Is the babe a son, or daughter?
Both son and daughter: even the compound idea of all that resembles G.o.d.
How much does he weigh? [10]
His substance outweighs the material world.
How old is he?
Of his days there is no beginning and no ending.
What is his name?
Christ Science. [15]
Who are his parents, brothers, and sisters?
His Father and Mother are divine Life, Truth, and Love; and they who do the will of his Father are his is brethren.
Is he heir to an estate? [20]
"The government shall be upon his shoulder!" He has dominion over the whole earth; and in admiration of his origin, he exclaims, "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto [25]
babes!"
Is he wonderful?
His works thus prove him. He giveth power, peace, and holiness; he exalteth the lowly; he giveth liberty
[Page 168.]
to the captive, health to the sick, salvation from sin to [1]
the sinner-and overcometh the world!
Go, and tell what things ye shall see and hear: how the blind, spiritually and physically, receive sight; how the lame, those halting between two opinions or hob- [5]
bling on crutches, walk; how the physical and moral lepers are cleansed; how the deaf-those who, having ears, hear not, and are afflicted with "tympanum on the brain"-hear; how the dead, those buried in dogmas and physical ailments, are raised; that to the poor- [10]
the lowly in Christ, not the man-made rabbi-the gospel is preached. Note this: only such as are pure in spirit, emptied of vainglory and vain knowledge, re- ceive Truth.
Here ends the colloquy; and a voice from heaven seems [15]
to say, "Come and see."
The nineteenth-century prophets repeat, "Unto us a son is given."
The shepherds shout, "We behold the appearing of the star!"-and the pure in heart clap their hands. [20]
Editor"s Extracts From Sermon
TEXT: _Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of_ _G.o.d._-MATT. xxii. 29.
_The Christian Science Journal_ reported as follows:-
The announcement that the Rev. Mary B. G. Eddy [25]
would speak before the Scientist denomination on the afternoon of October 26, drew a large audience. Haw- thorne Hall was densely packed, and many had to go away unable to obtain seats. The distinguished speaker began by saying:- [30]
[Page 169.]
Within Bible pages she had found all the divine Science [1]
she preaches; noticing, all along the way of her researches therein, that whenever her thoughts had wandered into the bypaths of ancient philosophies or pagan literatures, her spiritual insight had been darkened thereby, till [5]
she was G.o.d-driven back to the inspired pages. Early training, through the misinterpretation of the Word, had been the underlying cause of the long years of in- validism she endured before Truth dawned upon her understanding, through right interpretation. With the [10]
understanding of Scripture-meanings, had come physical rejuvenation. The uplifting of spirit was the upbuild- ing of the body.
She affirmed that the Scriptures cannot properly be interpreted in a literal way. The truths they teach must [15]
be spiritually discerned, before their message can be borne fully to our minds and hearts. That there is a dual meaning to every Biblical pa.s.sage, the most eminent divines of the world have concluded; and to get at the highest, or metaphysical, it is necessary rightly to read [20]
what the inspired writers left for our spiritual instruction.
The literal rendering of the Scriptures makes them noth- ing valuable, but often is the foundation of unbelief and hopelessness. The metaphysical rendering is health and peace and hope for all. The literal or material reading is [25]
the reading of the carnal mind, which is enmity toward G.o.d, Spirit.
Taking several Bible pa.s.sages, Mrs. Eddy showed how beautiful and inspiring are the thoughts when rightly understood. "Let the dead bury their dead; follow [30]
thou me," was one of the pa.s.sages explained metaphysi- cally. In their fullest meaning, those words are salvation
[Page 170.]
from the belief of death, the last enemy to be overthrown; [1]
for by following Christ truly, resurrection and life im- mortal are brought to us. If we follow him, to us there can be no dead. Those who know not this, may still believe in death and weep over the graves of their beloved; [5]
but with him is Life eternal, which never changes to death. The eating of bread and drinking of wine at the Lord"s supper, merely symbolize the spiritual refresh- ment of G.o.d"s children having rightly read His Word, whose entrance into their understanding is healthful life. [10]
This is the reality behind the symbol.
So, also, she spoke of the hades, or h.e.l.l of Scripture, saying, that we make our own heavens and our own h.e.l.ls, by right and wise, or wrong and foolish, conceptions of G.o.d and our fellow-men. Jesus interpreted all spirit- [15]
ually: "I have bread to eat that ye know not of," he said. The bread he ate, which was refreshment of divine strength, we also may all partake of.
The material record of the Bible, she said, is no more important to our well-being than the history of Europe [20]
and America; but the spiritual application bears upon our eternal life. The method of Jesus was purely meta- physical; and no other method is Christian Science. In the pa.s.sage recording Jesus" proceedings with the blind man (Mark viii.) he is said to have spat upon the dust. [25]
Spitting was the Hebrew method of expressing the utmost contempt. So Jesus is recorded as having expressed contempt for the belief of material eyes as having any power to see. Having eyes, ye see not; and ears, ye hear not, he had just told them. The putting on of hands [30]
mentioned, she explained as the putting forth of power.
"Hand," in Bible usage, often means spiritual power.
[Page 171.]
"His hand is not shortened that it cannot save," can [1]
never be wrested from its true meaning to signify human hands. Jesus" first effort to realize Truth was not wholly successful; but he rose to the occasion with the second attempt, and the blind saw clearly. To suppose that [5]
Jesus did actually anoint the blind man"s eyes with his spittle, is as absurd as to think, according to the report of some, that Christian Scientists sit in back-to-back seances with their patients, for the divine power to filter from vertebrae to vertebrae. When one comes to the age [10]
with spiritual translations of G.o.d"s messages, expressed in literal or physical terms, our right action is not to con- demn and deny, but to "try the spirits" and see what manner they are of. This does not mean communing with spirits supposed to have departed from the earth, [15]
but the seeking out of the basis upon which are accom- plished the works by which the new teacher would prove his right to be heard. By these signs are the true disciples of the Master known: the sick are healed; to the poor the gospel is preached. [20]