CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 82, 31 December 1929, Page 6

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

TEACHINGS DISCUSSED LECTURE BY HON. WM. E. BROWN, C.S.B. In the course of a lecture entitled “Christian Science —The Truth about Man, God, and the Universe, the Hon. William E. Brown, C. 5.8., of Dos Angeles, California, member of the Board of Lecturship of the Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, said “Something over nineteen centuries ago a Boman governor propounded to the Master of men the most important question of all time, namely: ‘What is truth I and for centuries mortals have been seeking a satisfactory solution of Pilates 1 “In talking with his disciples Jesus declared coneernjiig God and the real man. ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ Every afflicted mortal is still asking with Pilate, ‘What is truth?’ and Christian Science brings you the answer. , ■ “In endeavouring to comprehend the truth of being it will be necessary to consider first the source and origin of all truth—a source that is commonly referred to by Christendom as God, Creator, or First Cause. In the Christian Science textbook, ‘Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,’ Mrs. Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, defines God as infinite Mind, an all-per-vading intelligence in which all things live, move and have their being. Since God is all, as the Scriptures iterate and reiterate, it follows that Mind is all, and this fact is the basic stone in the foundation of Christian Science. “As God. infinite mind, is the only cause or creator, it logically follows that all God creates must be like Himself, wholly and changclessly perfect. Since _ God created an infinitely perfect universe, there was only one thing which such a universe could do, and that was to remain perfect, and this is exactly what happened. Christian Science, therefore, maintains that God’s universe unseen to the senses is, ever has been, and ever will be perfect, harmonious and eternal. “Of this Mrs. Eddy writes on page o of her ‘Miscellaneous Writings’: ‘Mind governs all. That we exist in God, perfect, there is no doubt, for the conceptions of life, truth and love must be perfect; and with that basic truth we conquer sickness, sin and death.’ Here the question naturally arises, ‘lf all this be true what about the discord which seems to engulf humanity?’ But before answering this question let us return for a moment to our original premise—the allness of God. Standing on this primal fact we instantly see that a perfect God could not be the author of human discord, and as He is the only cause we are forced to conclude that evils of every kind are without true cause or origin; hence are but illusions, the vagaries of a supposititious unreal mind which disappear as soon as their unreal nature is disclosed. For instance, when in the early centuries the world was believed to be flat the mariners were afraid to sail out beyond certain limits because of their belief that they would fall over the edge of the earth to destruction, but when the truth about the shape of the earth was discovered and proved, the former idea and its groundless fear disappeared forever. “The belief in evil and its varied manifestations is all that hides the real or perfect universe from our vision, so we see the all-important thing to do is to dispel the mortal illusions so that we may behold the universe as God beholds it—changelcssly perfect and eternal. Spiritual Understanding. “Because God is the infinite and allinclusive mind there resides in this mind all perfection, •wisdom, beauty, culture, prosperity, harmony, abundance and joy. Since this is true the quickest way to possess these qualities is to become identified with this mind. Solomon said in sneaking of the blessings which come to one who thus identifies himself: ‘Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou eanst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her’; and David said, ‘I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.’ Salvation.

“From what has been said of God and His universe it will be seen that what is called salvation is really a process of awakening to spiritual facts, the gaining of spiritual vision. The prophet declared, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.’ There are many references in the Bible to this process of awakening. The Psalmist sang. ‘I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness,’ and Paul declared, Awake thou that sleepest, . . . and Christ shall give thee light.’ “In this process of spiritual awakening Christian Science gives us most help ful and fundamental aid by pointing out that heaven and earth to the human consciousness seem material, while to spiritual consciousness their spiritual nature is revealed. “Jesus taught his disciples that the kingdom of heaven is at band, but while having eyes they saw not; in other words, He declared that they were not yet conscious of the divine perfection that surrounded them. “Little children frequently grasp these spiritual truths more quickly than do adults. For instance, I knew a little lad of four years who attended the Christian Science Sunday School and there came one Sunday to his class a little visitor who was desirous of answering all the questions. So. when the teacher asked the question, ‘Where is the kingdom of heaven?’ the visiting member instantly said. ‘lt’s a place you go to when you die.’ Immediately my small friend spoke up, ‘Miss Blank, this boy must think he's in an old-fashioned Sunday school. ‘lVell, then,’ said she, ‘where do you think the kingdom of heaven is?’ Instantly he replied, ‘The kingdom of heaven isn t “where,” the kingdom of heaven is “when” —it’s when you’re good.’ “So then, salvation means to awaken so that we may know ourselves and the universe as God knows them, eternally harmonious, complete and indestructibly perfect. Spiritual Consciousness.

“The question which many of you arc doubtless asking at this moment is, If this be true, how can we awaken to see all things as God sees them?’ Let me read you Mrs. Eddy’s answer to this most important question: On page 242 of the Christian Science textbook she writes. ‘There is but one way to heaven, harmony, and Christ in divine science shows us this wav. It is to know no other reality—to have no other consciousness ot life—than good, God and His reflection, and to rise superior to the so-called pain and pleasure of the senses.’ , “Since the task before us is to clarify our consciousness so that we may behold spiritual things as they really are, we must begin by excluding, from our consciousness all that is unlike God. Here let me give you some comforting and helpful information: most mortals uninstrueted in Christian Science mistakenly believe that they create thought, but they do not, they simply think thoughts many of which come to them from sources outside themselves. So, when evil suggestions come knocking at the door of our thought, seeking admission, we are not to condemn ourselves but to reject the suggestions. It has been wisely and helpfully said that we are not to blame if a tramp knocks at our door, but we are to blame if we go a-tramping with him. “If we dwell in the basic truth oi the allness of God and His perfect universe, persistently rejecting all suggestions to the contrary, we shall receive the prool of the truth of this premise in overcoming discordant conditions whether they be called mental, moral, physical or financial. , ,_ “By maintaining a stand on the platform of a perfect God. perfect man, and a perfect universe, and endeavouring to realise the truth about yourself and your neighbour, you will experience a new joy; you will maintain your own equilibrium and improve all conditions that surround you. In this activity all sorts of discords begin to disappear and among the £0 is OX,

much misery and unhappiness, that is, criticism. When the student of Christian Science is confronted with the belief of evil, seeking to express itself through some fellow mortal, he does not condemn the individual but knows that the evil belief is not of God, that it is therefore unreal, and that the real man reflects only infinite good. “Picture to yourself a community in which a majority of its members constantly strive to know the truth about one another; this would certainly be a foretaste of heaven. Let us, therefore, resolve with Paul, ‘Henceforth know we no man after the flesh,’ that is, from now on we shall not think of man as a fleshy or material being, but shall endeavour to see him as God sees man, spiritually perfect. This practice is the fulfilling of the Scriptural commands to love your neighbour as yourself and to refrain from bearing false witness. Redemption for Alt.

“While we are discussing this question of salvation let us consider who and how many are to be saved. Here let me give you a comforting thought concerning the loved ones who are apparently not at all interested in spiritual matters and who seemingly are on the broad way to destruction. This comforting thought. I speak of is embodied in the beautiful story of the prodigal son. You will remember that he wasted his substance in riotous living and finally found, himself feeding with the swine. Then.it is related that when he came to himself he exclaimed. ‘I will arise and go to my father.’ This, experience of the prodigal son is but typical of all mortal experience. All who know not the truth are prodigals and all must finally leave the husks of materiality and come back to the Father’s house, the understanding of spiritual truth. I recall the reply of a Christian Science practitioner to the query of a patient -who asked. ‘What are my chances for getting well?’ Instantly the reply came, ‘You have no choice in the matter; you must get well. Somewhere, somehow, sometime you must overcome all discord and you might as well begin now. “Possibly there are those here to-night to whom tlie lying suggestion of death may have come as a way of escape from sin disease and misfortune. Even a slight knowledge of Christian Science forever annihilates a consideration of this method, because it shows with invincible logic that life and consciousness cannot be extinguished for a moment of time. Since life is and nothing could produce life but life itself, it is self-evident that life simply is without beginning or end. “Since one could not cease to be conscious of existence, of what benefit could it possibly be to prolong a sense of discord? Such procedure would result in the condition described in. the Scriptures as heaping up ‘wrath against the day of wrath.’ The ultimate of this would be such au intense sense of suffering that one would be compelled like the prodigal son to arise and go back to his Father. In view’ of these facts we shall not, if we are wise, waste any time in wondering who and how many are to be saved, but on the contrary, we shall rejoice that every prodigal, no matter how far he has strayed, is coming home, and as he comes he will find his Father running to meet him. „ Healing and Prayer.

“Much that I have told you about salvation will receive assent from those who do not yet know of Christian Science, and who do not realise that the healing of sin, disease and all mortal discord is inseparably linked with true salvation —indeed this healing constitutes the proof and. assurance that we are. working out our problem along correct lines. If one is in doubt as to the soundness of his spiritual convictions all that is necessary is to ascertain what the Master declared

upon this subject in his final instructions to his disciples, as recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Mark. Jesus said to them, when speaking of the healing of sin and disease, ‘And these signs shall follow them that believe.’ Please note that He did not say that these signs might follow, or may follow, or occasionally follow, but that these signs ‘shall’ follow, imperatively, definitely and unequivocally. These signs are to follow them that believe. Now is it not logical that if such signs do not follow religious belief that there must be something inadequate or incomplete about such belief? “This measure of proof established by the blaster is supplemented by. a vigorous deelaration’of James, who said: ‘Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. . . . Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.’ “Having convinced ourselves that not only does the Bible indicate the possibility of healing through' prayer, we find that it actually demands it as a proof tiiat we understand the teachings of the Master. At this juncture some of you may be recalling a few of the stock arguments of those who do not understand Christian Science. First, that the teaching of Jesus regarding healing concerned only his immediate disciples and then that the age of miracles is passed. “These mistakes are instantly dispelled by the command given the disciples by Jesus in the last chapter of Matthew, ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things [mark this “all things”] whatsoever I have commanded you.’ Inasmuch as His command to His disciples was to preach the Gospel and heal the sick, it is. evident that all nations are to do likewise.

’Righteousness, “Do I hear the question, ‘lf all Christians are expected to possess .the healing ability how is it to be obtained?’ In speaking of this healing by prayer, James exhorts us to ‘pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent nrayer of a righteous man availeth much.’ You will observe that it is righteous prayer that is to avail or accomplish the healing. Righteous simply means knowledge of that which is wise or true; and you will recall that the Master said, ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ It is clear that the prayer which is capable of healing the sick must be the prayer of spiritual understanding, and this is exactly the definition of prayer given by Mrs. Eddy. In substance she defines the prayer that destroys sin and disease as a spiritual understanding of the omnipresence of God. “Throughout the Scriptures healing is pointed to as the proof of true righteousness. This was the reassuring and convincing answer sent to John when he was in doubt as to the identity of the Saviour: ‘Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.’ Christian Science is daily and hourly proving to grateful multitudes that the command to heal the sick was not intended for a select body of students nor for a limited period of time. All who sincerely take up the study of Christian Science and live its precepts are soon enabled in some degree not only to benefit themselves, but others who appeal for help. “It is important to note that the healing which occurs under Christian Science treatment is entirely different in nature and quality from that of any other kind; it does not employ hypnotism, suggestion or the human will in any way. These agencies are directly opposed to the practice of Christian Science, and Christian Science frees the patient from their pernicious influence. It is also important to know that while hypnotism and suggestion claim to heal physical ills regardless of the moral status of the patient, the Christian Science practitioner cannot heal his patient without improving him spiritually and morally. Moreover, it imparts to the patient the ability to preserve his own sense of harmony through spiritual thinking and living. “In considering the mission of Christ Jesus it will be well for a few minutes to dwell upon the meaning of the words Christ and Jesus. Usually these terms are regarded as synonymous, but as Mrs. Eddy points out, this is wholly, incorrect, and she defines the difference thus: ‘Jesus is the name of the man who, more than all other men, has presented Christ, the true idea of God. healing the sick and the sinning and destroying the power of death’ (Science and Health, p. 473). “Jesus did not claim that He, exclusively, possessed any special knowledge or ability, but on the contrary urged all to acquire this understanding and to possess this ability' in healing sin and disease and in destroying death. “The Christ, then, is not a person but a term for spiritual understanding. The impersonality of this term is well illustrated in the twenty-second verse of the fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians, which reads, ‘For as in Adam all die, even so in ClMst shall all be made alive.’ This verse plainly declares that if we dwell in the Adamic or mortal condition of consciousness we shall die, but if we forsake this and gain the Christ or spiritual state of consciousness—the consciousness that knows the truth about God, man and the universe—we shall live. , “In the year 1866, Mrs. Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, declared for the allness of God and the non-existence of matter. By a world consciousness steeped in materiality this great discovery was not understood and hence became a target for ridicule and misrepresentation. Mrs. Eddy, reasoning from the Scriptural premise of the allness of God, infinite Spirit, was forced to the conclusion that infinite Spirit must necessarily express itself in a

spiritual universe and that it must all, b® spiritual in its nature, not part Spirit and part matter. When Mrs. Eddy declares that all is the expression of infinite mind, God, she is not denying th® existence of the universe but declaring that it is wholly spiritual and not a mixture of Spirit and matter. She sum® up the entire situation by declaring that ‘what the human mind terms matter and spirit indicate states and stages of consciousness.’ (Science and Health, p, 573).

“It is interesting to know that aftej; a half century of ridicule the leading material scientists are now, in substanceagreeing with Mrs. Eddy’s original announcement concerning the non-existenca of matter. The modern physicists ar® teaching that what is termed matter is, in the last analysis, an expression of energy. As there is no action apart from mind this is equivalent to declaring that matter is mental in its cause and nature; or, as the philosophers say, made of mind-stuff, and this is exactly what Mrs. Eddy said in 1866. In other words, Mrs. Eddy led the world's foremost thinkers and scientists by approximately half a century. “The importance of realising that what is called material is really mental resides in the fact that when this is understood it shows the possibility of harmonious control through spiritual thinking and of understanding what Paul meant when he said, ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” When wa realise that what we call our physical body is mental, wholly governed and controlled by thinking, we can readily understand that whether it is to be harmonious or discordant will be determined by the nature of the thoughts we entertain. Moreover, this knowledge frees us from the belief that man is a victim’of circumstances, for it is self-evident that if all things are mental then what we call our environment or experieence in life is. also mental. As we learn that what wa call our everyday experience is but a reflection or expression of what we ara thinking we see the possibility of chang--ing O'Ur environment and begin to understand the meaning of the Scriptural statement concerning mortals, ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so ig he.’ From this viewpoint it will be seen that in tha last analysis we are not the victims of circumstances but really responsible for them. Then, with Paul, we should decida to become transformed through- the renewing of our mind. “The teaching of Christian Science in regard to the allness of mind and tha non-existence of matter does not deny tha existence of the world about us, nor does it rob us of the beauties of nature. Of the misconception called matter Mrs, Eddy has this to say: ‘Every material belief hints the existence of spiritual reality; and if mortals are instructed in. spiritual things, it will be seen that; material belief, in all its manifestations, reversed, will be found the type and representative of verities priceless, eternal,and just at hand’ (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 60). Paul puts it in another way when he declares, ‘For now we sea through a glass, darkly; but then faca to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.’ "In place of losing anything that is worth while we are enabled through Christian Science to perceive the true nature and qualities of God’s creation in their indestructible glory. “Christian Science is wholly based on the Bible—the Bible of our forefathers, and Mrs. Eddy is emphatic in her statement that the Bible was her only guide and authority. “Christian Science has come to reestablish the Christianity of Jesus with its healing and redemptive work. The proof that it is doing this is evidenced by the ever-increasing numbers of erstwhile suffering and discordant mortals who now rejoice in health and freedom. Christian Science is now leavening thought in all the varied activities of earth —in business, art, commerce and government. It is correcting and improving all the affairs of men., making better men and women, causing them to conduct their lives in accord with divine principle. In so doing Christian Science is not only benefiting the individual but also rapidly laying a foundation for the universal brotherhood of man, a prolonged process possibly, but after all the only way to permanent harmony in world affairs. When a sufficient number of individuals are striving to live in harmony with God, international and state problems are solved before they become inimical. “Christian Science is an exact deductive Science, susceptible, of proof and all who so desire may obtain this pro°L A. bit of my own experience may be helptui to those seeking logical proof of th® statements of this Science. Being somewhat of a doubting Thomas nature and of an analytical turn of mind I began at the wrong end of the subject, and spent considerable tune searching for the origin of evil. This, of course, led nowhere and only resulted in confusion. In taking up this matter jvitn mv practitioner she lovingly reminded nte of the invincible logic of Christian Science that if God or good is and is real and amnipresent, then evil, the opposite of God or good, must be the opposite of the omnipresent real which necessarily makes it unreal, having neither place nor existence. She then called attention, te Mrs. Eddy’s helpful advice in connection with this logic deduction as to the exisfence of go#! only, namely, that if tne allness of God be conceded as a premise its correctness may be proved. “When I began to work from the conceded premise of the allness of God and to deny the reality of all else, I then began to got some satisfactory results which proved the truth of the promise Let me earnestly recommend this method asi it will save you much wasted time and disappointment. Never attempt to search for the origin ,of evil for at that moment you admit that it is an entity. Universal Peace. “Mrs. Eddy has provided the way in this age not only for individual redemption, but world salvation as well. She calls the attention of the world to the two simple commandments emphasised, by Christ Jesus; two rules, which, if practised, will inaugurate the kingdom .of heaven ou earth. . You will, recall teat ■a lawyer questioned the Master as to the greatest of the Commandments, and vou will remember. that masterly. summing up of all law and procedure m the following immortal words: ‘lhou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is‘like unto it: Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ How simple and how efficacious! Yet up to this age they have fallen on deaf ears. “If these two fundamental rules, were understood and practised there would be no need of the multiplicity of hurna h sehemes-world courts and diplomatic parleys to bring about universal peace. “Mrs Eddy, with clear spiritual vision, writes thus of. the world’s problems and their one and only solution (Science and Health, p. 340) : 'One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfills the Scripture, “Love thy neighbour as thyself”; annihilates pagan and. Christian idolatry—whatever is wrong in - social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalises the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.’ ... “The knowledge of this glorious possibility of the great gift of Mrs. Eddy to a world in bondage to sin,” disease, and death. Is it not self-evident that as mankind learns to know God and His laws and live in harmony with them, not only is the condition of mankind being improved, but the reign of universal and permanent harmony is being ushered in correspondingly? And since this is true let us begin at once to acquire this knowledge so that we may aid in hastening the glorious day—a day so well portraved bv the Revelator, who writes: ‘Alid I heard a great voice out of heaven saving, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. and He will dwell with taem, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all team from their eyes; aud there shall be. no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away/’