Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896 Part 50

This period is big with events. Fraught with history, it repeats the past and portends much for the future. [15]

The Scriptural metaphors,-of the woman in travail, the great red dragon that stood ready to devour the child as soon as it was born, and the husbandmen that said, "This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the in- heritance may be ours,"-are type and shadow of this [20]

hour.

A mother's love touches the heart of G.o.d, and should it not appeal to human sympathy? Can a mother tell her child one t.i.the of the agonies that gave that child birth? Can that child conceive of the anguish, until she [25]

herself is become a mother?

Do the children of this period dream of the spiritual Mother's sore travail, through the long night, that has opened their eyes to the light of Christian Science? Cherish

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these new-born children that filial obedience to which the [1]

Decalogue points with promise of prosperity? Should not the loving warning, the far-seeing wisdom, the gentle entreaty, the stern rebuke have been heeded, in return for all that love which brooded tireless over their tender [5]

years? for all that love that hath fed them with Truth,- even the bread that cometh down from heaven,-as the mother-bird tendeth her young in the rock-ribbed nest of the raven's callow brood!

And what of the hope of that parent whose children [10]

rise up against her; when brother slays brother, and the strength of union grows weak with wickedness?

The victim of mad ambition that saith, "This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours," goes on to learn that he must at last [15]

kill this evil in "self" in order to gain the kingdom of G.o.d.

Envy, the great red dragon of this hour, would obscure the light of Science, take away a third part of the stars from the spiritual heavens, and cast them to the earth. [20]

This is not Science. _Per contra_, it is the mortal mind sense-mental healing on a material basis-hurling its so-called healing at random, filling with hate its deluded victims, or resting in silly peace upon the laurels of headlong human will. "What shall, therefore, [25]

the Lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."

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Little G.o.ds

It is sometimes said, cynically, that Christian Scien- tists set themselves on pedestals, as so many petty deities; but there is no fairness or propriety in the aspersion.

Man is not equal to his Maker. That which is formed [5]

is not cause, but effect; and has no underived power.

But it is possible, and dutiful, to throw the weight of thought and action on the side of right, and to be thus lifted up.

Man should be found not claiming equality with, but [10]

growing into, that alt.i.tude of Mind which was in Christ Jesus. He should comprehend, in divine Science, a recognition of what the apostle meant when he said: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of G.o.d: and if children, then heirs; [15]

heirs of G.o.d, and joint-heirs with Christ."

Advantage Of Mind-Healing

It is sometimes asked, What are the advantages of your system of healing?

I claim for healing by Christian Science the following [20]

advantages:-

_First:_ It does away with material medicine, and rec- ognizes the fact that the antidote for sickness, as well as for sin, may be found in G.o.d, the divine Mind.

_Second:_ It is more effectual than drugs, and cures [25]

where they fail, because it is this divine antidote, and metaphysics is above physics.

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_Third:_ Persons who have been healed by Christian [1]

Science are not only cured of their belief in disease, but they are at the same time improved morally. The body is governed by Mind, and mortal mind must be corrected in order to make the body harmonious. [5]

A Card

While gratefully acknowledging the public confidence manifested in daily letters that protest against receiving instruction in the Ma.s.sachusetts Metaphysical College from any other than Mrs. Eddy, I feel, deeply, that of [10]

necessity this imposes on me the severe task of remaining at present a public servant: also, that this must prevent my cla.s.ses from forming as frequently as was an- nounced in the October number of the _Journal_, and necessitates receiving but a select number of students. [15]

To meet the old impediment, lack of time, that has oc- casioned the irregular intervals between my cla.s.s terms, I shall continue to send to each applicant a notice from one to two weeks previous to the opening term.

MARY BAKER G. EDDY

Spirit And Law

We are accustomed to think and to speak of gravitation as a law of matter; while every quality of matter, in and of itself, is inert, inanimate, and non-intelligent.

The a.s.sertion that matter is a law, or a lawgiver, is [25]

anomalous. Wherever law is, Mind is; and the notion

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that Mind can be in matter is rank infidelity, which either [1]

excludes G.o.d from the universe, or includes Him in every mode and form of evil. Pantheism presupposes that G.o.d sleeps in the mineral, dreams in the animal, and wakes in a wicked man. [5]

The distinction between that which is and that which is not law, must be made by Mind and as Mind. Law is either a moral or an immoral force. The law of G.o.d is the law of Spirit, a moral and spiritual force of immor- tal and divine Mind. The so-called law of matter is an [10]

immoral force of erring mortal mind, _alias_ the minds of mortals. This so-called force, or law, at work in nature as a power, prohibition, or license, is cruel and merciless.

It punishes the innocent, and repays our best deeds with sacrifice and suffering. It is a code whose modes [15]

trifle with joy, and lead to immediate or ultimate death.

It fosters suspicion where confidence is due, fear where courage is requisite, reliance where there should be avoidance, a belief in safety where there is most danger. Our Master called it "a murderer from the [20]

beginning."

Electricity, governed by this so-called law, sparkles on the cloud, and strikes down the h.o.a.ry saint. Floods swallow up homes and households; and childhood, age, and manhood go down in the death-dealing wave. Earth- [25]

quakes engulf cities, churches, schools, and mortals.