Following the light

Were the prophets of Israel devout, religious, reverent, holy? Did they have all the answers to life's puzzles and perplexities within them personally?

In her book "The Search for God", author Marchette Chute describes the prophets of Israel as "looking for the truth about God" - in fact striving for the truth. In contrast, she says, organized religion relies on "traditional ideas" accepted by its followers. (See "The Search for God", flyleaf, 13th printing 1965 E. P. Dutton and Co). We learn that instead of meaning "worshipper of God", "Israel" was a title meaning "striver with God", and Job is a perfect example of one who strode that pathway.

These men were on a trajectory of enquiry. Chute maintains that they were convinced that the search would culminate in satisfying answers and glorious fulfilment, and further suggests that while its first expression in the Bible is in Genesis 1, "the conviction finds its most beautiful and complete expression in the writings of the prophet Isaiah..." (p. 37).

And so, from this week's Christian Science Bible lesson, we can rejoice in Isaiah's firm spiritual promises:

The Lord himself will choose the sign--a child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Emmanuel (meaning, "God is with us"). Isa 7: 14 The Living Bible

For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: "Wonderful," "Counsellor," "The Mighty God," "The everlasting Father," "The Prince of Peace." His everlasting peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world. Isa 9: 6, 7 ibid

The people who walk in darkness shall see a great Light--a Light that will shine on all those who live in the land of the shadow of death. Isa 9:2 ibid

All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you. Vast droves of camels will converge upon you, dromedaries from Midian and Sheba and Ephah, too, bring gold and incense to add to the praise of God. Isa 60: 3, 6 ibid

Comfort, oh, comfort my people, says your God. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will carry the lambs in his arms and gently lead the ewes with young. Isa 40: 1, 11 ibid

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted. He has sent me to comfort the broken-hearted, to announce liberty to captives and to open the eyes of the blind. Isa 61:1 ibid

Jew, Gentile, Greek, Muslim, atheist, Christian Scientist - we are all the recipients of that wondrous radiance which kisses us gently and says - you are dearly loved.

Julie Swannell

A higher power and suicide prevention

From the Editor: As we study Isaiah this month, we will inevitably find passages that comfort us and aid us in comforting others. This may be especially important during the holiday season. 

For instance -

We were created to be joyful: Isa 65:18 "...be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy."

We were created to be at peace: Isa 54:13 "all your children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of your children."

We were created to be generous: Isa 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes."

We were created to sing: Isa 52:9 "Break forth into joy, sing together...for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem."

We were created to be of service: Isa 6:8 "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."

We were created to shine: Isa 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen on you."

We are never alone: Isa 41:10 "Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness."

With these comforting ideas in mind, today we have pleasure in sharing an article from our friend Kay Stroud on the subject of suicide prevention.

Helping to avert a suicide

July 22, 2016 By health4thinkers 2 Comments

It’s heartbreaking to learn that suicide rates across Australia have increased by 20% in the last decade. Is there nothing we can do to reverse this tragic trend?


Many are striving to do so. Some are finding ways to reach out and connect with people who are suffering from mental illnesses. Others are helping those struggling with suicidal tendencies to overturn the stereotypes and lead happy and successful lives.

There is interesting research that could help to influence a change in community attitudes to the pressing issue of mental health. The Conversation has published results of a study by the University of Melbourne that suggests that practitioners who see mental health problems as “bio-genetically caused diseases” view patients as relatively dangerous, unpredictable and unlikely to recover; increasing stigma rather than helping sufferers. Whether suffering from such a prognosis or from implications of the many social determinants of mental health, a negative assessment is undoubtedly sensed by the patient; a point that was made by health reformer Mary Baker Eddy.

From Eddy's own experience, she was able to write, “A patient hears the doctor’s verdict as a criminal hears his death‐sentence” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures). In the case of those who are broken-hearted, a pronouncement of mental illness adds to the burden of hopelessness they’re experiencing.

But there’s another way to approach such challenging circumstances. Sizing up the situation from a spiritual perspective, an entirely different conclusion can be reached.

Jesus is often thought of as a social reformer but his challenge to the accepted norms of his day went much deeper. For instance, he questioned the accepted interpretation of physical laws. When it was suggested to him that either the disabled man or his parents must be the cause of the problem, he fired back that neither were to blame. Based on his love and understanding of the man’s innate spiritual perfection, he was then and there able to heal the man of congenital blindness. The same understanding transformed a man labelled insane, who was self-harming and who everyone else was afraid to approach.

From Jesus’ example we can come to realise that no-one is a lost cause.

Acknowledging the presence of a higher power – recognised in Christian Science as an entirely good and loving divine Principle, forever one with each of us – can help to diffuse limited views. To do so is prayer, which is a way of deeply caring for those who may be struggling with dark thoughts. Such prayer can have a tangible, healing impact.

Ellen Hammond relates how one evening she noticed someone standing beyond the outside railing of the bridge above her as she drove on the highway below. She was not able to stop to see for certain what was happening, but wanting to respond to that individual’s silent cry for help, she realised she could do more than just feel sorry for the man, she could pray.

The first thing that came to mind were the words of a dearly loved hymn: “Everlasting arms of Love / Are beneath, around, above.” To her, this meant that Love, another name for the Divine, was the only active presence, completely surrounding and tenderly caring for her and everyone, everywhere and always…and no one could opt out of being loved by God.

She contemplated these and associated ideas throughout the evening until she felt a sense of real peace about the situation. A few days later she did an Internet search about the incident and learned that a man had indeed been planning to jump off the bridge at that time. With great gratitude she read that an off-duty police officer had talked with the man until he changed his mind and climbed back over the railing to safety. The article specifically noted that the officer hugged this man for a while.

To me, prayer acts as a kind of mental reinforcement for the efforts of the many people doing everything they can to address the problem of suicide. Spiritual thinkers establish an atmosphere of expected good. As we each adopt that viewpoint we’ll notice when things are not as they should be for a friend or even for someone we’ve never met before. We’ll reach out to help them, knowing that life-changing solutions are assured and will be provided.

This article was published on the Sunshine Coast Daily.

Kay Stroud writes on the relationship between thought, spirituality and health, and trends in that field. She is the contact, or Committee on Publication, for Christian Science in this region and practices Christian Science healing. Contact her at neaustralia@compub.org or follow on Twitter @KayJStroud.

Prophetic authority

Isaiah is not an easy study. There are three distinct authors, and one must search through many paragraphs to sift out the gold. So, why search the Scriptures? One reason may be to mine the true nature of God and man. 

For Jesus and Paul, the Scriptures were the Old Testament, and Isaiah was a popular choice. There are 35 references to the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament (2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and the book of Isaiah itself), while there are 25 references in the New Testament (13 in the Gospels, 5 in Acts, and 7 in the writings of Paul). We can see then the importance given to this prophet.

Here are three of Paul's references (from Eugene Peterson's The Message and the NKJV): 

1. Paul reminds his readers of their great heritage as "children of promise" -

Galatians 4: "Remember what Isaiah wrote: Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children, shout and cry out woman who has no birth pangs, because the children of the barren woman now surpass the children of the chosen woman. Isn't it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise?"  (The Message)

2. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul settles a long-ago question [Isaiah 40:13"Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counseller hath taught him?" NKJV] -  

I Cor 2: 14-16: "Isaiah's question, "is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit." (The Message)

"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (NKJV) 

3. Paul assures us of the continuity of God's goodness as he references Isaiah again [Isaiah 13:19 "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah." NKJV] -

Romans 9:27-33: "Isaiah maintained ... 'If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered and the sum labeled "chosen of God," they'd be numbers still, not names; salvation comes by personal selection. God doesn't count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus.' Isaiah had looked ahead and spoken the truth: 'If our powerful God had not provided us a legacy of living children, we would have ended up like ghost towns, like Sodom and Gomorrah.' 

"How can we sum this up? All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as he straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. ...Isaiah (again!) gives us the metaphor for pulling this together: 'Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way.' " (The Message)

"Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.... As it is written, Behold I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (NKJV)

But let's finish with the Gospels. Matthew 3:3 from The Living Bible -

"John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight!"

That sense of authority is perhaps what epitomises the prophets of old most of all.

Julie Swannell

"Remain perfectly still"

I was interested that the December edition of Reading Room News (http://redcliffe.christianscienceaustralia.net.au) made mention of the value of stillness*.

I have been reading some of the works of Ian Idriess, an Australian writer of things Australian. He was a Light Horse man in the First World War, serving in Gallipolli and the Middle East. He kept a diary all through the his wartime experiences; an invaluable record I believe.

They were in the Sinai – think desert sand, palm oases, heat in the day, cold in the night. Remember they are horsemen. I will quote from his book The Desert Column (Angus & Robertson Publishers,

1986):

(1916) May 5^th – German taubes (early German monoplanes) are a damned nuisance. Almost daily they drone over the oasis, seeking a target to lay eggs. Our outpost on 383 generally see them miles away with their glasses. They ring up the regiment and instantly the oasis springs to life. Every man rushes his horse, leaps on and gallops straight out into the desert in a thundering scatter of six hundred horses. The taubes have never surprised us yet. They haven't scored a single casualty. And, a curious fact, they can't see us when we remain perfectly still. We have proved this from experience and captured orders. It is curiously triumphant feeling, a feeling with a delicious little scornful thrill, holding your horse motionless and gazing up at the ominous metalled bird flying so low that you can distinctly see the hooded heads of pilot and observer gazing down, and yet though hundreds of men are watching them they can't see a single thing on which to loose their bombs – so long as we remain scattered and still. (Page 416. There are similar references on pages 427 and 449.)

Of course, my reference is Ps. 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

It is instructive to know that the preceding verse reads, “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.”

Joyce Voysey

* see Your 12 Steps to a Stress-free Christmas (https://www.health4thinkers.com/)

 Here is Step 10:

"Peace interludes. Pausing for moments of mental stillness can make all the difference, even transform your day. Be honestly aware of your thoughts and when they start going round in circles or racing in a wrong direction steer them back to that place of spiritual poise. “Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.” (Mary Baker Eddy)"

Isaiah - a book to be lived

Friends of our book club: 

For December, let us take up the book of Isaiah and note its promises of comfort and present goodness.

SIXTEEN "WRITING PROPHETS"

In his introduction to the 16 prophetic books of the Bible (Isaiah to Malachi), Eugene H. Peterson startles us with his comments about "the writing prophets" (see The Message):

• "Over a period of several hundred years, the Hebrew people gave birth to an extraordinary number of  prophets - men and women distinguished by the power and skill with which they presented the reality of God. They delivered God's commands and promises and living presence to communities and nations who had been living on god-fantasies and god-lies."

• "...prophets insist that we deal with God as God reveals himself, not as we imagine him to be"

• "Prophets train us in discerning the difference between the ways of the world and the ways of the gospel, keeping us present to the Presence of God."

• "Their words and visions penetrate the illusions with which we cocoon ourselves from reality."

• "...the prophets worked to get people who were beaten down to open themselves up to hope in God's future."

• "If we insist on understanding them before we live into them, we will never get it."

ISAIAH

In introducing Isaiah, Peterson writes "For Isaiah, words are watercolors and melodies and chisels to make truth and beauty and goodness."

Whether you enjoy working in colour, notes, or in timber, you will surely enjoy working with Isaiah as its pages unfold its beauty. 

According to Peterson, the book is divided into three sections:

1. Messages of Judgement (chapters 1 - 39)
2. Messages of Comfort (chapters 40-55)
3. Messages of Hope (chapters 56-66)

We look forward to exploring this important tome together.

Julie Swannell

A great reformer

Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Several contributors to the Christian Science periodicals have written about Martin Luther. A quick search on jsh-online.com reveals 611 references to that name (but of course, some of these may be to the later Martin Luther King).

The August 24, 1957 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel emphasizes Luther's "enormous vitality and courage", as well as his "great humility". The writer explains that "Luther's belief that God should be served at one's daily tasks was responsible for his followers' abolishing monasticism. He married. Besides preaching, he translated the Old Testament into German from the Hebrew. He is the father of congregational singing, calling music "a fair and lovely gift of God.""

A more recent writer (see “A Christian Hymn” in The Christian Science Journal July 2002) continues the musical strain, recalling that "Martin Luther's best-known hymn is "Ein' feste Burg" or "A mighty fortress." He wrote this "battle hymn of the Reformation" in 1529. Luther composed both the melody and the original words.

One commentator says, "The hymn was used throughout Germany during the long struggle for religious liberty."¹ There are over 70 translations of the hymn into English. The version below is from the Christian Science Hymnal, and is a paraphrase of the original.

¹ Concordance to Christian Science Hymnal and Hymnal Notes, (Boston: The Christian Science Publishing Society, 1975), p. 179–180. 

Hymnal, No. 10.  

Frederic W. Root (Based on hymn by Martin Luther)

All power is given unto our Lord,
On Him we place reliance;
With truth from out His sacred word
We bid our foes defiance.
With Him we shall prevail,
Whatever may assail;
He is our shield and tower,
Almighty is His power;
His kingdom is forever.

         etc. 

An appealing quote appeared in the September 20, 2004 edition of the Christian Science Sentinel: "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

Readers wishing to delve some more will be interested to read the March 1994 edition of The Christian Science Journal which features the excellent article “Luther launches the Protestant Reformation” by Mary Trammell (Reformation Bible scholar and then Associate Editor of the Journal) and William Dawley (then Feature Editor of the Journal). It outshines much of the other stuff one finds on the computer about the great man. The opening paragraph quotes Luther: "The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me."

                                                                               

Finally, we also find mention of Martin Luther in Mrs. Eddy's writings - Science and Health p. 268, Christian Healing p. 2, and Miscellany p. 295. In Christian Healing she mentions Luther’s friend and associate, Melanchthon, who is also referenced in the article "Restoring and Forwarding Christian Healing" by Warren Bolon and Jeffrey Hildner in the February 2004 issue of The Christian Science Journal: 

“As historian Frank Darling has noted, German reformer Martin Luther healed his co-worker, Philip Melanchthon, through faith and prayer.”

Joyce Voysey

Daily bread (Martin Luther and Annie Knott)

"Give us this day our daily bread"

From the February 7, 1914 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

by Martin Luther

"Give us this day our daily bread." Why do we use the words "our bread"? 

Because we do not pray for the common bread that even heathen partake, and which God gives to all men, but for "our" bread, the bread of those who are the "children" of the heavenly Father. And what then is this bread of God? It is Jesus Christ our Lord. "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." Therefore let no one be deluded. Whatever sermons and instructions do not exhibit and make known Jesus Christ cannot be the daily bread and nourishment of souls.—Martin Luther.

Ed. Readers may enjoy reading what an an early Christian Science worker has to say on the topic of daily bread. https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1915/9/18-3/daily-bread

Here is a short excerpt (emphasis added by me):

Daily Bread

By Annie M. Knott

From the September 18, 1915 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

In that wonderful eighth chapter of Romans Paul says, "We know not what we should pray for as we aught;" then he tells of the searching of the heart, and of the spiritual intercession which is "according to the will of God." No one can deny that prayer and desire need to be spiritualized because our real needs are spiritual, and we cannot too often remind ourselves of this. Even the deep spiritual significance of the Lord's Prayer may be obscured and the blessing missed by a material sense of need, but to one who is only beginning to understand the teachings of Christian Science the spiritual sense of daily bread as given on page 17 of Science and Health is almost startling. It reads: "Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections." ...

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Luther's protest

Friends,

This year we celebrate 500 years since Martin Luther's 'protest' against certain practices within the Christian church at that time. 

For November, we invite you to read about, ponder, and perhaps write about the significance of Christian reformers, including Luther, down the ages.

To begin, we offer the following links:

A featured story in The Christian Science Monitor -
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2017/1029/Luther-s-legacy-How-people-use-the-Bible-today-500-years-after-a-monk-sparked-the-Protestant-Reformation


A blog post from a Christian Science practitioner in Germany, Annette Kreutziger-Herr - 
http://www.kreutzigerherr.com/blog/martin-luther

From the blog post above -

Here are some of Luther's sayings:

• You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.
• A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone.
• I know not the way God leads me, but I do well know my Guide.
• If you are not allowed to laugh in heaven, I do not want to go there.
• Those speak foolishly who ascribe their anger or their impatience to such as offend them or to tribulation. Tribulation does not make people impatient, but proves that they are impatient. So everyone may learn from tribulation how his heart is constituted.
• I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.
• Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

The 'woman' question

I Timothy

No wonder Paul has had a bad press regarding his teaching about woman's place.*

I find it hard to believe that Paul would teach this way. Referring to Adam and Eve (chapter 2) to back up the teaching considerably weakens the writing: there is nothing spiritual about this teaching; nothing to inspire. In contrast, one thinks of how Paul treats the couple Priscilla and Aquila: when introduces them as his loved helpers, he names Priscilla first (Rom. 16:3).**

My Harper Collins Bible Dictionary gives me a good interpretation of Eve (under the entry on Women in the New Testament, New Approaches):

It is clear…that at the creation, woman was not intended to be subordinate to man, for the Hebrew word ezer, normally translated “helper” (Gen. 2:18) is frequently used of God (e.g. Ps. 30:10; 54:4) and does not imply subordination. Eve is portrayed as the spokesperson for the couple, and during her talk with the serpent she presents theological arguments. She is never portrayed as wanton, or as tempting or tempted sexually, nor does the biblical author single her out for greater blame than her partner.

And doesn't the textbook of Christian Science (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy) say of Eve that she was the first to acknowledge her fault? Hey! This is good stuff. (Isn't everything in Science and Health “good stuff”?):

Truth, cross-questioning man as to his knowledge of error, finds woman the first to confess her fault. She says,“The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat; as much as to say in meek penitence, “Neither man nor God shall father my fault.” She has already learned that corporeal sense is the serpent. Hence she is the first to abandon the belief in the material origin of man and to discern spiritual creation. This hereafter enabled woman to be the mother of Jesus and to behold at the sepulchre the risen Saviour, who was soon to manifest the deathless man of God's creating. This enabled woman to be first to interpret the Scriptures in their true sense, which reveals the spiritual origin of man.

Having to some extent come to terms with the “woman” question, I can now be grateful for the truly inspiring words in other parts of the letter.

Under the sub-heading “Gratitude for Mercy” in Chapter 1, one finds this:

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the foremost.

(I Tim 1:12-15 NRSV)

I will leave I Timothy here to get on with II Timothy.

Joyce Voysey

* Ed. It is my understanding that most Bible scholars today are disinclined to accept these letters as original Pauline writings.

** Ed. Romans 16:3 opens with a warm introduction to another woman, namely Phebe, who Paul refers to as "our sister".

The ideal church leader

In its Introduction to I Timothy, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) says that these letters are valuable “because of their concern with leadership offices and pastoral oversight of the churches.”

So, I do well to take heed of the teaching of these little letters, which scholars seem to agree were probably not actually written by Paul. I note that I and II Timothy are banded together with Titus and called The Pastoral Letters. (Note for our editor: could we include Titus in this reading?)

Under a section called Language and Sources, NRSV promises that I Timothy contains lists of vices and virtues! Also, the church and the role of women seems to be prominent. It is noteworthy that since the coming of Christian Science, women have been winning more influence in some mainstream churches. What a role model women have in the life and work of Mary Baker Eddy - uncovering the Science of Christianity, founding a church, establishing a thought-influencing newspaper in The Christian Science Monitor.

I rejoice to read that Timothy was considered to be “the ideal church leader, whose sound doctrine and morals stand in sharp contrast to the corrupt lives and words of the false teachers.” So, I feel I can compare these letters with those written by Mary Baker Eddy to the loyal students who assisted her so nobly in the founding of the Christian Science movement.

I guess I need to know who the false teachers are and what they are teaching. I hope I am ready to learn from I and II Timothy.

Joyce Voysey

Rembrandt and Timothy

Rembrandt's painting of the child Timothy with his grandmother Lois is wonderfully descriptive, especially in its use of light and shade. 

The author of the two Timothy letters in the Bible has Paul saying to this exceptional young man (who Paul first met on his second major voyage when Timothy was still a teenager): 

"For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well" (2 Timothy 1:5).

How precious is the network of friends and family around us. Mary Baker Eddy once wrote to a student of Christian Science: 

"You, dear one, are God's appointed to stand if others do not...Not but you can go apart to pray--this we all need to do, and I want you to do it. But note this, do not go where, if you get frightened, you have no one well skilled in truth to encourage you and neutralize error with Truth."

So then, when Paul and his friends were assaulted by hostile Jews and Gentiles (Acts 14: 5-7, 19-20), with Paul being almost stoned to death, how important it was that "the disciples stood round about him" with the result that he was able to continue on to Derbe the very next day. 

Together they fought "the good fight of faith" (I Timothy 6: 12), and this network of believers was an encouragement to them all and surely enabled them and their families to continue in their Christly work of healing and of establishing church communities "before many witnesses" (I Timothy 6:12). 

Julie Swannell

Ancestry and Adam

The other day I opened the Bible to Zechariah 1:1. It begins by telling us about Zechariah's immediate ancestry – the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet. Then I realised that it is a general practice in the Old Testament to state right at the beginning, the writer's parentage. If we turn to the New Testament, we find really serious ancestry recorded for Jesus in Matthew – from Abraham to Joseph, Mary's husband.

I was fascinated at Luke's placement of Jesus' genealogy. I couldn't find it for a while, but there it is in chapter 3. Luke starts at Jesus and goes back past Abraham all the way to Adam, who he declares was the son of God. (In Christian Science, we might question that.)

I can see a similarity now between the Bible's recording of lineage, and Mrs. Eddy's brief mention of her forebears. She was so in tune with the Scriptures that she would instinctively follow its pattern.

I was satisfied that I had covered all that I wanted to about genealogy, so I turned back to Retrospection and Introspection - the Faith-cure chapter - and there we find the closing words, “the race of Adam” (p. 55:8). 

Mortals are indeed descended from Adam, but note how Science and Health defines that name in its Glossary: “Error; a falsity; the belief in 'original sin', sickness, and death; evil; the opposite of good, – of God and His creation; a curse; ...” p. 579:15). This is the reason mortals need Christian Science: it is the Christ teaching about true manhood. This is the antidote for mortality.

The “platform” in Science and Health (pp. 330-340) gives further instruction on the word Adam. See page 338. It has been my habit when on duty in my church's Reading Room to tune in to the continuous reading of Science and Health on JSH-Online. Last Thursday it was at these numbered paragraphs. The reading is exquisite, the reader being a man with a beautiful English-style accent. Could it be Australian?

Joyce Voysey

Ed. Importantly, Eddy writes (Ret. p. 21:13-15, 25-27) "It is well to know, dear reader, that our material, mortal history is but the record of dreams, not of man's real existence...Mere historic incidents and personal events are frivolous and of no moment, unless they illustrate the ethics of Truth." 

Familiarity with the life of Mary Baker Eddy

In the chapter Foundation-stones (from September's book Retrospection and Introspection pp 56-58), I find a war theme: "War is waged between the evidences of Spirit and the evidences of the five physical senses; and this contest must go on until peace be declared by the final triumph of Spirit in immutable harmony" (p. 56:12-15).

In this chapter, there is one “I” to tell us that this is part of Mary Baker Eddy's story. (With Eddy, it is never, “This is what I say is true”, but “This is what God has shown me to be Christian-scientifically true: the universal truth which is God in action.”) She writes: "The following ideas of Deity...I found to be demonstrable rules in Christian Science..." (p. 56:1).

Then in the chapter Sin, Sinner, and Ecclesiasticism, we read: “Christian Science gives vitality to religion ...” (p. 66:3).  How quiet is that vitality. 

Merriam-Webster (dictionary) lists the following for "vitality":

1.     Lively or animated character

2.     Power of enduring

3.     The peculiarity distinguishing the living from the un-living

4.     Capacity to live and develop; also: physical or mental vigor especially when highly developed.

It seems so important for us to grasp even a little of what Christian Science teaches about sin.

In my research of JSH-Online to seek what other students have written about our book, I found the following, titled History, by Archibald McLellan, in the June 29, 1907 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.

"In these days when so much is being written about our Leader and Christian Science, it is well for us to remember that Mrs. Eddy has not left the world in ignorance of her early history, nor of the early history of the Cause which she has founded. We do not need to turn for information on these subjects to the alleged histories which have been published by unfriendly magazines and newspapers...

"The study of this book is important to Christian Scientists...and every Christian Scientist should be as familiar with it as they are with our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.""  (Emphasis added - J. Voysey.)

And here is how the Editor of The Christian Science Journal of December, 1891, welcomed the new work:

"The new book, Retrospection and Introspection, by the author of Science and Health, is a treasure of Love; and is a wonderful adjustment of the questions of thy day, to the students of Science and Health. It disentangles many a vexed problem which has caused severe and prolonged struggles. In our great need the Light has come."

Joyce Voysey

Fight for right

Book Club for September. Retrospection and Introspection by Mary Baker Eddy.

I had a thoughts: why not look up "retrospection" and "introspection" in the dictionary? Mrs. Eddy doesn't use words lightly.

Noah Webster has: 

Retrospection: the act of looking back on things past; the faculty of looking back on past things. 

(Ho Hum!)

Introspection: a view of the inside or interior. 

(Ho Ho Hum!)

Merriam-Webster has:

Introspection: A reflective looking inward; An examination of one's own thoughts and feelings.

Mrs. Eddy wasn't all that keen on writing about what some would call “normal life.” The inner life was what was important to her; the life revealed to her as spiritual, not material.

The Chapter Ancestral Shadows speaks of ancestors who came from England and Scotland. It seems to me that the point she was making about them was that they were fighters for right. There is a sort of war-like tone. They were important figures in the battles they fought. It wasn't pride in her ancestry but a recognition of values passed from generation to generation, of battles already won. Mrs. Eddy took up the banner of that fight for right – for freedom from all wrong, from sin, disease, and death. Her battle is against spiritual ignorance.

In the Chapter Voices Not Our Own we read about the much recorded story of Mary Baker being "called" in a similar fashion to Samuel in the Bible. One remarkable aspect to me is that another person also heard the call.

The Chapter Marriage and Parentage gives a rough account of her brief marriage to George Glover, his death, and her return to her family home for the birth of her baby. But with all her earthly trials there is no mention of her own health.

And The Great Discovery! Just a few pages to tell of her discovery of the great truth that is the Science of Christianity. Oh, what a learning curve! I think I am right in stating that she kept on learning more about God throughout her long life on earth.

Ret. 28:9-12 particularly takes my fancy: 

"I had learned that thought must be spiritualized, in order to apprehend Spirit. It must become honest, unselfish, and pure, in order to have the least understanding of God in divine Science.” 

There never was a woman, before or since, who lived those qualities as she did – the honesty, the unselfishness, the purity. She was so honest, so pure, so unselfish that she must find a way to present this great truth to the world. What a task God had set for her. She gives us a taste of what it meant, and other authors have expanded on her journey of discovery and foundation.

I keep going back to one sentence in Foundation Work, “Erudite systems of philosophy and religion melted, for Love unveiled the healing promise and potency of a present spiritual afflatus” (Ret. 31: 28).

Joyce Voysey

Ed. From my dictionary.com app: 

Afflatus - inspiration, an impelling mental force acting from within; divine communication of knowledge (from the Latin afflatus - a breathing on - flare = to blow; tus = action) 

Something troubling your thought?

Whatever situation may be troubling and consuming the thought of our community and occupying our own thought - be it government tussles, family troubles, security concerns, ageism, physical stress-points, or something else - that situation can be considered spiritually and met humanly with the application of the teachings of the Bible, which enable resolution, peace, and well-being.

Mary Baker Eddy's Retrospection and Introspection constantly turns the reader to the Bible. Its pages are full of inspiration, wise counsel, and warm uplift, and the reasoning is always based on Scripture.

Consider the essay Exemplification (pp. 86-92) where Eddy amplifies Jesus' instructions to "heal the sick" (p. 87), "raise the dead" (p.88), and "preach the gospel" (p. 88). She even contemplates where his sermons were preached: "When he was with them, a fishing-boat became a sanctuary...the grove became his class-room, and nature's haunts were the Messiah's university" (p. 91:23).

In her final comments on Jesus' example, Eddy refers to a passage from Mark 4:28 "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear" (p. 92). I was fascinated to read about the growth of corn in a delightful article titled Seeming Standstill by Anna Goeritz in December 27, 1913 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. Ms Goeritz writes: 

"When the young plant first leaves the ground, it springs up as a light green blade; but soon its growth is arrested, for it has to form a joint that shall become a support for the next section of the hollow stalk. After a little while this new piece stops growing so that a second joint may be formed, and the process is repeated as many times as is required to give the stalk its full height..."

May your crop grow gracefully and sturdily.

Julie Swannell

P.S.
Readers will surely discover just what they need in this little book, Retrospection and Introspection, but here are some other passages that caught my attention:

p. 86: 21 No one can save himself without God's help, and God will help each man who performs his own part.

p. 90: 1 The student should be most careful not to thrust aside Science, and shade God's window which lets in the light, or seek to stand in God's stead.

p. 90: 29 It is safe to leave with God the government of man. He appoints and He anoints His Truth-bearers, and God is their sure defense and refuge.

A steady continuous effort - legacy of a great reformer

Retrospection and Introspection – a great reformer’s legacy

Each of us leaves a legacy of some sort – an impression or at least a memory. Some legacies are longer lasting than others; some may be misunderstood.

The life of a great reformer provides a legacy of inspiration and instruction, and the most helpful life is, perhaps, one that is dedicated to the welfare of others. Thus, when we hear of the winners of the “Australian of the Year” award, for example, we expect recipients have made a difference to others through their unselfish and persistent efforts in a particular field of endeavour. These days, such distinctions often go to those involved in medical or scientific research, but what about religious reformers. What is their legacy? Could it include an example of persistence and perseverance?

As far back as 100BC, the Romans were grappling with questions of effective behaviour. Plutarch writes that Quintus Sertorius (125-72BC) once explained the difference between raw brute strength and patient persistence. He had two horses and two riders. One horse was large and handsome and his rider was short and not strong; the second horse was weak, while his rider was tall and powerful. The strong man pulled his horse’s tail with all his might, but could not pull out a single hair; the weaker man pulled out the hairs one by one until the whole tail was bare. The moral of the story, said Sertorius, is that “a steady continuous effort is irresistible” (Plutarch Lives paragraph 7.16).

Mary Baker Eddy was a religious reformer. She epitomised this steadiness and continuity of effort over many years, day by day, moment by moment, in her determination to proclaim and share her discovery of Christian Science – the science of Spirit or the infinite – with the world. Century after century had passed since Jesus’ advent on earth, and Christianity’s impact had been mixed. Eddy longed to see a more practical Christianity in the world and she dedicated her every waking moment to that end. This practicality, though humanly demonstrable, nevertheless followed a wholly spiritual path. Her radical contribution to religion and science was to include the demand to patiently and persistently reason from the basis of the omnipotence of Spirit, not matter. She wrote in her autobiographical work Retrospection and Introspection, p. 58:

               Stating the divine Principle, omnipotence (omnis potens), and then departing from this statement and taking the rule of finite matter, with which to work out the problem of infinity or Spirit, - all this is like trying to compensate for the absence of omnipotence by a physical, false, and finite substitute.  

               With our Master, life was not merely a sense of existence, but an accompanying sense of power that subdued matter and brought to light immortality, insomuch that the people “were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Life, as defined by Jesus, had no beginning; it was not the result of organization, or infused into matter; it was Spirit.

Eddy’s legacy continues to bless and inspire, and the legacy includes eminently practical results. One recent example comes from a woman in California who was diagnosed with glaucoma. After deciding to rely wholly on her understanding of Christian Science to help her solve this problem, she stood firmly and persistently with its basis of the omnipotence of Spirit. She writes:

Life is not a mixture of the material and spiritual… the only true account is the spiritual… I will say, during those many months not a day went by without my giving myself a Christian Science treatment. I didn’t have one glowing spiritual truth that I worked with during this period, and there was no proverbial silver bullet. It was consistency; it was expectancy; it was a refusal to give in to a material diagnosis of deterioration and incurability that resulted in a complete healing of the physical condition. 

(Christian Science Sentinel September 4, 2017 - https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/2017/9/119-36/persistent-prayer-brings-healing-of-glaucoma?s=e)

Retrospection and Introspection offers insights into the life of a great reformer.

I John helps at exam time.

As a Christian Scientist, one is necessarily a student - always learning, and loving it!

But what if the learning stagnates; you reach an impasse, or feel you are on a plateau? Help is right there in the Bible.

One student found I John 2:20 a great help. Writing in the May 10, 1999 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel, Charles Edward Langton shares how it helped him, in his article called "Clear Thinking At Exam Time". https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1999/5/101-19/clear-thinking-at-exam-time

The passage is this: "... ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (I John 2:20).

He writes that once he remembered this passage, "the ideas I needed flowed into thought in an orderly manner. I successfully completed the exam and the degree program."

Isn't the Bible wonderful?

Julie Swannell

Nancy Astor from the Smithsonian

NEWS FLASH!

Book club friends,

We have just received a lovely message from our colleague Colleen Moore in New Orleans.  The clip is just 4 minutes long and it's worth sharing! 

Colleen writes: 

It is always a treat to me when the public makes a connection between Christian Science and an historical figure. The following video from the Smithsonian Channel popped up on my Facebook stream this morning. It was about the British Parliament’s first female member, but what was so special was how the trailer began. Take a look here:

http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/videos/the-amazing-rise-of-parliaments-first-female-member/50080

Sincerely,

Colleen C. Moore

Webmaster

www.christianscienceneworleans.org

www.christiansciencelouisiana.com

Letters from John the beloved disciple

Some thoughts about the authorship of the Gospel of John and these three letters. 

Science and Health, our inspired textbook, speaks of “the beloved disciple...in one of his epistles {saying] 'God is love'”. (See S&H 319:32-1.) Now I have been taught that inspiration is higher than scholarship, so I am assured that indeed John the apostle did write these books of the Bible.*

II and III John are so small one wonders how they came to be included in the New Testament. John's theme “let us love one another” is repeated. And we are warned to guard our thinking - to make sure we are abiding in the teaching of Christ, and take care who we associate with.

In both of these little letters, John speaks of having lots to say, but not wanting to say it with pen and paper – he hopes to come to speak with the congregation face to face (II John 12).

III John takes up truth as his main topic. He loves to hear that his children are “walking in the truth" (verse 4). 

We trust that indeed John was able to come and visit. There were various things to be sorted out – Diotrephes for instance “who does not acknowledge our authority” (III John 9, NRSV).

Joyce Voysey

* Ed. Readers will be interested to learn what modern scholarship is saying, e.g. https://bible.org has a fascinating article by W. Hall Harris III (Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary) which examines historical evidence which might offer clues as to both writer and recipient of these famous letters. Harris suggests that there is nothing to contradict the long-held belief that it was John the beloved disciple who authored these letters. See 

https://bible.org/seriespage/2-background-and-setting-1-john.

Love casts out fear

In the NRSV, I John 4 is sub-titled “God is Love”. John's sublime definition and explanation of love comes to us in the verses 7 to 21. The “Love” in the sub-title has a capital, no doubt because it is a title; the remainder of the “loves” do not have capitals. Christian Science capitalises the word as a synonym of God. In the chapter Prayer in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (by Mary Baker Eddy), we find “God is Love” in parenthesis. I conclude that this is because it is a quote from I John. (See SH 6:17).

It is John who assures, and reassures us, that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear.” Who is the student of Christian Science who has not turned to that truth with expectancy of healing and freedom from fear  -- fear, which divine Science says, is “the fountain of sickness” (S&H 391:32)? 

There is much in Science and Health on handling fear, and a strong definition in the Glossary (p. 586: 11): 

FEAR. Heat; inflammation; anxiety; ignorance; error; desire; caution.

The topic of fear also appears in the chapter Christian Science Practice. Here we are given guidance in our healing practice, and told to: 

“Always begin your treatment by allaying the fear of patients.”

I John chapter 5: 6 speaks of Jesus having come by water and by blood. 

   This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. 

By water? I looked up Dummelow's Bible Commentary: 

    According to the most generally accepted interpretations of this difficult passage, the reference is primarily to our Lord's baptism in Jordan and His death upon the Cross – the baptism of water and the baptism of blood, which together sum up His redemptive work and represents its cleansing and atoning power.*

As I read chapter 5, I particularly noticed that two other synonyms or names for God were used: Spirit, and life (no capital). I wonder if I John could be a sort of recapitulation on the life and work of Jesus and the beginnings of Christianity.

Finally, chapter 5 presents me with another point to ponder – “mortal sin”. Mortal sin is a term we might associate with the Catholic church, so I looked up Wikipedia and found this:

   A mortal sin (Latin: peccata mortalia), in Catholic theology, is a gravely sinful act, which can lead to damnation if a person does not repent of the sin before death. A sin is considered to be "mortal" when its quality is such that it leads to a separation of that person from God's saving grace...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_sin

The troublesome (to me) passage in the Bible is: “There is a sin that is mortal; I do not say that you should pray about that, All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not mortal.” (See I John 5:16, 17.)

Dummelow quotes Plummer: '”Sin unto death” is not any act of sin, however heinous, but a state or habit of sin wilfully chosen and persisted in: it is constant and consummate opposition to God.”

So what does Christian Science say about it? I know there is something in Mrs. Eddy's writings which contains the words “sin against the Holy Ghost.” It's on page 55 of her Miscellaneous Writings: 

    Opposite to good, is the universal claim of evil that seeks the proportions of good. There may be those who, having learned the poser of the unspoken thought, use it to harm rather than to heal, and who are using that power against Christian Scientists. This giant sin is the sin against the Holy Ghost spoken of in Matt. xii. 31,32.

Here is that reference in Matthew: 

   Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Who ever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Well, I can now go on to II and III John. I didn't expect this deep stuff of I John!

Joyce Voysey

* Ed. In relation to this passage from I John 5:6, readers might enjoy Charlotte Kennard's August 15, 1914 article "Passing of Evil" in the Christian Science Sentinel. She writes of "constant prayer for increased spiritual understanding" that includes "a purified consciousness" and "being ready to sacrifice all material hindrances". 

See https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1914/8/16-50/passing-of-evil