noVEMBER 22th, 2023

From The Bible

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
(Psalms 23:1–6)

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ...

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
(II Corinthians 5:1–6, 8)

Then said Jesus unto them, ...
(Luke 6:9 (to 1st ,))

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
(Luke 6:47–49)

¶ And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; ...

... ¶ As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. ...

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
(Matthew 9:27–30 (to ;), 32, 33, 35)

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: ...
(Mark 5:2–15 (to :))

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
(Hebrews 3:1–6)

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. ...

... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
(John 14:2–4, 6 I)

SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES by MARY BAKER EDDY

The understanding, even in a degree, of the divine All-power destroys fear, and plants the feet in the true path, — the path which leads to the house built without hands “eternal in the heavens.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 454:5–9)

In the infinitude of Mind, matter must be unknown. Symbols and elements of discord and decay are not products of the infinite, perfect, and eternal All. From Love and from the light and harmony which are the abode of Spirit, only reflections of good can come. All things beautiful and harmless are ideas of Mind. Mind creates and multiplies them, and the product must be mental.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 280:1)

We should strive to reach the Horeb height where God is revealed; and the corner-stone of all spiritual building is purity.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 241:24–27)

In the material world, thought has brought to light with great rapidity many useful wonders. With like activity have thought’s swift pinions been rising towards the realm of the real, to the spiritual cause of those lower things which give impulse to inquiry. Belief in a material basis, from which may be deduced all rationality, is slowly yielding to the idea of a metaphysical basis, looking away from matter to Mind as the cause of every effect. Materialistic hypotheses challenge metaphysics to meet in final combat. In this revolutionary period, like the shepherd-boy with his sling, woman goes forth to battle with Goliath.

In this final struggle for supremacy, semi-metaphysical systems afford no substantial aid to scientific metaphysics, for their arguments are based on the false testimony of the material senses as well as on the facts of Mind. These semi-metaphysical systems are one and all pantheistic, and savor of Pandemonium, a house divided against itself.

From first to last the supposed coexistence of Mind and matter and the mingling of good and evil have resulted from the philosophy of the serpent. Jesus’ demonstrations sift the chaff from the wheat, and unfold the unity and the reality of good, the unreality, the nothingness, of evil.

Human philosophy has made God manlike. Christian Science makes man Godlike. The first is error; the latter is truth.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 268:1–11 (np))

The higher false knowledge builds on the basis of evidence obtained from the five corporeal senses, the more confusion ensues, and the more certain is the downfall of its structure.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 581:19)

We should consecrate existence, not “to the unknown God” whom we “ignorantly worship,” but to the eternal builder, the everlasting Father, to the Life which mortal sense cannot impair nor mortal belief destroy. We must realize the ability of mental might to offset human misconceptions and to replace them with the life which is spiritual, not material.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 428:15)

Our Master asked: “How can one enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?” In other words: How can I heal the body, without beginning with so-called mortal mind, which directly controls the body? When disease is once destroyed in this so-called mind, the fear of disease is gone, and therefore the disease is thoroughly cured. Mortal mind is “the strong man,” which must be held in subjection before its influence upon health and morals can be removed. This error conquered, we can despoil “the strong man” of his goods, — namely, of sin and disease.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 399:29)

The testimony of the material senses is neither absolute nor divine. I therefore plant myself unreservedly on the teachings of Jesus, of his apostles, of the prophets, and on the testimony of the Science of Mind. Other foundations there are none. All other systems — systems based wholly or partly on knowledge gained through the material senses — are reeds shaken by the wind, not houses built on the rock.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 269:21)

When we fully understand our relation to the Divine, we can have no other Mind but His, — no other Love, wisdom, or Truth, no other sense of Life, and no consciousness of the existence of matter or error.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 205:32)

In the following Psalm one word shows, though faintly, the light which Christian Science throws on the Scriptures by substituting for the corporeal sense, the incorporeal or spiritual sense of Deity: —

PSALM XXIII

[DIVINE LOVE] is my shepherd; I shall not want.

[LOVE] maketh me to lie down in green pastures: [LOVE] leadeth me beside the still waters.

[LOVE] restoreth my soul [spiritual sense]: [LOVE] leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for [LOVE] is with me; [LOVE’S] rod and [LOVE’S] staff they comfort me.

[LOVE] prepareth a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: [LOVE] anointeth my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house [the consciousness] of [LOVE] for ever.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 577:32–18)

Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness. The Christ is incorporeal, spiritual, — yea, the divine image and likeness, dispelling the illusions of the senses; the Way, the Truth, and the Life, healing the sick and casting out evils, destroying sin, disease, and death.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 332:9–15 Christ)

(from the chapter on Fruitage)
In the year 1901, Christian Science found me a hopeless invalid. I had suffered for seven years previous with a very painful back, the result of an operation. I could get no rest or sleep at night, as I could not lie down, but had to sit propped in a chair with pillows around me. Only those who have suffered as I did can know the full misery of it. I had come to the end of material means and never hoped to get well. One day, however, while out walking, it was my good fortune to come to a Christian Scientist’s house, and there the teaching was explained to me. I was advised to buy Science and Health, which I did, and the study of this book has healed my back entirely. Christian Science has also cured me of longstanding catarrh of the throat, and neuralgia with which I had been afflicted from childhood. ...

I am no longer a sufferer, but rejoice exceedingly in Christian Science. God’s promise has been fulfilled to me, “ ... E. O., Georgetown, Wash.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 616:29–12; 617:15–17 (to ,), 18 E)

Christian science hymnals

My shepherd is the living God, / There’s nothing that I need; / In pastures fair, near pleasant streams, / I settle down to feed. / You bring my wandering spirit back / When I forsake Your ways. / And lead me for Your mercy’s sake / In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death, / Your presence is my stay; / A word of Your supporting breath / Drives all my fears away. / Your hand, in sight of all my foes, / Lays out my table’s spread; / And fills my cup to overflow, / Your oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God / Attend me all my days; / O may Your house be my abode, / And all my work be praise. / There would I find a settled rest, / While others come and go— / No more a stranger or a guest, / But like a child at home.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 534)

I will come before the Lord / In the stillness of the morning; / When golden dawn shines on the earth / And I feel Love’s tender presence. / You are my morning song.

I will come before the Lord / In the brightness of the midday; / In rushing life and flood of sound / I can find Soul’s quiet haven. / You are my midday song.

I will come before the Lord / In the softness of the evening / When nature bathes in purple light; / I give thanks for Spirit’s blessings. / You are my evening song.

I will come before the Lord / In the darkness of the midnight / When moon and stars are shining clear; / I feel goodness present with me. / You are my midnight song.

Day and night, You are my song / And we sweetly sing together / To worship, love, and praise Your name, / Singing in Your house forever. / Day and night, You are my song.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 506)

The King of Love my Shepherd is, / Whose goodness faileth never; / I nothing lack, for I am His / And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow / My ransomed soul He leadeth, / And where the verdant pastures grow, / With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, / But yet in love He sought me, / And on His shoulder gently laid, / And home, rejoicing, brought me.

And so through all the length of days / Thy goodness faileth never; / Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise / Within Thy house forever.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 330)