Sunday, May 28th, 2023 Roundtable

Rules for overcoming animal magnetism:
1. See what it is trying to do.
2. Know that it cannot do it.
3. See that it is not done.
To accomplish this:
1. Be patient.
2. Be meek.
3. Be vigilant.
4. Be sober.
5. Be loving.

Oh, that an influx of divine light and glory may enter each and every one of our hearts, and that you be endued anew with power from on high.

— from Divinity Course and General Collectanea, (the “Blue Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 170, 61

261 — WATCH lest old theology tempt you to feel that there is virtue in paying one’s respects to the dead, as is done on Memorial Day. While we may have to go through the outward form at times, in order to satisfy mortal mind, in our hearts we should use the day wholly to break down the belief that there are any dead, since man never dies. When we assent to the world’s belief in death, we open the way for our dying. Therefore, we should always resist such suggestion and evidence strongly and strenuously.

Memorial Day is as much part of mortal mind’s plan to kill man as are the more obvious and gruesome ways. Memorial Day wars against life by bringing to people’s attention the universal inevitability and necessity for death. It serves to remind those that have forgotten, that death is inescapable and perhaps lurking just around the corner for them. If you do not believe that, take a look at the cemetery! Furthermore, one good look a year is enough to suit the purpose of animal magnetism — enough to quiet any hope or expectancy that one is not going to die.

Once when one of the students asked her permission to put flowers on the graves of Mrs. Eddy’s family on Memorial Day, she replied, “I love you, and thank you, but they sleep not there. Let the dead bury their dead. Jesus.”

Christian Scientists must break the belief that there is such a thing as death, instead of yielding to it, and making it seem beautiful by means of flowers. One cannot neutralize the smell of death by adding to it the perfume of lovely flowers. It must be done mentally. It is said that a mother pig once instructed her baby as follows: “Now I have just given you a nice mud bath; don’t you dare go out to play and get clean!” Memorial Day says to mortals, “I have just darkened your thought with the suggestion of the inevitability of death; don’t you dare go and cleanse yourself of that error!”.

— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter

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GOLDEN TEXT: Proverbs 14 : 22

“Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.”

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Mrs. Mary B. Eddy.

Dear Madam:—Please accept the hearty thanks of the officers and members of E. Florence Baker Tent [Daughters of Veterans] for the beautiful flowers which you so kindly gave for our use on Memorial Day.

Sincerely yours,

Lillian M. Happny, Secretary. Concord, N. H., June 20, 1907

—”Letters To Our Leader” from Christian Science Sentinel, July 13, 1907

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Article “There Is No Death” A letter sent to Herbert Eustace from one of his students

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Be firm and be faithful; desert not the right;

— Hymn 18 from the Christian Science Hymnal

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Animal magnetism, I acknowledge your claims, but I denounce your power.

— from Divinity Course and General Collectanea, (the “Blue Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 199

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Download — “Handling Animal Magnetism” Love is the Liberator May 2019

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Article — “Moral Idiocy and its Manifestations”In Defense of Mary Baker Eddy and the Remnant of Her Seed by Paul Smillie

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Final Readings