From my tower window, as I look on this smile of Christian Science, this gift from my students and their students, it will always mirror their love, loyalty, and good works. Solomon saith, "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." [10]
The waters that run among the valleys, and that you have coaxed in their course to call on me, have served the imagination for centuries. Theology religiously bathes in water, medicine applies it physically, hydrology handles it with so-called science, and metaphysics appro- [15]
priates it topically as type and shadow. Metaphysically, baptism serves to rebuke the senses and ill.u.s.trate Christian Science.
_First:_ The baptism of repentance is indeed a stricken state of human consciousness, wherein mortals gain [20]
severe views of themselves; a state of mind which rends the veil that hides mental deformity. Tears flood the eyes,
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agony struggles, pride rebels, and a mortal seems a [1]
monster, a dark, impenetrable cloud of error; and falling on the bended knee of prayer, humble before G.o.d, he cries, "Save, or I perish." Thus Truth, searching the heart, neutralizes and destroys error. [5]
This mental period is sometimes chronic, but oftener acute. It is attended throughout with doubt, hope, sorrow, joy, defeat, and triumph. When the good fight is fought, error yields up its weapons and kisses the feet of Love, while white-winged peace sings to the heart a song of [10]
angels.
_Second:_ The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the spirit of Truth cleansing from all sin; giving mortals new motives, new purposes, new affections, all pointing up- ward. This mental condition settles into strength, free- [15]
dom, deep-toned faith in G.o.d; and a marked loss of faith in evil, in human wisdom, human policy, ways, and means.
It develops individual capacity, increases the intellectual activities, and so quickens moral sensibility that the great demands of spiritual sense are recognized, and they [20]
rebuke the material senses, holding sway over human consciousness.
By purifying human thought, this state of mind per- meates with increased harmony all the minutiae of human affairs. It brings with it wonderful foresight, wisdom, [25]
and power; it unselfs the mortal purpose, gives steadi- ness to resolve, and success to endeavor. Through the accession of spirituality, G.o.d, the divine Principle of Christian Science, literally governs the aims, ambition, and acts of the Scientist. The divine ruling gives prudence [30]
and energy; it banishes forever all envy, rivalry, evil thinking, evil speaking and acting; and mortal
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mind, thus purged, obtains peace and power outside of [1]
itself.
This practical Christian Science is the divine Mind, the incorporeal Truth and Love, shining through the mists of materiality and melting away the shadows called sin, [5]
disease, and death.
In mortal experience, the fire of repentance first sepa- rates the dross from the gold, and reformation brings the light which dispels darkness. Thus the operation of the spirit of Truth and Love on the human thought, [10]
in the words of St. John, "shall take of mine and show it unto you."
_Third:_ The baptism of Spirit, or final immersion of human consciousness in the infinite ocean of Love, is the last scene in corporeal sense. This omnipotent act drops [15]
the curtain on material man and mortality. After this, man"s ident.i.ty or consciousness reflects only Spirit, good, whose visible being is invisible to the physical senses: eye hath not seen it, inasmuch as it is the disembodied in- dividual Spirit-substance and consciousness termed in [20]
Christian metaphysics the ideal man-forever permeated with eternal life, holiness, heaven. This order of Science is the chain of ages, which maintain their obvious corre- spondence, and unites all periods in the divine design.
Mortal man"s repentance and absolute abandonment of [25]
sin finally dissolves all supposed material life or physical sensation, and the corporeal or mortal man disappears forever. The enc.u.mbering mortal molecules, called man, vanish as a dream; but man born of the great Forever, lives on, G.o.d-crowned and blest. [30]
Mortals who on the sh.o.r.es of time learn Christian Science, and live what they learn, take rapid transit to
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heaven,-the hinge on which have turned all revolu- [1]
tions, natural, civil, or religious, the former being servant to the latter,-from flux to permanence, from foul to pure, from torpid to serene, from extremes to intermediate.
Above the waves of Jordan, dashing against the receding [5]
sh.o.r.e, is heard the Father and Mother"s welcome, saying forever to the baptized of Spirit: "This is my beloved Son." What but divine Science can interpret man"s eternal existence, G.o.d"s allness, and the scientific inde- structibility of the universe? [10]
The advancing stages of Christian Science are gained through growth, not accretion; idleness is the foe of progress. And scientific growth manifests no weakness, no emasculation, no illusive vision, no dreamy absentness, no insubordination to the laws that be, no loss nor lack [15]
of what const.i.tutes true manhood.
Growth is governed by intelligence; by the active, all-wise, law-creating, law-disciplining, law-abiding Prin- ciple, G.o.d. The real Christian Scientist is constantly accentuating harmony in word and deed, mentally and [20]
orally, perpetually repeating this diapason of heaven: "Good is my G.o.d, and my G.o.d is good. Love is my G.o.d, and my G.o.d is Love."
Beloved students, you have entered the path. Press patiently on; G.o.d is good, and good is the reward of all [25]
who diligently seek G.o.d. Your growth will be rapid, if you love good supremely, and understand and obey the Way-shower, who, going before you, has scaled the steep ascent of Christian Science, stands upon the mount of holiness, the dwelling-place of our G.o.d, and bathes in the [30]
baptismal font of eternal Love.
As you journey, and betimes sigh for rest "beside the
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still waters," ponder this lesson of love. Learn its pur- [1]
pose;and in hope and faith, where heart meets heart reciprocally blest, drink with me the living waters of the spirit of my life-purpose,-to impress humanity with the genuine recognition of practical, operative Christian [5]
Science.
CHAPTER VIII. PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT
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"Thy Will Be Done"
This is the law of Truth to error, "Thou shalt surely die." This law is a divine energy. Mortals cannot prevent the fulfilment of this law; it covers all sin and its effects. G.o.d is All, and by virtue of this nature and [5]
allness He is cognizant only of good. Like a legislative bill that governs millions of mortals whom the legislators know not, the universal law of G.o.d has no knowledge of evil, and enters unconsciously the human heart and governs it. [10]
Mortals have only to submit to the law of G.o.d, come into sympathy with it, and to let His will be done. This unbroken motion of the law of divine Love gives, to the weary and heavy-laden, rest. But who is willing to do His will or to let it be done? Mortals obey their own [15]
wills, and so disobey the divine order.
All states and stages of human error are met and mastered by divine Truth"s negativing error in the way of G.o.d"s appointing. Those "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." His rod brings to view His love, and inter- [20]
prets to mortals the gospel of healing. David said, "Be- fore I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept Thy word." He who knows the end from the be-
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ginning, attaches to sin due penalties as its antidotes and [1]
remedies.
Who art thou, vain mortal, that usurpest the preroga- tive of divine wisdom, and wouldst teach G.o.d not to punish sin? that wouldst shut the mouth of His prophets, [5]
and cry, "Peace, peace; when there is no peace,"-yea, that healest the wounds of my people slightly?