Let us get up early to the vineyards

 The third Scriptural passage chosen by Mary Baker Eddy to introduce her chapter Fruitage in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, comes from Solomon's Song, chapter 7, verse 12:

"Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth..."

"Let us" indicates both an invitation and a response. The invitation includes sharing some sort of experience, and the response demands cooperation, willingness, acquiescence and expectation of a satisfactory outcome. We see it's a demand for participation by more than one. It's a call to united action. Is this an invitation from God to see His work, Her vineyard, full of ripened fruit?

A quick look in the concordances indicates that there are 187 instances of "let us" in the Bible, 26 in Science & Health, 28 in the Christian Science Hymnal and 65 in Mrs. Eddy's Prose Works. Genesis employs the word "let" throughout chapter one and verse 26 is translated in the King James Version as: "And God said, Let us make man in our image..." 

We might now ponder the word "early". Does that mean at the start of the day? Probably. I'm sure the farmers of the world know the meaning of the word early. Might it also refer to no delay, excuse, meandering or procrastination? Truth is present right now.

And what about the vineyard? It's all God's. Mrs. Eddy writes: "When God called the author to proclaim His Gospel to this age, there came also the charge to plant and water His vineyard." (SH xi: 22). Our work, done unselfishly, consistently, appropriately, lovingly, and in fulfilment of God's purpose, takes wings and bears fruit, because it is God working through us and with us. "...in Him we live, and move, and have our being" Paul assures us (Acts 17: 28). I am reminded of Ruth in the Bible. She and Naomi were starting life over. They arrived at "the beginning of barley harvest" (Ruth 1: 22). Ruth was led to work in the field of Boaz and she got in early to the field.

Flourish is a marvellous word. The Psalmist assures us that "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Ps. 92:7). But the Psalmist also warns that the wicked might also flourish. Farmers and gardeners are on the alert for pests which don't belong. Jesus' parable of the tares and the wheat includes the admonition to "let both grow together until the harvest...." and then when it is easy to distinguish which are the tares, then let them be burned. (See Matthew 13.)

The inclusion of this verse from Solomon's Song to introduce chapter XVIII gives the reader encouragement and expectation of good results. I love it, because it assures us that the vineyard is God's and therefore the fruit is assured.

Julie Swannell

Relief and happiness

We will now turn to the second Biblical quote chosen by Mary Baker Eddy to introduce the final chapter, Fruitage, in her master work Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. — PAUL.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 600:-5)

This passage is from Colossians 1:10. The Message (by Eugene Peterson) paraphrases it like this:

"We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work."

One might ask what a fruitful life looks like. Can one even quantify such an idea?

In a recent episode of Sentinel Watch titled “This book healed me: Science and Health”, the interviewee shared that they had the idea to read Fruitage anew by noting the attitude of each of the testifiers.

The testimony which appears on pages 649-650 of Science and Health may serve as an example. The person—Carrie Kruses*—is disappointed and discouraged. 

At a very low ebb, she began reading Science and Health mainly because her landlady kept asking how she was getting along with it! Her thought moved from disappointment and discouragement to relief and happiness in the “few weeks” during which she read Science and Health in its entirety. The testimony concludes with a prayer for “more wisdom and understanding and more love for all mankind”.

What lovely fruitage!

Julie Swannell

PS One could also wonder about the attitude of the landlady. ☺

*See original testimony Jan. 14, 1904, Christian Science Sentinel.

Prejudice against Christian Science melts

 How wonderful it is to learn about the way reading Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy has transformed lives. 

This year's Annual Meeting of The Mother Church included the testimony of Laura Leigh Robinson (about 49 minutes from the beginning of the recording) whose healing occurred after four days of reading Science and Health.

Another example of a life transformed is that of Nellie Eveleth, Mrs. Eddy's long-time dressmaker. This month's newsletter from the Longyear Foundation includes her story, as retold by Stacy Teicher. Here's a portion of the Longyear article, which includes a portion of Nellie's testimony, printed in the Dec. 1904 edition of The Christian Science Journal: 

As Mary Baker Eddy’s seamstress from 1907 to 1910, Nellie Eveleth made many dresses, wraps, and other clothing with materials ranging from taffeta to velvet...

Years before Miss Eveleth began making beautiful clothes, she was struck by “the beauty of the truth” in Mrs. Eddy’s book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which she explored after decades of invalidism:

“I began at the beginning, and never shall I forget the beauty of the truth I saw there,” Miss Eveleth wrote in a testimony. “[I]t was logical, every part fitted every other part. After reading a hundred pages I arose from my bed practically well, better than I had ever been in my life, and my joy knew no bounds. Then began the work of demonstrating this truth.”

Nellie's full testimony is quite lovely and is available on jsh-online. If you don't currently have a subscription, your local Christian Science Reading Room will be very happy to furnish you with a free copy. It's noteworthy that her thought transformation was not quick. She was quite prejudiced against Christian Science and had determined never to read Science and Health. She decided to read four pages ... and then just kept reading. 

Julie Swannell