Ananias

Marie Fox writes:

Ananias, the delightful poem by Rushworth Kidder in our anthology, is my poem for today. It's on page 78.

My favourite example of tight, lyrical poetic artistry:
Freeing the verse of your heart
with the rhythm of intuition.

But I also like the humorous tone, achieved by the recognition of our human weaknesses:
"But ....may I say a word?" and by the tone of inclusiveness: it's about us, we, as much as you, dear Ananias.

There are some great phrases: "uncritical innocence", "you shattered such logic", "out of that blaze you came, wide-eyed and child-like".

Thanks Rush. A gem. 

a note to readers re Violet Hay

Readers may like to read more about Violet Hay.  There is information on this blog site regarding her compilation of the Christian Science Hymnal. 

See the entry for Monday, 25 February 2013 "Violet Hay" by Joyce Voysey

Poets

I love the look and feel of our book Boundless Light.  It's elegant and somehow comforting.

I was interested to know a little about the authors of the poems.  Here are a couple of special interest to me:

Godfrey John
I love his poems. They always surprise and charm me.  And they seem very visual.  Wikipedia tells us that Godfrey John was born and grew up in Wales. ...He served in the Royal Air Force. John graduated from Cambridge University^[1] where he was boxing team captain... For more than 40 years, poems and essays by John were published in the Christian Science Monitor.^[2]
Godfrey John moved to the United States in 1958, where he lived and worked for over a decade, but remained a British citizen. He taught English at several colleges in the United States,^[1] and later worked as an arts critic for the Christian Science Monitor. He became a public practitioner of Christian Science.^[3] In 1970, he moved to Canada, where he became a dual citizen (Canadian and British). In Canada, he also became a Christian Science teacher and served briefly on the Christian Science Board of Lectureship. For many years he was also active as a voluntary probation and parole officer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_John

John's poems in this book are:
Ask Soon - page 39 (originally published CS Sentinel August 28, 1971)
Be Columbus! - page 79 (CSS August 1, 1988)
The panoply - page 13 (CS Journal, June 1979)

Rushworth Kidder
I met Rush Kidder in Perth decades ago and it changed my life. I became an early member of his "Institute for Global Ethics" and read about its work avidly. I loved that his research uncovered the fact that all of the world's major philosophies and religions have one binding commonality: The Golden Rule.

Today I found a fine tribute to this generous and far-sighted man.  It's by Richard Crispin in Forbes Magazine - http://www.forbes.com/sites/ey/2015/02/20/video-the-venture-capital-investor-and-entrepreneur-relationship/. Here's a key comment from Crispin: "I remember the day when I came upon the concept that would change my life: right versus wrong is easy; it’s right versus right that’s hard." 

Rush wrote several books, including How Good People Make Tough Choices, Moral Courage, and Good Kids, Tough Choices.  They are worth reading.

Kidder's poem in our book is Ananias. It's on page 78 and was originally published CSS Jan 17 1976.  Rush was responsible for an earlier, much loved anthology of poetry from the Christian Science magazines called "Ideas on Wings", available probably from lending libraries in most CS Reading Rooms today, though now out of print.

At one time Rush Kidder was a columnist for The Christian Science Monitor.

Violet Hay
There is now a book about Ms Hay, available from the Longyear Foundation whose web site has this to say about her -

Violet Hay is best known through her seven poems set as congregational hymns in the Christian Science Hymnal.

Less well known is the story of her pioneering role in the establishment of Christian Science in the British Isles — a story which is both deeply interesting and inspiring. Historian Dr. Peter J. Hodgson offers the first comprehensive study of one of England's well-loved practitioners and teachers of Christian Science, whose activities spanned more than seven decades. http://www.longyear.org/store/books/longyear-museum-press/violet-hay-peter-j-hodgson

Hay's poem in our book is Safety, on page 101 (originally published CSJ January 1941).


I was wondering if any of the authors here are Australian. I can't recognize any names as such. That's a pity.

Julie Swannell

Thoughts feathered with love

What a lovely thought to take with me this morning – page 50

On Gentle Word

Oh, let it never bear a sting –

the thought you think.  Make it a bird!

Oh, feather it with love, and wing

it carefully on gentle word.

Then it will rise and sweetly sing,

and bless wherever it is heard.

                                Althea Brooks Hollenbeck

 

 

It reminds me of the Church Alive theme* and various hymns with words by Mary Baker Eddy.

 

And, a thought I had about last week’s lesson.  We make things into thinks (a noun).

Joyce Voysey

Ed This refers to the Northern Australia Church Alive Summit held in Brisbane March 2014. The theme was "Like brother birds" - from a poem by Mary Baker Eddy which begins 'Brood o'er us with Thy shelt'ring wing.'

This morning I turned to page 9 – Peter Henniker-Heaton’s poem Pure Mind.  I had been thinking about the warnings about cyclones off the Queensland and Northern Territory coasts, so the word ‘atmosphere’ in the third verse took my attention.

I think we have noted before, in this blog, that Mary Baker Eddy was very aware of the connection of weather effects with mortal mind (see We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Expanded Edition, Vol I, page 465, but in Volume II I have a note in the back that tells me this matter is also mentioned on pages 33, 11, 111, 114, 213, 113, 118, 284, 287, 395, 411/2.) 

I remembered an experience I had when we lived on a macadamia farm in Northern NSW.  A terrific storm struck during the night.  When I say terrific, I mean terrifying.  I lay in bed declaring that God is not in the wind or the fire.  Then I remembered that I had not finished the thought that had come to Elijah (see I Kings 19).  I had missed out what came after the fire – A still small voice.  When I acknowledged the still small voice I gained my peace and the raging ceased.

Some time later I was in a Christian Science Reading Room and came to an article which stated that electricity is power without intelligence.  I reasoned that when I had applied intelligence to the situation, it was resolved.  Mrs. Eddy has written about electricity on page 293 of Science and Health, “Electricity is the sharp surplus of materiality which counterfeits the true essence of spirituality or truth, -- the great difference being that electricity is not intelligent, while spiritual truth is Mind.”

So, thank you again, Peter Henniker-Heaton for your sharing in poetry. 

 

Joyce Voysey

PURE MIND

By Peter J. Henniker-Heaton

From the September 28, 1968 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel

God is pure Mind; He does not work through matter.
Mind needs no outside medium to express
its nature. All that Mind creates is wholly
of mental and spiritual substance, nothing less.

Man is pure Mind's idea. Not made from matter,
man needs no physical basis to sustain
his individual life. Mind's man and woman
pure thought in Mind eternally remain.

The pure ideas of Mind are not polluted,
infected, poisoned, pressured, fractured, strained
by matter. Their only atmosphere is boundless
intelligence, self-renewed and self-contained.

Pure Mind, controlling all in ordered action,
governs alike the atom and the star.
Wherever thought consents and hearts are willing,
its instant healings and adjustings are.

Mind has no place for matter in its eternal
purpose. But wholly spiritual, wholly good,
pure Mind's ideas, coperfect with their Maker,
unfold within pure Mind's infinitude.

From  JSH-Online http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1968/9/70-39/pure-mind

 

Hitherto hath the Lord helped us

14.2.15

I am not reading Boundless Light from beginning to end, but rather delving here and there.  This morning I have opened at A Song of Hope (p. 117).  I will find it on JSH-Online.com and copy it here (http://journal.christianscience.com/issues/1935/6/53-3)

It tells us how important it is to remember, when we are tried: “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (I Sam. 7:12).  God has helped us with previous challenges and we have experienced triumphs in healing.

It reminds me how good it is to offer testimonies of healing to the editors of the Christian Science periodicals and have them published. Then we help not only ourselves in the years to come, but possibly, countless others seeking exactly what we have to contribute.

A SONG OF HOPE

MINNY M. H. AYERS

From the June 1935 issue of The Christian Science Journal

Hitherto the Lord hath helped us
As we faltered on life's way.
Hitherto His arm hath held us;
Can we doubt His love today?

Hitherto hath Love sustained us—
Let us not forget the years
Filled with fruitage of His goodness;
Grateful praise should heal our fears.

Hitherto God's truth has led us
Safely through each hour of need,
For He changeth not nor faileth—
Precious promises to heed!

Hitherto hath Life unfolded
Man hid safe in God alway!
Hitherto the Lord hath helped us—
Trust in Him! rejoice today!

Joyce Voysey

God is always the answer

I love that some poems say nothing to me one day and LOTS on another day.  Others I can come back to often and gain fresh insight every time.

Today, the book fell open at David Kennedy's poem "Trusting" on page 14. It's theme is simple yet so telling. Is it our job to be God? Of course, we are reminded of Job's mighty struggle with these huge questions as we read this poem. 

The other poem I like today is "Sure Defense" by Rosemary C. Cobham (page 106) which starts: "Another's thought is his to guard" and then proceeds to work back to what, in another's behavior, we might unwittingly allow to upset us 

"...If, loving self, I let the hurt
Working through my unguarded friend
Rankle and fester in my heart
Till all my peace and love depart."

But then, the solution through our "Father, holy Mind"

"...so that we
Can neither wound nor wounded be."

Julie Swannell

Potent messages

from a new, guest blogger:


I've recently set up my email to receive any new postings on this blog, which makes me a more committed book club member, I guess!

I love this book of poems. I have often asked myself: Why are poems effective? I think because they are boiled down to their essence. There is no excess, and so we are not distracted from the main message. We are enabled to see polished gems of ideas. It reminds me of the tale of an old Chinese wood carver who carved the most exquisite water birds. One day he was asked how he sculpted so exquisitely, and he replied that he simply carved away everything that did not resemble a waterbird. Poets do that too, with words.

I've been considering the poem on page 47, Reward, by Wilhelmina Belle Barnes. How about the preposterousness of thinking that all that you need to say can be encapsulated in 4 short lines! And how effective it is, leaving us somewhere different from where it found us, and demanding action of us! It most certainly is a complete and potent idea

Marie Fox

Where is God?

February book club – Boundless Light.  (Have blog readers wondered where I was?  I am rather addicted to writing for this wonderful book club.) I have just found the right bookshelf to look for the book.  My books have been tidied for me!!

Anyway, opened to where the bookmark was sitting at His Shining Light (p. 26) by David Littlefield Horn.  It fits beautifully with this morning's thinking...Earlier this morning, I thought to look up some of L. Ivimy Gwalter’s writings on Christian Science on JSH-Online. In her article Do you know who you are? http://journal.christianscience.com/issues/1974/1/92-1/do-you-know-who-you-are

 I like this:

A little boy was asked by a sceptical friend where God was.  ‘Is He here?’ asked the friend.  ‘Oh, yes,’ was the instant reply, ‘Is he down the street?’ ‘O, yes.’ ‘Is he off at the far end of town”’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Well, if you were all by yourself on a desert island, with nobody else there, would God be there?’ ‘Oh, yes,’ replied the little boy. ‘But how do you know?’  To which came the quick response, ‘Because I’d be there, wouldn’t I?’  (The Christian Science Journal, Jan. 1974)

 

And considering the theme of ‘worship’ (Noah Webster on ‘worship’ – To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration) in this week's Christian Science Bible Lesson I came to the conclusion that to worship God I have to worship me for I am, as the poem indicates, the light of God.

 

So, to quote the poem in full –

His Shining Light

 

For many years I wiped and scrubbed

and rubbed the windowpane I thought was me

to be a clear transparency

for Truth.

But I was never crystal-clear

nor felt my victory quite so near

as when I learned that man is not

transparency.

He’s light!

Much more than spots where God shines through,

we are His shining, bright and true.

- David Littlefield Horn 

Joyce Voysey

Structure and a game

Sometimes, when our family visits an art gallery, we play a game. We walk around and enjoy the art works, then we each decide our favourite work. It's fun to re-visit the chosen paintings and hear why each person chose that particular work as their favourite. I always gain a much richer appreciation of the whole by taking a fresh look through the eyes of another, of particular works.

I have been randomly reviewing some of the poems in our book of the month. Now I am back at the Contents page and note the structure the compilers have given for the readers. There are 12 headings:

1. Introduction
2. God's Supremacy
3. Man, the Expression of God
4. Thought Opens to Healing
5. Qualities that Heal
6. Prayer
7. The Healing Power of Divine Love
8. Regeneration and Restoration
9. Trials, Proofs of God's Care
10. Praying for Others
11. Safety
12. Now is the Time

That's pretty helpful. Some guideposts.

But what I really like this evening is the poem "The touch divine" by Jean Hazel Allen and includes "Poems are such fragile things...

Yet...

They exert a power that sways..."

This poem is placed even before the Introduction and it is this poem which gives our book its name: Boundless Light.

Julie Swannell

When the Christ appears

Readers who have fallen in love with Paul as we studied Romans last month will enjoy reading (or re-reading) Sara Fletcher's wonderful article "Paul's recipe for joy" in the October 13, 2014 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. Find it at JSH-Online here: http://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/2014/10/116-41/paul-s-recipe-for-joy

If you have sometimes struggled with some of Paul's terminology, this article may be just the trick to dispelling the fog. Sara helpfully writes: "Paul opened up a whole new world to the first Christians of what it meant to be "in Christ." The phrases "in Christ," "in Christ Jesus," and "in the Lord" are favorites of his." And she goes on to quote from Scottish theologian William Barclay's book "The Mind of St. Paul" -

"Let us remember who and what Paul was. Once he had been a persecutor, pillaging the Church ... Then on the Damascus Road something happened.... It is difficult to describe it any other way than to say that in that moment one man died and another man was born. The old Paul was dead and a new Paul was born. And who had been responsible for this change? None other than the Risen Christ. From that moment Paul felt that between him and Christ there was so real, so close, so indissoluble a union that it could not be expressed in any other way than to say that he lived in Christ, and Christ lived in him" (p. 13).

That transformative journey still evokes such wonder, such joy and promise for us all. The promise is fulfilled as we too yield to the evidence of the Risen Christ.

Recently, when Sydney was under siege, and the reporting of it was filling our air waves, I turned to our book of poems for this month, Boundless Light, and the book opened at page 85: The Christ Appears by Eleanor Henderson Buser. 

What a revelation to read about "the fourth watch...the darkest hour of the night..." and then -

"When all seems turbulent
Is when the Christ appears."

Joy indeed!


Julie Swannell