a better man, woman, or child.
Science is the fiat of divine intelligence, which, h.o.a.ry with eternity, touches time only to take away its frailty.
That it rests on everlasting foundations, the sequence proves. [30]
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Have I discovered and founded at this period Chris- [1]
tian Science, that which reveals the truth of Love,-is the question.
And how can you be certain of so momentous an affirmative? By proving its effect on yourself to be- [5]
divine.
What is the Principle and rule of Christian Science?
Infinite query! Wonder in heaven and on earth,- who shall say? The immaculate Son of the Blessed has spoken of them as the Golden Rule and its Principle, [10]
G.o.d who is Love. Listen, and _he_ ill.u.s.trates the rule: "Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said,... Whosoever ... shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." [15]
Harmony is heaven. Science brings out harmony; but this harmony is not understood unless it produces a growing affection for all good, and consequent disaffec- tion for all evil, hypocrisy, evil-speaking, l.u.s.t, envy, hate.
Where these exist, Christian Science has no sure foot- [20]
hold: they obscure its divine element, and thus seem to extinguish it. Even the life of Jesus was belittled and belied by personalities possessing these defacing de- formities. Only the devout Marys, and such as lived according to his precepts, understood the concrete char- [25]
acter of him who taught-by the wayside, in humble homes, to itching ears and to dull disciples-the words of Life.
The ineffable Life and light which he reflected through divine Science is again reproduced in the character which [30]
sensualism, as heretofore, would hide or besmear. Sin of any sort tends to hide from an individual this grand
[Page 338.]
verity in Science, that the appearing of good in an in- [1]
dividual involves the disappearing of evil. He who first brings to humanity some great good, must have gained its height beforehand, to be able to lift others toward it. I first proved to myself, not by "words,"-these [5]
afford no proof,-but by demonstration of Christian Science, that its Principle is divine. All must go and do likewise.
Faith illumined by works; the spiritual understanding which cannot choose but to labor and love; hope hold- [10]
ing steadfastly to good in the midst of seething evil; charity that suffereth long and is kind, but cancels not sin until it be destroyed,-these afford the only rule I have found which demonstrates Christian Science.
And remember, a pure faith in humanity will subject [15]
one to deception; the uses of good, to abuses from evil; and calm strength will enrage evil. But the very heavens shall laugh at them, and move majestically to your defense when the armies of earth press hard upon you.
"Thou must be true thyself, [20]
If thou the truth wouldst teach; Thy soul must overflow, if thou Another"s soul wouldst reach; It needs the overflow of heart, To give the lips full speech." [25]
"Think truly, and thy thoughts Shall the world"s famine feed; Speak truly, and each word of thine Shall be a fruitful seed; Live truly, and thy life shall be [30]
A great and n.o.ble creed."
[Page 339.]
Fidelity
If people would confine their talk to subjects that are [2]
profitable, that which St. John informs us took place once in heaven, would happen very frequently on earth,- silence for the s.p.a.ce of half an hour. [5]
Experience is victor, never the vanquished; and out of defeat comes the secret of victory. That to-morrow starts from to-day and is one day beyond it, robes the future with hope"s rainbow hues.
In the battle of life, good is made more industrious [10]
and persistent because of the supposed activity of evil.
The elbowing of the crowd plants our feet more firmly.
In the mental collisions of mortals and the strain of in- tellectual wrestlings, moral tension is tested, and, if it yields not, grows stronger. The past admonishes us: [15]
with finger grim and cold it points to every mortal mistake; or smiling saith, "Thou hast been faithful over a few things."
Art thou a child, and hast added one furrow to the brow of care? Art thou a husband, and hast pierced [20]
the heart venturing its all of happiness to thy keeping?
Art thou a wife, and hast bowed the o"erburdened head of thy husband? Hast thou a friend, and forgettest to be grateful? Remember, that for all this thou alone canst and must atone. Carelessly or remorselessly thou mayest [25]
have sent along the ocean of events a wave that will some time flood thy memory, surge dolefully at the door of con- science, and pour forth the unavailing tear.
Change and the grave may part us; the wisdom that might have blessed the past may come too late. One [30]
[Page 340.]
backward step, one relinquishment of right in an evil [1]
hour, one faithless tarrying, has torn the laurel from many a brow and repose from many a heart. Good is never the reward of evil, and _vice versa_.
There is no excellence without labor; and the time to [5]
work, is _now_. Only by persistent, unremitting, straight- forward toil; by turning neither to the right nor to the left, seeking no other pursuit or pleasure than that which cometh from G.o.d, can you win and wear the crown of the faithful. [10]
That law-school is not at fault which sends forth a barrister who never brings out a brief. Why? Because he followed agriculture instead of litigation, forsook Blackstone for gray stone, dug into soils instead of delv- ing into suits, raised potatoes instead of pleas, and drew [15]
up logs instead of leases. He has not been faithful over a few things.
Is a musician made by his teacher? He makes him- self a musician by practising what he was taught. The conscientious are successful. They follow faithfully; [20]
through evil or through good report, they work on to the achievement of good; by patience, they inherit the prom- ise. Be active, and, however slow, thy success is sure: toil is triumph; and-thou hast been faithful over a few things. [25]
The lives of great men and women are miracles of pa- tience and perseverance. Every luminary in the constel- lation of human greatness, like the stars, comes out in the darkness to shine with the reflected light of G.o.d.
Material philosophy, human ethics, scholastic theology, [30]
and physics have not sufficiently enlightened mankind.
Human wrong, sickness, sin, and death still appear in
[Page 341.]
mortal belief, and they never bring out the right action [1]
of mind or body. When will the whole human race have one G.o.d,-an undivided affection that leaves the unreal material basis of things, for the spiritual foundation and superstructure that is real, right, and eternal? [5]
First purify thought, then put thought into words, and words into deeds; and after much slipping and clambering, you will go up the scale of Science to the second rule, and be made ruler over many things. Fidelity finds its reward and its strength in exalted purpose. Seek- [10]
ing is not sufficient whereby to arrive at the results of Science: you must strive; and the glory of the strife comes of honesty and humility.