Sunday, April 23rd, 2023 Roundtable

Probation, progress, goes on, until there is no life, substance, or intelligence in matter.

God is All; there is no evil.
All is harmony; there is no discord.
All is health; there is no sickness.
All is Spirit; there is no matter.
All is joy; there is no sorrow.
All is Truth; there is no falsehood.
All is faith; there is no fear.
All is Life; there is no death.
All is Love; there is no hate.

— from Divinity Course and General Collectanea, (the “Blue Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 195 and 282

418 — WATCH that you differentiate between robbery in the physical and in the mental realms. In the physical realm one can be robbed of that which he values; but not so in the mental realm. There one can never be robbed of any good whatsoever. He cannot be robbed of God, of his ability to reflect God, or of his true sense of Life and Love.

Robbery in the mental realm is the acceptance of the suggestion that one has been robbed. The proper protection or correction is to reject the suggestion, not to change a fact. In Science a fact can never change; but we lose sight of it through suggestion.

Death is merely the suggestion that one can be robbed of everything; so each lesser claim of robbery that is resisted, is that much toward overcoming the last enemy; whereas if one admits robbery in the smallest degree, he has left open the door through which death may finally come. This explains why, when Mrs. Eddy was not served a piece of cheese to which she was entitled, she is reported to have said, “If they can rob me of my cheese, they can rob me of my life.”

— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter

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GOLDEN TEXT: I Corinthians 15 : 26

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

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“The Golden Age And The Golden Rule”, from Christian Science Journal, November 1905, by W. D. Mc Crackan

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Article — “The Law of Right Feeling” from Dominion Withinby Rev. G. A. Kratzer

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The words and works of Jesus, the account of which we have inherited through the New Testament, unite in showing us that he invariably refused to consent to error of every kind; that he was, as Mrs. Eddy declares, “the most scientific man that ever trod the globe” (Science and Health, p. 313), and that he feared neither sin, sickness, nor death. Why? Because he recognized their nothingness in God’s universe, and so refused consent to their claim of power over man. It is only in this way that we can comprehend the incident recorded in the seventh chapter of Luke, when he said to the son of the widow of Nain who was being carried as dead upon a bier: “Young man, I say unto thee. Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.” Such was the attitude of our Wayshower in every recorded instance when he confronted the various phenomena of error. Never once did he consent to them. He declared, “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” In Science we are told that “Life is real, and death is the illusion” (Ibid., p. 428). every presentment of error is likewise an illusion, and never real as a part of God’s universe; it always belongs to the realm of erring human consciousness. Accordingly, Christ Jesus awakened Lazarus from the dream of death, despite Martha’s protest that her brother had been dead four days, and he declared of the ruler’s daughter, “She is not dead, but sleepeth.”

“Refusing Consent To Error” from Christian Science Journal, March 1911, by Hon. Clarence A. Buskirk (excerpt)

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Once Mrs. Eddy and a student had a luncheon in a Lynn cafe, and the menu read, a cut of pie and cheese 10 cents. When it came, there was no cheese. Mrs. Eddy asked the waiter for her cheese, and was told they were out of it. She asked that the proprietor be sent to her, and asked him, “Where is my cheese?” He also said they were out of it. She said, “Are there not stores near where you can get it, and thus carry out your word?” So, after a little talk, seeing she was determined, he sent out and got some cheese. To her student, who was listening with astonishment, she explained: “I care but little to have the cheese, but if I don’t correct error in stealing little things, it will steal bigger things,” and she gave the student a lesson. There is another version reporting that Mrs. Eddy said, “if I let it take my cheese, it will next take my life”—showing the importance of stopping error in the small things

“The Pie And Cheese” : Edward Norwood Reminiscence by Edward Norwood, page 52

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The vital message given in the fifth chapter of John, “The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live,” is a prophecy which was proved true when the dead did hear and heed the voice of Jesus. The widow’s son and Lazarus caught the Master’s words and arose from the dream of death to life and activity. Those “dead in trespasses and sins” were awakened, the publican and the Magdalen heard the divine message and experienced a resurrection to truer, better living. Even so today the healing truth contained in the Bible and interpreted by the Christian Science text-book, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mrs. Eddy, is discerned by those morally and spiritually dead and it uplifts them into useful, helpful, joyous living.

The needful condition for the restoration of those who are deadened to health and peace is simply that the voice of Truth be heard and assimilated. St. Augustine thus beautifully phrases it : “Thou dost give audience everywhere, O Truth, to all who ask counsel of thee, and at once answerest, though on manifold matters they ask thy counsel. Clearly dost thou answer, though all do not hear.” The action of Truth upon the unawakened is like the raising of a curtain to let in the sunshine, when the darkness necessarily vanishes. So to the open ear and receptive heart of the needy comes the stimulating and corrective voice of Truth, and the work of banishing the darkness of error is silently but surely accomplished. The psalmist says of God, “He spake, and it was done :” that is to say, the spiritual universe, including man, is the speech, the word, of divine Mind, eternal Truth, the one omnipotent God. Because the utterance of the father is clear, distinct, and powerful, so the voice of the true man is spiritual, truthful, and loving. When a son of God so speaks, those apparently dead to Truth hear his voice and live.

The utterance which resuscitates is the voice that has in it the qualities of Truth, of Love, of Life and intelligence. This utterance is free from fear, from human will-power, from materiality of any form or nature. It is the expression of honesty, sincerity, gentleness, compassion, and it bears healing on its wings. The time is coming, and is even now at hand, when the desire of all people will be to echo this voice of Truth which brings to others healing, strength, and joy. The living message contained in the sacred Scriptures, and reaffirmed in Science and Health and the other writings of our Leader, testifies to the ever-presence of the “still small voice” of Truth, and they that hear, live. This life-giving voice is heard by those who attend the Christian Science Sunday services, or who at home quietly and prayerfully study the Lesson-Sermons aright; and all over the world those once deadened to Truth are rejoicing in this new-old message of peace and good will to men.

Discord of every name and nature signalizes an unawakened condition in some particular, and it is needful that such unfortunate ones hear this clarion call of Truth, for as the dawn dispels the night, so Truth banishes the darkness of error and men are wakened to life’s full day. The Master questioned, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Faith, then, is the open ear through which the voice of Truth finds entrance. Only let mortals have perfect confidence that as the result of their abiding faith and expectation the voice of Truth will certainly be heard; they they will indeed be set free from every limitation and rightfully possess the “liberty of the children of God.” Christ Jesus spake for all times, and it is as true here and now as it was in Galilee, that “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God : and they that hear shall live.”

Mankind have vainly sought to hear the voice of Truth in the seats of the mighty and in various ologies and isms, but their listening was fruitless; the divine utterance was not there. Elijah’s experience as it is recorded is after all very like that which comes to many another: “A great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake : and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire : and after the fire a still small voice.” When this voice of Truth again spake through Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, the world was impelled to reject it; but many with the listening ear heard, as did the prophet, for in the “still small voice” of Truth God has spoken and is speaking, and those that hear do live.

“The Life-Giving Voice” from Christian Science Sentinel, September 18, 1915 by Irving C. Tomlinson, M.A.

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Thoughts shared on the Lesson from readers:

I believe all Christians have an individual “bean patch”—a sphere of influence no one else has. By our steadfast prayers, we can bless it, and by our spiritual warfare, we can defend it.

“The term ‘bean patch’ comes from an example of persistence and bravery demonstrated by one of David’s mighty men, Shammah, whose name means ‘God is there.’ He partnered with God, defending his garden, and the Lord brought a victory! Here’s the passage:

“The Philistines were gathered into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils [beans], and the [Israelites] fled from the Philistines. But [Shammah] took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory.” (2 Samuel 23:12).

Notice, the victory was the Lord’s doing, but Shammah had to take his stand and defend the crop. He had a part to play! For us, this will always be the case.

Quinn Sherrer

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Final Readings