Truth’s overthrow or demolition of error. As we do this, we acquire an enlarged understanding of our real being.

When we selflessly endeavor to fill our place, occupy the niche God has for us, we find peace and happiness. If we, however, become dissatisfied and envious of another’s position, we experience discord. Those who were envious of the Master not only failed to express their own identity, but brought upon themselves the evil consequences of their own wrong thinking; and so it will ever be.

Our great Way-shower taught his disciples that they must bring out their identity in good by filling their own place properly. When Jesus reappeared to the disciples on the shore of the Galilean sea, he showed them how to fill their nets with a bountiful supply, prepared for and shared with them their breakfast, still performing his own selfless work in seeking the good of others. He then showed Peter what his future work was to be by commanding him, “Feed my sheep.”

In Christian Science we have a common enemy — error — to overcome; and if every individual would but willingly fill his place, the destruction of so-called evil would be accomplished much more readily. As sons and daughters of God, we all have work to do in bringing out our own identity in Truth. We should know that God does not appoint two people to fill the same position at the same time. And the successful one is he who seeks in true honesty to find his place, and then in humility to fill it.

We find happiness and we progress spiritually when we righteously fill our own niche. How beautiful is the character of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, as well as of everyone through all the ages who have unselfishly occupied their own place by doing the work God assigned to them! Infinite Love exalted them for their faithfulness. One’s spiritual character always expresses the beauties of Spirit. And one is rewarded when his consciousness is a sanctuary of righteousness and unselfishness; for he is proving his identity by nobly filling his place.

I am the spiritual, perfect and eternal reflection of God! This I understand applies to all people, the world over. Such a one has and deserves all things good since she is the very offspring of the King. If as Christians we take the inspired word of the Bible, then we must know and accept that God is no respecter of persons.

We should always know that man is a child of God: that he is strong, because God is his strength; that he is harmonious, for he is governed by God; that he is lovely, for God is Love and man is that likeness. Then will we be doing as Jesus told us to do. We will, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

From Amy Vorhees’ book, A New Christian Identity, Marietta Webb in 1934 makes perfect sense when in sidestepping the “colored” designation in her Journal listing, insisted that Mrs. Eddy “regarded her as [a] ‘Child of God’ and not as a colored ‘Child of God.’” She added that everywhere “we are made to feel our color,” yet she found Christian Science the basis for “not only learning what the true love of God is,” but “getting out of [the] old prejudiced self, into the spiritual sense of man’s union with God.” At another time, when asked about nationality and color she wrote, “Purely American, Natural color.”

We all must accept, know and understand our true being, as having one Mind, that of Christ and One body. As Jesus said, we are to obey His commandments, and Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 about expressing these qualities; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,” (Christian Standard Bible) and realize the peace that one who is the King’s child should have. The ability to see every discord as unreal because impossible, as part of God’s creation, gives us peace and offers the healing from false claims.

We are all worthy. Worthy of God’s great Love. It really does not matter what others think; it matters most to put God first, live as He wants us to, and be willing to accept what God has always known His children to be.

Christian Science Sentinel, July 23, 1938

If someone received a legacy or bequest, one of the first things required of him would be to establish his identity. Without taking this step he would not be able to prove his legal right to the inheritance.

In order to prove that we are in truth “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ,” one of the first things required of us is to establish, in thought, our spiritual identity as children of God. Obviously this cannot be done by legal means; it can be done only through conscious realization and demonstration of the truth declared by John in his epistle when he said, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”

This can be done in no other way than by first affirming that unity, as did Christ Jesus, and then by proving it in reflecting only those qualities that express the nature of Principle, Love, and by refusing to allow ourselves to be identified with matter or with any of the many phases of sinful or mortal thinking.

Everything in the spiritual universe, from the least to the greatest, partakes of the nature of its cause or creator, and therefore manifests the divine qualities of perfection, completeness, wholeness, holiness, health, and immortality. These ideas, all of them, are governed in perfect harmony by divine or spiritual law. They are held forever intact by that law, and are maintained, provided for, and preserved by their infallible, invariable Principle.

Knowledge of these facts gives one a greater sense of security and of righteous dominion. It helps one to attain a more perfect sense of freedom from the hampering, hindering, limiting beliefs of the mortal, human mind. It shows one the possibility of enjoying in increasing measure what Paul referred to in his epistle to the Romans as “the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Jesus sought to establish in the thought of those with whom he came in contact a recognition of his true identity. He said at one time, “I and my Father are one.” And again, “The Father that dwelleh in me, he doeth the works.” Upon the occasion of his baptism by John, the divine Spirit itself confirmed the identity of the Christ. It is recorded that “he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, ... And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:16, 17)

Through the teachings of Christ Jesus and through their scientific explanation as given by Mary Baker Eddy, God’s messenger in this age, it is coming to be understood that man is in truth the son of God, and that it is possible through right thinking and right living for us, here and now, to identify ourselves with divine Principle, as its perfect expression, and to enjoy in a great degree the rights and privileges of such identification.

I spent all of my life trying to make something of myself.

I caused some folks to suffer — me included.

Wasn’t satisfied unless I was seen as a success.

My unhappiness was earned.

Thank the Lord I finally learned that —

     I belong to my heavenly Father.

     My spirit and my body are not mine;

     They’re His. I’m His,

     Along with all that is.

     Father-Mother God created me a song.

     So I’ll sing because I belong.

     I will sing because I belong.

Got it into my head I was a sad and a hopeless mess.

I made peace with the darkness in my life.

I could not accept the good; I’d say I’m misunderstood.

But God grabbed me by the hand.

It was my misunderstanding —

     I belong to my heavenly Father.

     My spirit and my body are not mine;

     They’re His. I’m His,

     Along with all that is.

     Father-Mother God created me a song.

     So I’ll sing because I belong.

     I will sing because I belong.

Every mountain of pride must tumble.

And each valley of sorrow be raised up,

That the glory of God may appear,

Loud and clear.

Let the whole world hear it!

     I belong to my heavenly Father.

     My spirit and my body are not mine;

     They’re His. I’m His,

     Along with all that is.

     Father-Mother God created me a song.

     So I’ll sing because I belong.

     I will sing because I belong.

“God, give me hills to climb,

And strength for climbing!”

— “Hills,” Arthur Guiterman*

Some healings in Christian Science come very quickly. I, myself, have had wonderful healings that were accomplished in a few days or hours. Then... there are those that seem to drag on and take longer.

A number of years ago I had an incident that has resulted in some paralysis in my left arm and leg. Before coming to Plainfield, I used to believe that if an issue isn’t quickly met in Christian Science, then I must be doing something wrong, but that thinking is woefully incorrect. I’ve made great strides since coming to this church and working with my Plainfield practitioner. Although the complete healing has not yet come, I’m learning so much about my relationship to God on this journey; and demonstrating truths that would have surely been missed had this paralysis been quickly healed overnight. For example:

Last December I was fortunate to spend a week in the country of Colombia. On one of the last days, my tour group was going to ride a ski-lift type transport high up to the top of a mountain to explore an historic church. When we exited the transport there was still a short trek required to reach the church, and I was struggling a bit to make it up the pathway. Out of nowhere a tour member interlaced his arm in mine and the two of us huffed and puffed up to the church together. Once we arrived I thanked my escort and went to sit on the church steps to catch my breath, when another tour member came by and offered to escort me up the steep steps into the church itself. I did not ask for this help and would have found a way to figure it out eventually, but the help was generously offered, and gratefully accepted.

Last weekend I went on a nature hike near my home. I do my research beforehand and choose hikes and walks that, while a little challenging in places, are certainly very doable. Nevertheless I usually alert the hike leader that I’m working through a physical issue and might be slower than the group. The trail was a little tricky in places but I fared well until I came to a particularly steep hill. As I stood there looking up strategizing my ascent, the hiker directly above me came down and grabbed my right arm, while the one directly behind me quickly came up and grabbed my left arm. Then arm in arm like the three musketeers, we climbed that mountain. It reminded me of the trip to Colombia and I couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear as once again help appeared when most needed. That’s when it hit me — help has always been available to me, even though I may not have always seen it. It’s like our Leader says, “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.” (S&H)

I am so grateful for this healing journey and the Plainfield practitioner joyfully assisting me along the way. I thank God daily for leading me to this church.

Painting by Luanne Tucker

From Mrs. Eddy

Oh! that personality and materiality were made the point of attack by all who desire to be Christian Scientists. Pull down the strongholds and we would have healers worth having. Spiritualization of thought is what the cause demands and I see little growth in that direction.

Could we but fill our consciousness with the thought that every individual idea of God is as fixed in its place in divine Mind as the steadfast stars in their orbits, it would help to dispel the illusion that any of God’s children is out of position, displaced, out of line with the source of supply. No one of that universe, which is unseen and eternal, is ever out of place, for God is without variableness or shadow of turning, and His ideas reflect His stability.

Divine Love maintains man forever at the point of completeness, preserves his every faculty and his individuality; guides each separate idea in continuous unfoldment of the infinite grandeur of spiritual creation.

Calling or thinking of error as lie relieves it of any personality whatever.

There is no personality. There is no mortal mind to embody itself and call itself that embodiment by my name, and hold over it laws of limitation. God is Mind. I have the senses of that Mind. I have no mortal mind to look for pain or pleasure, health or sickness, strength or weakness, life or death.

I am not dependent on any personality for my needs. Malicious animal magnetism cannot hide my work nor blind my judgment, nor make me feel failure, nor lack, nor incapacity.

My identity is not lost. I am God’s child and His child can never be deprived of her birthright or any other good necessary to her happiness and well being.

Our identity is eternally fixed in infinite Mind. We cannot realize our absolute identity in this dream of life, but we have eternity to work it out in. Our growth is orderly; there is nothing hidden.

God made them male and female from the beginning, but His creation was not physical. He made qualities and formations of character, which shall ever remain thus, as the reflection of God, the Father and Mother of the universe. Not that God is male and female in person, two in form, but as including in Himself all the qualities of Mind. When we understand this, we shall have no outlined personality, but shall have individuality all the same. This is absolute Science, wherein there is but one Mind; and this Mind is the unity of masculine and feminine and neuter, as Mind — as infinite Mind, not finite. Here is the union again of man and woman, not personal but impersonal, not physical but mental, not finite but infinite. This must be so in the reflection of God, for He is neither finite nor physical, and if we reflect God, we must become like Him in our consciousness.

The immortal Mind gives identity, outline, form and coloring to all that is real.

Self-renunciation of all that constitutes a so-called material man, and the acknowledgment and achievement of his spiritual identity as the child of God, is science that opens the very flood-gates of heaven, whence good flows into every avenue of being, cleansing mortals of all uncleanness, destroying all suffering, reflecting the true image and likeness. And there is no other way under heaven whereby we can be saved, and man clothed with might, majesty and immortality.

Man is the image and likeness of God, the representative of infinity; but personal man is not this representative, and man cannot lose his identity in science more than notes or numbers.

God is the Life, or intelligence, which forms and preserves the individuality and identity of animals as well as of men.

Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love. Soul is the substance, Life, and intelligence of man, which is individualized, but not in matter. Soul can never reflect anything inferior to Spirit.

Jesus … said, ‘The works that I do shall ye do, and greater works because I go to the Father,’ and, ‘I and the Father are one.’ Materially that has been made doctrinal; but in its spiritual sense it means one with the divine Principle, God, the only I. Not materially through the personality of Jesus, asking in his name, but spiritually – yes; the oneness with the Father; the true individuality. As you rise to spiritually understand that, you lose your sense as an ‘I’ in matter, and gain your true selfhood in Spirit.

Let your prayer be daily: reveal to me, O God, my secret faults, every error, every sin. Earnestly desire to know thyself, to have thy heart searched, to let thyself be humbled, and the man of God stand revealed. Never for one instant say, ‘Thank God, I am not as other men.’ There is no I. If you are a personality, you are as other men; but if you are the idea of God, there is but one I, God.

Mrs. Eddy said that sometimes a sense of a personality arises before your thought and leads you to believe that a personality is something outside and separate from your thought, that can harm you. She showed me that the real danger was never this threatened attack from outside my thought where the personality seemed to be, but that the real danger was always within my thought. She made it clear that my sense of personality was mental – a mental image formed in my so-called mortal mind, and was never external or separate from my mind. This supposititious mortal mind outlines itself as a belief of a material personality, with form and conditions and laws and circumstances – in fact, with all of the phenomena that are embraced in what is called material life and personality. And then she showed me that not one solitary fact in this whole fabric of supposititious evil was true. She showed me that I must detect that all this mental phenomenon was only aggressive mental suggestion coming to me for me to adopt it as my own thought.

Always remember that error in the individual is the result of a long line of mortal relationships with its prejudices, doubts, fears, etc. This is all there is to a mortal personality.

Mortal mind cannot steal from our individuality by making us suppose personality, or any phase of matter, has power to give to, or take away from God’s idea, anything.

Tumor – false action. There is no action opposed to God, no opposite to Truth. Mortal mind is the root, or claim, or claimant, and that root is a sense of personality – my personality – it is a myth. Love reforms and nothing else does. Handle prenatal mesmerism. God is law, and manifests law. Unity of Principle and idea is the only marriage.

There is no personality, and this is more important to know than that there is no disease. Your life-long mistake has been your strong sense of personality. Drop it, and remember you can never rid yourself of the seeming effects from a personality while holding in mind this personality. The way is to put it wholly out of mind, and keep before your thought the right model.

Jesus, our great way-shower, was maligned and persecuted, but he has shown the way, and it is the victory over sin, disease and death. It is the disappearing of the fleshly personality, and the reappearing of spiritual existence. When his demonstration is understood in Christian Science, all mankind will follow Jesus’ way, and, rising above sin, disease and death, will put off the flesh, and the error thereof, and put on the real man in the image of his Maker — even the spiritual man in Christ. This is not losing, but gaining man’s eternal identity and individuality.

Mortals must gravitate Godward, their affections and aims grow spiritual, — they must near the broader interpretations of being, and gain some proper sense of the infinite, — in order that sin and mortality may be put off. This scientific sense of being, forsaking matter for Spirit, by no means suggests man’s absorption into Deity and the loss of his identity, but confers upon man enlarged individuality, a wider sphere of thought and action, a more expansive love, a higher and more permanent peace.

All creations of Spirit are eternal; but creations of matter must return to dust. Error supposes man to be both mental and material. Divine Science contradicts this postulate and maintains man’s spiritual identity.

The material body and mind are temporal, but the real man is spiritual and eternal. The identity of the real man is not lost, but found through this explanation; for the conscious infinitude of existence and of all identity is thereby discerned and remains unchanged. It is impossible that man should lose aught that is real, when God is all and eternally his. The notion that mind is in matter, and that the so-called pleasures and pains, the birth, sin, sickness, and death of matter, are real, is a mortal belief; and this belief is all that will ever be lost.

Man is idea, the image, of Love; he is not physique. He is the compound idea of God, including all right ideas; the generic term for all that reflects God’s image and likeness; the conscious identity of being as found in Science, in which man is the reflection of God, or Mind, and therefore is eternal; that which has no separate mind from God; that which has not a single quality underived from Deity; that which possesses no life, intelligence, nor creative power of his own, but reflects spiritually all that belongs to his Maker.

“In time of religious or scientific prosperity, certain individuals are inclined to cling to the personality of its leader. This state of mind is sickly; it is a contagion – a mental malady, which must be met and overcome. Why? Because it would dethrone the First Commandment, Thou shalt have one God. ... Declaring the truth regarding an individual or leader, rendering praise to whom praise is due, is not a symptom of this contagious malady, but persistent pursuit of his or her person is.” (My. p. 116:18) Personality is what personal sense sees, individuality is what God sees of His own, and, recognizing our oneness with God, we can see it also.

From the Bulletin Board

I am so grateful for the January 1st Roundtable and the wonderful discussion. I loved learning of the text on page 242 of Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy, but it has raised a couple of questions for me. I am curious to hear how others see this, or if anyone can guide me to where I can study this further.

Mrs. Eddy says, “Unless you fully perceive that you are the child of God, hence perfect, you have no Principle to demonstrate and no rule for its demonstration. By this I do not mean that mortals are the children of God, — far from it. In practicing Christian Science, you must state its Principle correctly, or you forfeit your ability to demonstrate it.”

So, my question is regarding this status of “child of God” and what exactly a mortal is, versus a child of God. When I pray for humanity and for those around me, I declare they are the children of God — is that not right? What exactly does Mrs. Eddy mean by a “mortal”?

If I perceive that I am a child of God, should I not be perceiving that others are also, regardless of their awareness or faith?

I hope my question makes sense. Thank you!

There has been a lot explained and clarified about this in the works of Mary Baker Eddy, the early workers, and also in the Roundtable discussions here in Plainfield (perhaps especially those that coincide with the “Mortals and Immortals” lessons), so I will just offer my thoughts here.

The mistaken view of ourselves is the mortal, brought on by the claim of animal magnetism, or the belief that we are separate from God. With that false sense of our origin, we begin to accept human knowledge and its beliefs of heredity, lack, chance, mortality, etc., while personal sense creates divisions and hierarchies between every “mortal” in the form of family, nationality, race, food preferences, etc. It is essentially a fictional character we have been mesmerized to believe ourselves to be, existing inside of a mythological counterfeit of God’s creation, and that is why “A wicked mortal is not the idea of God.” (S&H, p. 289)

A child of God is the truth of who we are, and is the standpoint from which we must demonstrate (see S&H, p. 322:3-7). One definition of “Principle,” which I have found very helpful, is “divine origin.” Mrs. Eddy wrote, “Principle and its idea is one, and this one is God, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Being, and His reflection is man and the universe.” (S&H, pgs. 465-466) There is no separation between our divine origin and our true self, nor between any one of us and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote the following on page 18 of Miscellaneous Writings, which feels best to end this on: “…thou shalt recognize thyself as God’s spiritual child only, and the true man and true woman, the all-harmonious ‘male and female,’ as of spiritual origin, God’s reflection, — thus as children of one common Parent, — wherein and whereby Father, Mother, and child are the divine Principle and divine idea, even the divine ‘Us’ — one in good, and good in One.

“With this recognition, man could never separate himself from good, God; and he would necessarily entertain habitual love for his fellow-man. Only by admitting evil as a reality, and entering into a state of evil thoughts, can we in belief separate one man’s interests from those of the whole human family, or thus attempt to separate Life from God. This is the mistake that causes much that must be repented of and overcome.”

History Corner

Excerpt from In Defense of Mary Baker Eddy and the Remnant of Her Seed

Christian Scientists are quite willing to admit that Jesus fulfilled Bible prophecy, but they are not willing to admit the same for Mrs. Eddy. Isn’t it interesting that the people of Jesus’ time were willing to admit that Moses and the prophets fulfilled prophecy and God’s plan, but not Jesus? For years, those who accepted and saw Mrs. Eddy’s place in Bible prophecy as the Woman, have, by the general Christian Science population been regarded as emotional fools. With regard to my articles, in the many letters I received over the years, very few were written in opposition; of those, none was able to use the books to prove his or her contention that Mrs. Eddy was not the woman, while I have used the books extensively to prove she was. It is becoming increasingly apparent from which corner the emotion is coming. Christian Scientists are deifying board members in churches, officials in Boston, teachers and practitioners, even readers. If our position cannot be defended in the books, our position is not worth defending.

Just as we saw the danger grow in Germany as the result of resisting Mrs. Eddy’s place, so we subsequently saw what the official stand of The Mother Church in publishing the Six Points in recognition of her fulfillment of Bible prophecy produced. When these Six Points were published in the June 5, 1943 Sentinel, there were six major turning points in World War II which favored the Allies, who, until that point, were losing the war. The truth about these points was seen prior to this time, but it had no great effect on the world until the official position of the Christian Science Board of Directors concerning this issue was declared and published. Below are the six points that were published in the Sentinel of 1943:

“1. Mrs. Eddy, as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, understood herself to be the one chosen of God to bring the promised Comforter to the world, and, therefore, the revelator of Christ, Truth, in this age.

“2. Mrs. Eddy regarded portions of Revelation (that is, Chapter 12) as pointing to her as the one who fulfilled prophecy by giving the full and final revelation of Truth; her work thus being complementary to that of Christ Jesus.

“3. As Christ Jesus exemplified the fatherhood of God, she (Mrs. Eddy) revealed God’s motherhood; she represents in this age the spiritual idea of God typified by the woman in the Apocalypse. (See Science and Health 565:13–22.)

“4. Mrs. Eddy considered herself to be the "God-appointed" and "God-anointed" messenger to this age, the woman chosen by God to discover the Science of Christian healing and to interpret it to mankind; she is so closely related to Christian Science that a true sense of her is essential to the understanding of Christian Science; in other words, the revelator cannot be separated from the revelation.

“5. This recognition of her true status enabled her to withstand the opposition directed against her by "the dragon" (malicious animal magnetism); she was touchingly grateful to those who saw her as the woman of prophecy and who therefore trusted, obeyed, and supported her in her mission.

“6. This same recognition is equally vital to our movement, for demonstration is the result of vision; the collecting of this indisputable evidence of our Leader’s own view of herself and of her mission marks a great step forward; wisely utilized, this evidence will stimulate and stabilize the growth of Christian Scientists today and in succeeding generations; it will establish unity in the Field with regard to the vital question of our Leader’s relation to Scriptural prophecy.”

Can you imagine what in our time the official rejection of these Six Points has brought to the world? No need to imagine, we can see what has resulted: severe climatic, social, political and economic turmoil. Everything in our nation and in the world is out of control and headed for destruction, devastation, and desolation. Now [1988] we’re being told there never were 57 pages of material culled from published and unpublished statements of Mrs. Eddy’s that concerned her place in prophecy and that were condensed into these Six Points. And also, that there had only ever been a few pages, and now even those few pages cannot be found. I know of several individuals who saw the 57 pages in the Archives many years ago. Why the conspiracy to keep this material hidden? The committee of six who prepared the report on Mrs. Eddy’s place said, “We feel that the period of silence with regard to our Leader’s true status as revelator and messenger has continued too long, and that it is high time the veil was gently lifted.” (Association address by Roscoe Drummond.)

We are faced with the present Board of Directors [1988] trying to convince us that the boards of 1943 and 1962 were wrong, as were all the editors and associate editors of the periodicals who originally compiled the Six Points. The boards and editors of 1943 and 1962 were in a prosperous healing atmosphere, while the current Board of Directors presides over a rapidly deteriorating movement. Emotionalism will always justify. Original sin says, Do not talk about her while I’m trying to turn the people against her, God’s representative. Remember, Jesus did not uncover animal magnetism, Mary Baker Eddy did and that is why Christian Scientists are accepting Jesus’ God-appointed mission, and not Mrs. Eddy’s.

Mrs. Eddy wrote, “When the Discoverer of Christian Science in this age must deal with sinning, so-called Christian Scientists, those who know their Leader as she is must be awake to the delusions of M.A.M. that would make Jerusalem a waste and desert place. Take up those transgressors in our midst who would undo the work of their Leader . . . Waken to the need of this hour that those who would set aside the Manual of the Mother Church with its just By-Laws see the sinfulness of their ways.” (Divinity Course and General Collectanea (“The Blue Book”) p. 53)

Back to the top of the page

Interesting Squibs

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.

Without kindness there can be no true joy.

The externals are simply so many props; everything we need is within us.

The best way for a person to have happy thoughts is to count his blessings and not his cash.

The taxpayers are sending congressmen on expensive trips abroad. It might be worth it, except they keep coming back.

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

We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.

Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.

I know worrying works, because none of the stuff I worried about ever happened.

There’s a lot of people in this world who spend so much time watching their health that they haven't the time to enjoy it.

Self-made men are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.

There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one small candle.

The work of God does not so often lag because we are discouraged, but we are discouraged because we allow the work to lag. The best preventative against discouragement is to push on the work with all possible zeal, whatever difficulties may be in the way. The workers least subject to discouragement are those who work the hardest.

There is no security in life, only opportunity.

Everyone who does the best he can is a hero.

For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe.

It is a statistical fact that the wicked work harder to reach hell than the righteous do to enter heaven.

Warning: Humor may be hazardous to your illness.

From the Early Workers

Christian Science Journal, January 1887

Above the angry roar of the breakers, if we listen for the voice of Christ, Truth, we shall hear it: “Be of good cheer. It is I; be not afraid.” Storm-tossed, tempest-torn, the heavy waves o'erlapping us, we yet pause to listen for ever-present Love, and comes the refrain: “Be not afraid!”

I remember reading the story of one condemned to die for some state offense. The executioner was ready, axe in hand, when a little bird, lighting on a tree nearby, commenced a sweet song. It caught the ear of the grim, red-handed man of law, as well as of him kneeling at the block. The executioner paused for one instant to listen, and so pausing saved the life of the condemned man, for a messenger, mounted on a snow-white steed, came riding toward that court-yard wall, shouting, “A reprieve for the prisoner.” And later his innocence was proven, and he became celebrated for his good works.

I think most of us realize that troubles and afflictions that seem to submerge us, if we do our duty and hold fast to God, are overcome for us, and we gain thereby. In one supreme moment, perhaps, they are destroyed, and we have the peace and rest that come from knowing they were not. Love that is Divine, strength that is Infinite, is ours, and we are continuously rested and refreshed in that thought.

We lose our moorings, we lose our courage, and the eternity of fable is before us, a raging, roaring sea and a black beyond. But Truth is present; there is no place where God is not. “If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there,” and eternity is not a black, rolling river and a yawning abyss; it is now and forever. We hear the whisper, “Be of good cheer. It is I; be not afraid.” In the realm of Love we rise to higher thought, the darkness disappears, and we realize something of the great Light of the universe.

It is Love that neither slumbers nor sleeps. We have not to shout ourselves hoarse to be heard. The faintest knockings, the lightest whispers are heeded, but we must be in earnest and ready to receive. We must not be as dull, unappreciative critics whose dust is to be shaken off, but we must be in harmony with the One Mind, and acknowledge no other. Pride of knowledge, of social position, of family, of wealth, will avail us nothing, but will be a hindrance, for partaking of the tree of knowledge occasioned the fall of man; and our place is the mansion in “My Father’s house”; and we are all of one family, and our wealth is the kingdom of heaven. The veriest beggar is as rich as we, if we possess a more full understanding; in proportion as we have it are we rich.

We need not expect all peace now, else where would our growth be out of error? It is good to serve man because it is good to reflect Truth, and because we are brothers and sisters in Christ; and in serving others we are gaining ourselves, provided our motives are pure and holy. We should not do for others for a selfish gain, but because we are one family, with one Father, one Mother — God. Neither do we abstain from sin because of the penalty; but we must go farther, and uproot and destroy all desire for wrong doing. Over little things we must be faithful, that we may be made rulers over much; because that much will be our spiritual possessions, and our birthright and inheritance from Good. And when we are in the stormy sea, and fears and doubts assail us, we must know that there is nothing to fear, for Truth is here to uphold us, and we can hear the Master’s cry to Peter, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Christian Science, demonstrated, overcomes all error for us. It takes us into the “green pastures,” by the “still waters”; it prepares our tables in the presence of our enemies; it fills our cup to overflowing. We need but to be faithful. Our own work we have to do, and God always does His. Our hearts may well be filled with praise and thanksgiving; for Spirit is an eternal, ever-present, omnipotent, omniscient Love.

Christian Science Journal, January 1925

“Rooted and grounded in love”! What an abiding sense of establishment and nourishment in divine Principle these words of Paul bring to us!

Recently in a Sunday school class this phrase was discussed. It was asked, “What does it mean to be ‘rooted and grounded in love’?” Then one remembered that a plant, through its roots, takes hold of the ground so firmly that it cannot be upset or displaced, and that it is fed and nourished through its roots. Later, it was found that a root is defined as “a growing point, functioning as an organ of absorption, a food reservoir, or means of ... support.” Further information was given that most roots are provided with a root cap which protects the root, and “enables it to penetrate the soil without injury to the growing point.” In the light of this it was recognized that we should pray to be “rooted and grounded in love,” that we may “be filled with all the fulness of God.”

The root of the plant functions as the organ of absorption. Through our roots, or spiritual desires, we absorb God’s love, lay hold of the great food reservoirs of divine Mind, in order that we may grow in grace and thus bring forth our blossoms. The glory of the flower is its blossoming. The rosebush through its roots is established and nourished that it may through its blooming give forth its fragrance and beauty to bless others. Just so it is with each student of Christian Science. He finds his relation to God as Mind’s idea, and through his roots he is established and fed. Yes! But only in order that he may through his blossoming glorify his Maker and share the blessing with others. Thus we perceive our true relation to our fellow-men. And how spontaneously and joyously we can unfold in God’s likeness when rooted and grounded in His love! As Mary Baker Eddy says, “Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us.” (S&H p. 79)

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” John assures us. Now are we rooted and grounded in Love, the divine, sustaining Principle of all being, through Christ, the spiritual idea which dwells in our hearts by faith, so that we may share with all saints the vision of Love’s infinitude now and here.

Christian Science Sentinel, November 13, 1902

The Psalmist says, “Open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.” When a Christian Scientist, having an eye single to the glory of God and with the evidence of the spiritual senses before him, opens his mouth to talk, it is to say something of worth. He testifies to things of Spirit, to things of harmony and health.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness.” When we testify to matter’s discordant conditions, we are bearing false witness. When one says, I am hot, I am cold, I am sick, I am tired, he is bearing false witness. He is also breaking the first commandment, and turning his back on God.

How easy it is to bear false witness! How prone we are, at times, to admit the suggestions of material sense and voice a claim of error, and so make it real. The devil finds an easy channel in the mind of a discouraged one. Surely we should remember that while the path seems narrow, Mrs. Eddy tells us, “It expands as you walk in it.”

Are we enlisted in this warfare to fight or to play? The temptation comes at times to question if we are, after all, doing much, if any, good. But how are we to outline God’s work and judge? We are to do our best, living up to our highest sense of goodness, and leave results to the infinite Mind, who doeth all things rightly and well; and we often find that we are doing far more than we ever dared hope or expect.

A common experience of mankind is a sense of limitation. We ask, “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” and the answer comes, “Ye shall be filled at my table, ... saith the Lord God.”

Before we learned the “Scientific Statement of Being” in Science and Health, we thought the supply was material and mortal mind was the source. But taking up and declaring the truth in that most wonderful paragraph, we learn there is no life in matter, there is no truth in matter, there is no intelligence or no substance in matter, we realize it cannot give us one thing or do anything for us, and we are cutting ourselves off from any reliance upon its supposed power in any way. Thus we see all is Spirit and its spiritual manifestation, and we have only what we demonstrate or express by our realization of this declaration.

If our spiritual sense is impoverished, our bank account may soon be also, for we are lacking in and failing to express the one Substance, divine Love. The apostle says, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another.” If we love enough, we have all, and can do all, for Love is the one and only Substance.

When we pay the debt of love, when we love in the face of hate, opposition, and persecution, when we wait patiently and lovingly on God to work things out, and keep our minds pure and in Love, we shall soon find it is indeed “the fulfilling of the law,” for it covers the whole ground of demonstration.

Let us, then, love and bear witness only of Love, and thus realize the fulfillment of the promise, “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

Christian Science Sentinel, July 10, 1926

Christian Science assures us of the immortality of man. And how has it been able to do this truly wonderful thing? It has told the truth, the absolute truth, about God, the creator of man.

What, then, is this truth that Christian Science reveals about God? It is that God is infinite and eternal Mind; the fact that God’s universe — Mind’s universe — consists of spiritual ideas, for that which Mind creates must be like Mind itself. And since God’s universe necessarily includes man, man must be the spiritual idea of God, divine Mind.

It therefore follows that man, God’s image and likeness, as the Scriptures affirm, must reflect or manifest the qualities of Mind. And some of these qualities are: unlimited intelligence, perfect love, spiritual power, holiness, health, wisdom, purity, understanding — all spiritual qualities of God. Thus it is perceived that man must be immortal, because he reflects the eternal spiritual qualities of Life.

But the questions may arise, What of mankind? What of material existence with its disease and sin? What of that which men call death? Christian Science asks in reply, Can a single one of these possibly be found in God’s creation? The answer is: No, not one of them; for God’s creation is spiritual and perfect, entirely free from sin, disease, and death, without the least taint of materiality or evil. Sin, sickness, death, matter, are nothing but false concepts of the so-called human mind; and of them Mrs. Eddy writes, “The human concepts named matter, death, disease, sickness, and sin are all that can be destroyed.”(S&H p. 426)

And what of the subtle lie of old age? This universal belief of mankind should be quite definitely countered by the truth that man has always existed as idea “in the bosom of the Father,” — in divine Mind, — and that, as idea, man will continue so to exist. Spiritual ideas can never grow old. They have their being in immortal Mind; and there they abide in perpetual maturity, forever perfectly protected. Matter has nothing whatever to do with God, that is, with the real Life of man; matter has therefore nothing to do with man’s life. As Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 200), “Life is, always has been, and ever will be independent of matter; for Life is God, and man is the idea of God, not formed materially but spiritually, and not subject to decay and dust.”

In Science and in Truth man is immortal because God, the divine Principle of man, is immortal.

Christian Science Sentinel, August 13, 1921

“The Lord is the strength of my life,” asserts David in that wonderfully eloquent and inspiring twenty-seventh psalm. David had no belief of strength in matter; he attributed all his energy to the Lord, the Supreme Ruler. In the thirteenth verse he proclaims, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” And that is the secret of strength. What a very simple solution after all! Just seeing the goodness of the Lord expressed. That is perfect prayer, and perfect praise.

Strength does not mean physical strength, though this is generally the aftermath. There is the strength of purpose, strength to do right under trying and perverse conditions, strength to see good though evil seems to predominate, and to keep the perfect vision in front of us till at last error yields and the condition vanishes as we “see the goodness of the Lord” in all things.

“The Lord is my strength,” and this strength is perpetual, continuous, inexhaustible. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” There is plenty to draw from. This same strength is one of “the unsearchable riches of Christ,” Truth; it is limitless. Since the divine Mind is strength and is everywhere, filling all space, here at this minute with you and me, then we have strength always at hand. The whole of this energizing force is ours, so long as it is rightly used.

The suppositional opposite of strength is weakness. How often we have heard it said, “There is no reliance to be placed on him; he is such a weak character.” How should we act in such a case? Error is subtle; it may whisper that it is too trivial to be taken notice of, or suggest that you “treat” the one under discussion. One course would be neglecting a duty, the other gross officiousness.

The demand is simple. Reverse the sense testimony; know no weakness, realize strength, “see the goodness of the Lord” as manifest through man. On page 183 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mrs. Eddy says: “Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power.”

We must stick to the truth unflinchingly, and in proportion as we faithfully work, strength will be given for fresh conquests. God, good, must be first, last, and all the time, then we shall be able to sing with David, “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.”

Christian Science Sentinel, October 25, 1913

True joy can come only from the possession or expectation of good. Evil can never enter into lasting joy, for evil is destructive in its nature and would, if it could, shatter the sense of joy.

We are almost startled by Jesus' statement in the Sermon on the Mount, as given in Luke’s gospel: “Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.” The promise, “Ye shall laugh,” is so unusual, so different from the conventional phrases of stereotyped religion, that it arrests attention. Is it true that the joyousness which bubbles over in laughter can be a spiritual reward for the self-sacrifice and repentance typified by weeping? We are reminded of Mrs. Eddy’s agreement with the late Rev. Dr. Talmage, quoted in “Miscellaneous Writings” (p. 117), that “there are wit, humor, and enduring vivacity among God’s people.”

Is there, indeed, any joyousness comparable to that of knowing evil overcome and good once more in possession? Is there any sunshine like that which bursts through the clouds, or any bird song so sweet as that which comes after “the winter of our discontent”? In the Christian Science textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” Mrs. Eddy points out the secret of happiness, which must underlie true joyousness in these words: "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it" (p.57).

Joyousness which bursts forth from an inner consciousness of good as ever present and all powerful, comes from a spiritual source. The recognition of God’s constant protection, of His guidance by means of the "still small voice," of His beneficent law in adjusting and arranging our difficulties, of the nonentity of evil, the baselessness of fear, and the imperishable nature of man in God’s image — this recognition means happiness and is “born of Truth and Love.”

True happiness, like every gift of God, is unlimited in its supply. It cannot be monopolized, nor can its quality be adulterated by an admixture of matter, of evil, or of personal sense. The enjoyment of happiness by one person does not shorten the supply for any one else. There are no bounds to the possession, no limits to the availability of happiness for all. Fear is entirely absent from true happiness, for Christ Jesus has given this assurance: “Your joy no man taketh from you.” Neither greed nor envy can be roused by its possession, because it is for all. “It cannot exist alone,” as Mrs. Eddy has said, “but requires all mankind to share it.”

The progress of the Christian Scientist is therefore constantly illumined by bursts of joyousness, of spiritual sunshine. From the first dim perception that perhaps sin and suffering are not inevitable or disease incurable, to the full realization of the omnipotence of good, the way is gladdened by moments of that joyousness which is based upon spiritual realization. After every descent into the valley of contrition comes the ascent into the mount of revelation. After every act of repentance comes the season of renewed consecration, the pouring on of the “oil of gladness,” the being clothed upon with the “beauty of holiness,” the awakening in the likeness of the Father-Mother God which satisfies.

Why worry for the future?

Eternal good is mine,

For have I not His promise

“SON, all I have is thine.”

Why fret about past failures?

God would not have me pine

Because these words I doubted,

“SON, all I have is thine.”

Why live not for the present?

Love knows no other time

In which to prove this blessing

“SON, all I have is thine.”

Current Articles

I have been thinking recently about our Lord’s Prayer in which we say “Our Father, which art in heaven,” and I have been thinking about what heaven means.

Mrs. Eddy says heaven is a state of consciousness. But my image had been some sort of distant God in a distant heaven, where we go when we pass on. And then one day it struck me that, actually, if heaven was a state of consciousness, then I could go to heaven anytime I liked. I just had to change my thinking. It was a very liberating thing to realize.

So last night, while taking my dogs on their late walk, I realized I was feeling a bit despondent. There seem to be all sorts of challenging things going on that are threatening to take away the peace of society, and I was feeling this. Usually I am uplifted when I walk in nature, as I can see God’s glory everywhere, even at night.

Here in England we have had many dark months of intense, severe rain and low, thick grey skies for days and weeks on end; but last night the sky was clear, the stars were out and it was like seeing old friends again. But even that could not lift my mood. At one point I said out loud, “God why do You feel so distant?”

Then I was reminded of my realization about heaven. And if I couldn’t take myself to heaven when walking on a quiet country lane with my dogs, with the sky full of stars above me, I’m not sure when I could. But even so, it did feel a huge switch to make, from feeling all the weight of material woes to being in heaven.

I remembered the teaching from a recent Roundtable, to work with the section about “I Am” from the Blue Book, page 51. I had spent some time working with this, and it was wonderful. “I Am where Thou art” was especially meaningful to me. So as I walked along I said “I am where Thou art.” And immediately I knew that I could never be where God is not. And just making that statement immediately brought a change.

I then remembered a beautiful article from the Plainfield website, entitled “The Secret.” The author says he or she has discovered how to demonstrate the Science: “Not to see or hear or repeat any kind of imperfection. It is seeing, hearing and repeating good, and good only, at all times, under all circumstances, in spite of everything that appears to the contrary.”

So as I walked along, I told myself that everything I passed was perfect — a tree, a wall, a house, the clouds, the stars, the road, everything was a perfect part of God’s perfect creation. As I walked back into the village past the houses, I thought of God’s children inside each house, perfect expressions of perfect God, and I was filled with deep love for all of them.

By the time I got home, my mood was completely uplifted. I truly was in heaven. It was a real switch from how I had felt just half an hour earlier. Even my dogs seemed calmer and happier.

I feel very grateful to have discovered not only how to go to heaven whenever I want to, but how to see perfection and how to know that wherever I am, God already is.

I am so grateful for all the correct teaching we receive in Plainfield Church regarding how to pray and watch — to pray without ceasing as the Bible and Mrs. Eddy have instructed us.  

In particular, when praying for children, prayers can be found on the Plainfield Children’s Website for all to use. And there is a link to a booklet called “Praying and Watching to Bless All Children,” which is filled with prayers. On the next to last page is a Hymn called “The Deer’s Cry.”

I would like to share excerpts of the Deer’s Cry, that I use to start my prayers for children each day, for all children big and small: “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me. I arise today Through the mighty strength Of the Lord of creation.”

We have prayers for all occasions and every need or situation. This is so wonderful and my heart is filled with gratitude for learning this and applying it consistently with great love.

The Bible tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” He has the perfect solution to every problem and answers each time we call on Him.

As I was driving on the freeway, my car died. I saw an exit right in front of me, so I pulled my car over, put on my flashers, and parked, still on the exit. I was scared. The cars on the freeway came by so fast, they were shaking my car with the wind of their velocity. I got out of my car and called a male friend thinking he would come right away and save the day. He told me to call my service provider, call a tow truck, then call him back. I was disappointed in his response and started to resent him. After calling my service provider and arranging the tow — which I was told would take about an hour and a half — I didn’t know if it would be safer to stand on the side of the road or sit in my car. I could feel a mental tennis match starting. Then it occurred to me to pray.

I was so full of fear all I could say was “God is good, God is good, God is good.” I felt like a scared little rabbit. I took out my phone and saw a Wednesday service from Plainfield on my screen. I listened to the testimonies. Janet from Georgia told of her plastic Adirondack chair that had ended up floating in the middle of the lake. At that moment, sitting in the back of my car, on the side of the freeway, with no power to my vehicle, I felt like that floating Adirondack chair! It made me smile. She told how her neighbor and her husband went to get their fishing poles while Janet prayed. She said it appeared the wind was moving the chair in their direction. This sparked my interest because it appeared the wind from the cars zipping by was pushing my car around, and it kept stirring up my fears.

In the middle of these fears I remembered something someone else at Plainfield said, “I am not a scared little rabbit running around seeking God’s protection, I am a lion equipped with God’s power.” So the wind of the cars zipping by was moving me in the right direction too — it was moving me to rest and trust in God. The calm came, and the wind from the cars zipping by seemed to be less strong. I continued to listen to the testimony. Janet and her husband rescued the chair, and then Janet turned to her husband and said, “We thank God for this demonstration of Love.” Their love brought tears of joy and gratitude to my eyes.

The tow truck driver arrived within 30 minutes. As he drove me and my car home he said, "you know, I had someone on the freeway to get before you but I couldn’t find him and then I saw you.” He saw God’s little Adirondack chair! He delivered me and my car safely home, and when we parted we both said “God bless you."

God is always there to help when we feel like the floating Adirondack in the middle of the lake. He anchors us to Him and keeps us safe. We can trust His care.

A recent weekly Bible lesson was on Soul. Soul, which in Christian Science, we learn is a synonym for God, and its meaning is “identity.”

When my husband passed away several years ago, I refused to identify with the word “widow.” Isaiah 54 says “Thy maker is thine husband.” So, my true identity, as a child of God, always included “husband.” I knew from this that I could never lose my husband or anything that was good.

As a manager of many properties, it was tempting to be frightened by the daunting task of continuing this work on my own — always lots to do, lots to remember, and much responsibility, if I were looking at all of this in human terms. But, thanks to Christian Science and God, I am not. I am looking at it through “Christ colored glasses,” as John Morgan has said. And, it is through those glasses that I saw, and still see, myself being husbanded by God, that I see all of my needs fulfilled, as a false sense of responsibility drops away. I see people as expressions of God-qualities coming forward to offer help. I see in myself, besides the feminine qualities that I aways had, the masculine qualities that belong to God, that as His reflection, I reflect in full measure! I am so grateful and blessed for the outlook that Christian Science teaching provides and for the evidence of its great Truths.

A long time ago, I found myself in a very challenging situation with another individual. I didn't feel supported in many ways, including being judged for being a Christian Scientist.

One summer, I was struggling with extremely painful hemorrhoids, and this individual thought I was crazy not to rely on some over-the-counter medication. But I knew I was learning something through prayer, because each time I needed to do something important or physically strenuous, I was pain-free and able to be fully present and participate. Yet full healing didn't come right away. 

One excruciating morning, I lay down and turned to God wholeheartedly in prayer. A question came: "Are you praying to see yourself as a perfect child of God but seeing someone else as outside of God?" Well, yes, I was. I just hadn't recognized it.

In that moment, I saw the absurdity of that. God is All. No exceptions. Literally, the instant I fully felt that truth, the excruciating pain switched off, and has never returned.

That was wonderful, of course. But far more important was the huge aha! moment about my practice of Christian Science, which had been selfish and, frankly, wrong.

Once I truly understood that we are all the perfect children of God, everything shifted in how I saw this individual, how I experienced relationships between people, and how I understood and practiced Christian Science. It was a huge turning point.

Christian Science is not some little personal healthcare plan, but a commitment to work, work, work, watch, and pray for all humankind, all creatures great and small, the whole of existence.

Now, if I'm ever tempted to feel justified in judging another individual — seeing them as separate from God — I'm reminded of this humorous lesson God gave me through this healing; namely, God’s perfect child cannot be, and therefore can never have, a pain in the behind.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3: 28

Paul says in Galatians 3:28 that before God and Christ, neither our human heritage nor gender are relevant, because the only thing that counts, is that we are all one in Christ. Presently there is much discussion about gender identity in the world. Have you ever wondered what Mrs. Eddy says about this topic?

Mrs. Eddy takes a radical stand on gender, she says: “…man is a generic term. Masculine, feminine, and neuter genders are human concepts.” (S&H 516:30-31) And “Gender means simply kind or sort, and does not necessarily refer either to masculinity or femininity. The word is not confined to sexuality,...” (S&H 508:17-19)

In Miscellany, page 239:18-23 Mrs. Eddy repeats: “Man is the generic term for men and women. Man, as the idea or image and likeness of the infinite God, is a compound, complex idea or likeness of the infinite one, or one infinite, whose image is the reflection of all that is real and eternal in infinite identity.”

Can we accept for ourselves and others to be the reflection of the divine infinite and not a mortal being defined by physical body parts? If we would do so, all discussion about sex or human gender could be set aside and man would be seen in the divine light with male and female qualities, “a compound complex idea.”

In the Bible we read: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Gen 1:27) It doesn’t say, man was created male or female, but male and female.

Mrs. Eddy continues in Miscellany (p. 239:23-27): “Gender means a kind. Hence mankind — in other words, a kind of man who is identified by sex — is the material, so-called man born of the flesh, and is not the spiritual man, created by God, Spirit, who made all that was made.”

Further she says in S&H 511:25-3, “Animals and mortals metaphorically present the gradation of mortal thought, rising in the scale of intelligence, taking form in masculine, feminine, or neuter gender. The fowls, which fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven, correspond to aspirations soaring beyond and above corporeality to the understanding of the incorporeal and divine Principle, Love.” As the soaring eagle, we can rise above the earth — the earth standing for the gravitation towards the belief in many minds, persons, races and genders. The divine eagle wings of understanding lift us towards the heights which culminate in divine Love, where we find peace in being one — one with God and one with our fellow men in God, Mind, Love.

If God is one, if God is mother and father and we come from God, we must be one also, reflecting both father and mother, male and female, not as sexual gender but as characteristics. As God is infinite, it is well to imagine that there are infinite ways to express the male and female characteristics in any one of us.

“The purification or baptismals that come from Spirit, develop, step by step, the original likeness of perfect man and efface the mark of the beast.” (Miscellaneous Writings 18: 1-3)

The beast that we need to get rid of, is the false belief in separation from God and division or classification in many different people, minds, races, nations, gender. Once we start the quest to liberate ourselves from this beast, we purify our thoughts, and step by step the healing to become whole and holy begins.

“The prominent laws which forward birth in the divine order of Science, are these: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me;’ ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.” These commands of infinite wisdom, translated into the new tongue, their spiritual meaning, signify: Thou shalt love Spirit only, not its opposite, in every God-quality, even in substance; thou shalt recognize thyself as God’s spiritual child only, and the true man and true woman, the all-harmonious ‘male and female,’ as of spiritual origin, God’s reflection, — thus as children of one common Parent, — wherein and whereby Father, Mother, and child are the divine Principle and divine idea, even the divine ‘Us’ — one in good, and good in One.”

“With this recognition man could never separate himself from good, God; and he would necessarily entertain habitual love for his fellow-man. Only by admitting evil as a reality, and entering into a state of evil thoughts, can we in belief separate one man’s interest from those of the whole human family, or thus attempt to separate Life from God.” (Miscellaneous Writings 18:8-28)

Dividing man in male and female genders is the human approach to catalogue what we see with mortal eyes. Marriage or living together as couples is the human attempt to unite the male and female aspects. But neither human marriage nor physical gender determination are able to reach divine heights of Love and Peace. Instead we need to get rid of the human concepts and rise above them to the spiritual understanding that we all are the sons and children of God — now.

Mrs. Eddy gives us advice to “Look high enough, and you see the heart of humanity warming and winning. Look long enough, and you see male and female one – sex or gender eliminated; you see the designation man meaning woman as well, and you see the whole universe included in one infinite Mind and reflected in the intelligent compound idea, image or likeness, called man, showing forth the infinite divine Principle, Love, called God, — man wedded to the Lamb, pledged to innocence, purity, perfection. Then shall humanity have learned that ‘they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God.’ (Luke 20: 35, 36.)” Miscellany 268:27-10

I’m so grateful to God and to Mrs. Eddy for giving us the “Scientific Statement of being,” which can be found on page 468 of Science and Health. I would just like to repeat it here for those who haven’t heard it before. She says, “What is the scientific statement of being?” And the answer is, “There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual.”

I hear people refer to being God’s “image and likeness” in some testimonies here, and also from abroad; all understand man as God’s image and likeness. And that seems to come when it’s gratefully accepted and lived, daily knowing that this is what I am, this is what makes me one with God. And to appreciate the power in the truth of our oneness with God, that alone seems to bring people much comfort, much peace, and much healing.

I just wanted to remind us all, because it’s one of the things that we say often, like the “Lord’s Prayer,” not to take it for granted, to help us learn anew what we really are.

When we know what we are, then we’re not subject to the carnal thoughts, the wrong thoughts that come. From obeying that with gratitude, with our hearts just being so happy for knowing who we are, we can glorify God. It says, “Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (I Corinthians 6:20) Thank God for everything that He’s doing in this Church, in our lives, and having the ability because of what we are learning, to look at this world and all the things going on in a different light.

Very often I will get requests from people who would like help with joints, or limbs, or bones. In the book, Mary Baker Eddy’s Lessons of the Seventh Day, I found where Mrs. Eddy says, on page 131, “let love come into his bones like oil.” Then from Psalm 6, “O Lord heal me; for my bones are vexed.” And from Ezekiel 37, “O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” Mrs. Eddy says, “Your bones shall rejoice for God governs them.” And from Psalm 51:8, “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.”

I thought that was so beautiful, to let love come into his bones like oil. We know oil is a lubricant; so for dry bones, sore bones, whatever we might have, let us think of that oil which God provides. We all love the 23rd Psalm. The psalmist David says, “thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

The definition Mrs. Eddy gives for “oil” in Science and Health is “Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration.” Those are beautiful qualities to ponder. Thinking of the 23rd Psalm every morning, we should have ourselves anointed with the oil of God, with this beautiful definition of what oil is. Fresh every morning, and ready for the day ahead, we will be lubricated and limber, and ready for whatever the day brings.

I’m so grateful for these beautiful thoughts we get from our dear Mrs. Eddy, and from our Bible, from Christ Jesus, that we can make practical in our daily lives, because they certainly do bring healing to every part of our body, including our bones.

Back to the top of the page

Letters of Gratitude

Painting by Dale Adler

For the many blessings this Independent church continually imparts, I treasure and look forward to each and every day! From historical facts conveyed in our daily reading and Bible studies, from authentic biographies of Mary Baker Eddy, and from articles by “old time” workers, we discover the real founding of our country, the United States of America. The article “Pilgrims” by Elizabeth Earl Jones, re-printed from a 1916 Christian Science Journal, was included in the December 2022 Love is the Liberator, and is absolutely excellent!

I include my monthly contribution to continue the great work of this church, in promoting Truth and Love, and in following the Christ to peace and freedom for all.

We want to thank you for all the wonderful work that is done for the Global 24/7 reading room. We were out of range recently on a country retreat and there were limited times when we were able to access the website. Wow, this really highlighted for us the huge blessing our 24/7 reading room is. Even if you don’t know exactly what you need, we have found many times that God directs us to the very thing we needed at the very moment that we needed it. The Global 24/7 reading room is truly a more vast and mammoth collection of the finest Christian Science teachings, almost more than I can fathom. The pure articles, readings, meetings, testimonies, hymns, music, singing are presented in a very user-friendly way, and we know how much effort is required to do this. This church is blessing so many of us in this way.

Bicknell Young wrote, “seeing church Divinely preserves it,” and then he goes on to quote Jesus who told Peter, “Upon this rock, I will build my church.” Truly Plainfield Independent has divinely preserved Christian Science upon the Rock spoken of by Christ Jesus.

Our deepest love and thanks to you all!

I am grateful and happy to have found the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent. I was not looking for a new church, per se, I was only looking for deeper answers to my seeming struggles as to where I was heading in my Christian Science studies.

Thank you, Plainfield, for providing this sacred website, so full of inspiring articles, music, and the many other archived materials 24/7. Thank you for teaching us how to apply the seven synonyms for God, as provided in our textbook by Mrs. Eddy, in order to expand our understanding of our relationship with our Father-Mother-God.

Much appreciated, thank you!

In a recent Roundtable, Twelve Years With Mary Baker Eddy by Rev. Irving C. Tomlinson was mentioned, telling of Mrs. Eddy’s encouragement of right doing and also of her rebukes. In reading this book, it conveys Mrs. Eddy’s steadfastness to the Word of God with no deviation; but also her very humble and compassionate kindness to everyone, her love and appreciation of beauty, and her sharing it with the world. Just as we have Christ Jesus as our example for living, it behooves us to learn through her authentic and correct biographies, the lessons from Mrs. Eddy’s daily life, to learn what it truly means to be a Christian Scientist.

Enclosed is my yearly donation to the church for 2023.

I’ve been seeing the ads on tv and in the mail lately from charities that want donations and my heart aches for those who need help. I decided the best way to help not only those folks but all mankind for all time to come would be to help spread the truth that Christian Science teaches. The best way I know of to do that is to add to what I would give various charities to my church donation.

I trust you and know my donation will be used wisely.

Among the blessings I am grateful for is the Sunday School established in this church, and for its dedicated teachers.

The teaching based on Mary Baker Eddy’s Church Manual; the Shepherd Magazine; the diverse and instructional Sunday School website, including the “Models of Excellence,” which introduce important Bible and historical figures, showing the good they did in their lives and the impact it’s had on the world; the very practical examples given for students to apply Christian Science in their daily lives, are just some of the things that make this Sunday School a vital part of this church. The teleconference feature extends this vibrant teaching to students worldwide, as all are welcome!

Thank you to the teachers in this Sunday School, who answer questions with simple truths that make sense and are easy to understand and apply.

I would like to express boundless love and gratitude for the Plainfield Church family members for the light that they shine so brightly, drawing those from the world who want to know the truth, to know the harmony of Soul when the world would seem so upside down. The work which the members do on a daily basis is a true work of “loving our neighbor” whomever or wherever the neighbor might be.

The “Watches” are beautiful! I am very grateful for a recent Thursday watch. As we gather together online here in the UK to do a watch, I was struck by the purity and wealth of the watch, “Perfect Love casteth out fear,” “God is everywhere.” This particular watch seemed to cover all needs for all people. We are all grateful for the work of this watch. My husband and I continue to read this work daily.

With a recent challenge, I called a Plainfield practitioner. She immediately began to pray, not only for myself, but for the situations here in England that need deep thought and effective prayer. The world is so blessed by our practitioners who help lift the individual above the material senses, but also are very busy lifting the world consciousness. Many difficulties worked out harmoniously due to the prayers of the practitioner, for which I am very grateful.

I am grateful to God for the Christ Light, for Plainfield Christian Science Church, for the church family, for Mrs. Eddy and her footsteps to bring the Truth to light for all to participate in, for close students of Mrs. Eddy who have left a rich and beautiful legacy for the world. Thank you.

I love the power of putting additional thought as to the Golden Text. The Lesson on Mind had a thoughtful Golden Text from Philippians, “And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” It is good to be kept mindful that we are the beloved child of God.

Much thanks to all the workers in the Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent for your dedication, support and love for God, the Christ, and Mary Baker Eddy.

Thank you, God, for the Christ, the Comforter and all who serve to keep thought mindful of Your presence in our lives.

Thank you for the wonderful Unreality lesson and for the Roundtable on Sunday, October 2, 2022. One of the things I have to thank Plainfield church for is it brought me out of the state of stagnation and immobility that I fell into for many years. Now I feel that I am walking again with the divine Mind. I am getting rid of bad habits of thought, and I have taken my study of Christian Science with more energy and trying to practice what I am understanding every day. I am discovering my way to the Father, knowing the importance of vigilance and not being satisfied with what I have achieved. No more conformism.

The Roundtables and readings on the website have helped me to get out of a selfish prayer centered too much on me and my personal problems, which only stagnated and immobilized me in many aspects. I am happy because I am regaining my spiritual elasticity, so to speak, and focusing more prayer towards the world. Truly, Christian Science is about sharing and elevating our motives in life beyond meeting only our personal needs. Moral and spiritual regeneration is the most important part of true healing. I realize now that several healings I had in Christian Science in the past were actually faith healings, which Mrs. Eddy warns us against. But now I am on my spiritual way again.

I thank God, the practitioner who is supporting me and the committed Plainfield members. God continue to bless you all very much.

Testimonies of Healing

California

I would like to acknowledge my gratitude for an experience I had a couple weeks ago. It was around 3:00 a.m. when I woke up from an earthquake. I live in California where this happened sometimes. My bed started shaking and I woke up really fast. Very fearful, I rushed to my son’s room. Before I got there it had stopped, I was still shaking, and then I paused. A message from God came to me: “You dwell in the secret place of the most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” I felt so much peace, I went back to my room to thank God and praise Him.

Psalm 91 is a psalm that I pray with very often. Practitioner from this church always recommends that I pray with it, it means a lot to me. Those words that night were so powerful, they kept me in peace.

I am very grateful to God for His protection and for all that I am learning in this church. Thank you Plainfield for this amazing website and for the tireless work you do. I feel so much love listening to the Roundtables every Sunday and always look forward to it. Thank you again.

from C.T. in New Jersey

I have gratitude for a healing practitioner in this church. During a recent detailed eye exam the eye doctor saw an unusual sign or brightness in one eye. He scheduled a further examination.

I reread the article “Eyes and Ears” by Bicknell Young in his Collected Writings. It is available at our church. I also asked a healing practitioner for prayerful support. The truth she spoke lifted me to hold myself as God’s idea, never born and never decaying.

The doctor gave me several eye tests and saw no trouble or problems. He said he was surprised at the results. I have no trouble with my optical nerves.

I thank Mary Baker Eddy, our healing practitioner and God.

Nairobi, Kenya

I am so grateful to God and to the dear practitioners in this church.

For some time, I was facing an impossible situation. I was praying that, when there appears to be no way, God will make a way. Maybe there was also too much human planning.

Eventually, I said to God: “Dear Father-Mother God, Thy will be done. Please, work this out in Your wise way.” And then I began to listen.

Then, step by step the way opened up naturally and beautifully, blessing all concerned. Thank you, God!

from T. D. in Iowa

I had a healing of my teeth. One was chipped and there was decay. I read from Addresses by Martha Wilcox, the chapter, “The Word Made Flesh.” There are many helpful ideas in this chapter, and in all of her book. I was able to see that in reality there was only harmony. Mrs. Eddy’s statement in Science and Health, “You command the situation if you understand that mortal existence is a state of self-deception and not the truth of being.” After thinking about this for a while, I felt my tooth again. It was not chipped and there was no decay. It feels like normal.

I want to share this testimony that it may give hope and encouragement to others.

I am grateful for the Plainfield Church and its workers, and for all they are sending out to the world of Mrs. Eddy’s pure Christian Science. I am also grateful for practitioner help and support.

from N. B. in Texas

A year ago I gave a testimony about my art career, saying that I hadn’t sold a painting in weeks, not even during the holiday season. I had phoned a Plainfield practitioner and asked her what I might need to handle in my prayerful work to break the lie that I was unsuccessful. She advised me to purify my motives and to listen to Gary’s testimony given on December 15, 2021. So I found the recorded testimonies from that service. And I listened. And I listened again, and once more.

And I began to examine my motives in painting. Was I painting to express God’s beauty in His creation or was I simply painting to sell something or add to my inventory. Then I examined my motives in wanting to sell my paintings. Making a living was certainly one of them, but more than that, I just wanted to move some inventory and clear out my studio and paint something new. There was no love in that, in fact, it was a selfish motive.

So, I consciously changed my motive whenever I thought about my paintings. I knew that they would bless others and brighten someone’s home. They were little demonstrations of my listening to God’s direction, and not my own selfish creations. And I was grateful to have so many on hand. And most importantly, I stopped whining to myself and others.

Well, to make a long story short, I was commissioned by some previous customers to paint about a dozen paintings for an historic building and some pet portraits. All of this over a two-day period. And my cup kept running over! My update to all of this is that in 2022, I sold 36 paintings.

I am so very grateful to learn this lesson on motives. And I want to thank our wonderful Plainfield practitioners for their loving support. Have a wonderful evening.

from D. D. from Georgia

I'm so grateful for learning through Christian Science in this church, what protection there is in following God’s direction.

Within the last several months I've been in line for two big promotions at work, and when presented with each opportunity, I began praying immediately for God to guide me, with the desire to do only what He wants me to do, be only where He wants me to be, to be used for His good purpose, and to have only what He sees fit for me and my family. I continued with this prayer throughout each hiring process, and both resulted with me remaining in my current role to happily continue serving others as best as I can. I'm grateful to know that each position went to the right person.

A recent calendar quote by Art Anker reads, “Shepherd show me how to go, there are so many things I long to know”

One of the greatest healings I've had through Christian Science is gaining the sincere desire to follow God’s perfectly prepared plan for me. This alleviates the feeling of desperation and disappointment that I once felt in regards to making progress, as I'm confident that He’s keeping me in my right place, to learn and grow at the right pace. 

from S. W. in New Jersey

My son talks about politics but never about God. So, when he came at Christmas, he was telling me about his friend saying government was the supreme power. My son said, “No! God is the only power, and He is supreme. He governs. Things would be good if people put their trust in God, not government.” This really surprised me and pleased me also. He acknowledged God as all-knowing and supreme.

He was healed through prayer and has been reading the church calendar and applying the statements to things in his life. He took in the Truth and when the time came, he passed it on and stood on the side of right!

I am so grateful for Christian Science, this church and for all the Truth radiating from the Roundtable, Bible studies and services. I am grateful for practitioner help.

from L. S. in New Jersey

I would like to express my gratitude for a healing of the return of old allergy symptoms. All my life I had severe allergies during late fall when leaves would pile up and begin to rot. Very often the severe allergy symptoms incapacitated me, affecting my breathing. At one point I turned to the medical for help, but nothing corrected the situation, and the side effects of the medicine were intolerable. Years ago one of my first healings was of these symptoms, that were completely healed through the prayers of my Plainfield practitioner. I no longer experienced any symptoms during that season. 

The other day I found myself for several days, needing to walk around trucks collecting piles of old wet leaves. I felt a sudden return of my worst symptoms from the past. The turnaround came while talking to my practitioner and she said emphatically, “God’s little leaves hurt you? What a thought! How can an idea of God suffer from His loving creation?”

She also reminded me to stop seeing myself as a weak, wounded victim but as strong and sturdy, as God made me. I was reminded of my favorite quote by Mary Baker Eddy: “Every leaf of every tree declares perpetually that God is Love.” (The Blue Book, page 234)

I am happy to say that the symptoms quickly disappeared and have not returned.

from S. K. in Sweden

The autumn provided one opportunity for working out a situation, when our wood dealer sold out much earlier than expected. According to the press, firewood had sold out all over the country. “In God we trust, He will provide” was our focus. We tried to find wood, but to no avail, for people bought in panic.

One day a shop assistant in the city gave us a note with a telephone number. Our wood dealer had been thinking about our need. There was a private dealer who had stock, seemingly too far away. When I spoke with him, he said that his son lives in our village, and he was happy to visit him with a load of firewood for us, and he did. Without much explanation, he delivered not just once, but twice. In the end we have more firewood than ever before! We are very, very grateful for the trust you can put in God.

We are happy and grateful that we found Plainfield Christian Science Independent. “This is not about seeking, it is about striving,” Mary Baker Eddy wrote. Very significant for us, who formerly had been seeking our whole lives.

from I. H. in Australia

Looking back over the last two years since finding Plainfield Independent, I am very grateful for the many wonders that have occurred. In so many situations my husband and I have walked through safely and beautifully. We have been protected and blessed. As a child I would always want to pick a fight with evil, with error of any kind. Whenever I felt it, whenever I saw it, my whole stance was that of a fight! Picking a fight with error was not a good move, and it certainly is not what Christian Science teaches, where we are shown how to truly love our enemies, and how to turn lovingly and trustingly to the Truth. Mary Baker Eddy writes: “If Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk and conversation, you can finally say, ‘I have fought a good fight;’ I have kept the faith, because you are a better man.”

At this church I am finally learning to lay aside my mortal fight and turn only to the Truth. I am learning that I do not need to reply to error, I do not need to talk with it, I do not commune with it, I do not try to make peace with it, I do not try to understand it. Christian Science teaches us that we have the Christ authority to command all error, “get thee hence”! This is the prayer that handles error effectively. The battle truly is the Lord’s! So now the battle is simply to wrestle the human self into submission.

Mrs. Eddy expressed this Truth: “Evil is nothing, no thing, mind, nor power.” I am so very grateful to be a member and worker for God at Plainfield independent.

from P. C. in Canada

The mother of a Sunday School student brought her young son to class almost an hour early to talk to me. She explained that he was very sick, and thought that the best place for him to be was in Sunday School. She left him with me, and he sat down, very weak, and laid his little head on the table.

By popular demand, our class had been playing a game for the young children that we called, “Knock. Knock.” We were learning to let good thoughts into our thinking, and keep out the bad ones. We started by identifying which were good thoughts and what were bad thoughts, then asking, “Would God send us this thought?” We talked about which commandment the thought kept or broke. And we also talked about the sneakiness of error.

I had made a cardboard swinging door. The rule was, “Do NOT open the door unless you know it’s a good thought sent from God.” I sometimes stood on one side of the door and knocked, saying, “Knock! Knock!” A student standing on the other side of the door would ask, “What do you want?” I might suggest a good thought like, “I like to put away my toys, so things don’t get messy.” Or, I might ask, “Why don’t you go to the store and take some of those gummy worms that are so yummy? The sales person can’t see that candy counter from where she stands at the cash register. It’ll be easy!” The child behind the door yelled out, “No way that I’m going to open the door! That’s a dumb idea! Go away!” Everyone clapped. One little boy loved to say, “Beat it! I’m not listening to that idea. Get lost!”

So, I said to the young lad with his head on the table, “Hey, let’s play the Knock, Knock game. We’ll play it a little differently this time.” “Yeah, OK!” he said in a quiet voice.” I said, “Knock! Knock!” He said, “Who is there?” I said, “Let’s pretend… It’s Mr. Head. Your head!” “My head?” he puzzled. “Yes. Pretend your head is talking to you.” I explained. “Well… OK. What do you want, Mr. Head?” he asked. “I want you to have an ache for me!” I said. “I don’t want an ache! I don’t need an ache!” he retorted. I said, “That doesn’t matter! I’m saying you have to have an ache. You fell off your bike, right over the handlebars.” The child objected, “Forget it! I’m not going to do that! God makes the rules, not you, Mr. Head! You can’t bully me! I don’t have to listen to that kind of stuff!”

Then we played the game as though Mr. Stomach was knocking on the door. This was followed by Mr. Foot, etc. He loved the game. After each suggestion of talk/temptation coming from a body part, he began to giggle more and more at the sheer ridiculousness of the game, until he was laughing. “Silly! Silly! Silly!” he said. And he came to see more clearly that body cannot talk to him. We should listen to and obey only the ideas that God sends, the ones that are good for us.

Before the class began, he felt all better, and told everyone in the class all about the new way to play the game, and how he felt better. All thanks be to God for this healing!

I’m tremendously grateful to God for leading me to the Plainfield Christian Science Church Independent. I dearly love the Roundtables. They are like a Sunday School class for me, where I’m learning a lot!

from L. T. in New York

I am so grateful to God for Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science, which continues to teach me, every day, that the most important relationship I have, is with God. Having that one single purpose has brought so many deep and healing changes into my life. Learning who God is and who I am has turned every aspect of my life into something meaningful. 

As a child, I never understood how God could allow the violence in our house to continue for years. My dad was an alcoholic who violently beat my mom and all of us children. I felt like a child living in a war-torn country, subjected to the violence of my captor. I witnessed and experienced things that a child should never have to endure. I hated him so much and that hate turned into blaming a God I never truly understood. I was so lost and alone. I spent 20 years in cognitive therapy, in and out of mental institutions for suicide attempts and inability to cope with life’s stresses, with no hope of change, constantly being told that I would never heal from childhood abuse.

About 10 years ago a friend gave me the number of a Practitioner from this church. It wasn’t an easy thing to do but I called, scared, angry and filled with contempt for all that I had endured and all that I had become. My life was in total chaos. I am so thankful every day that my Practitioner never gave up on me. She reached down and pulled me up. With every phone call I made, she filled me with Love and Truth. In the months that followed, I began to understand the meaning and power of forgiveness, and my whole life changed. I was no longer a victim but a child of God, filled with faith, hope, trust and purpose. I am living proof that healing is possible through the study and practice of Christian Science.

I don’t think about my past very often but when I do, I discover all the ways God was there, guiding me through it all, like the night the Whippoorwill called from the woods as I lay terrified in my bed. I was drawn to crawl out my window and lay on the ground, peacefully smiling at the joyous sound that echoed through the trees.

I am so thankful for this healing and everything that this church stands for. It is a mighty powerful institution. I am deeply grateful to God for my practitioner and her continuous teaching and support.

Back to the top of the page

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!

Back to the top of the page

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”

Back to the top of the page