Sunday January 24th, 2021 Roundtable

Set Thine House in Order

This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Truth

Click here to play the audio as you read:

Morning Prayers

Falsehood is on the wings of the winds, but Truth will soar above it. Truth is speaking louder, clearer, and more imperatively than ever. Error is walking to and fro in the earth, trying to be heard above Truth, but its voice dies out in the distance. Whosoever proclaims Truth loudest, becomes the mark for error’s shafts. The archers aim at Truth’s mouthpiece; but a heart loyal to God is patient and strong. Justice waits, and is used to waiting; and right wins the everlasting victory.

“The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice.”

— from “Loyal Christian Scientists” Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 277

Discussion points

390 — WATCH that you realize in your work of healing the sick, that the absolute Truth is what does the healing. Mrs. Eddy once said, “Meet every false claim with the absolute Truth: nothing short of that will answer.” Also she said, “Strive to work from God, instead of up to God.”

If you work from the standpoint that you are absent or separated from God, and must work up to Him, how can you ever do this, since if you are absent from Him, how can you ever make the demonstration to be present with Him? The absolute Truth declares that you are now in the presence of God, united to him and reflecting His power.

We do not try to work up to perfection or health. We do not use understanding to heal the sick. We use understanding to know that there is nothing to heal, since the kingdom of God is here and now — and in man. Once Mrs. Eddy asked a student how he would meet a certain condition of disease. He replied that he would try to realize some particular statement of Truth which he quoted. She said, as a shadow of disappointment passed over her face, “I hoped you would not need to realize your way into Truth, but would start there.”

— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter

GOLDEN TEXT: Psalm 86 : 11

“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth.” — Christ Jesus

Article — “Oneness” by Bicknell Young

God. The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence.

— from the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 587

Normal: According to a rule or principle; conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern : characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine.

— from 1828 Webster’s Dictionary

The despotic tendencies, inherent in mortal mind and always germinating in new forms of tyranny, must be rooted out through the action of the divine Mind.

— from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 225

Forum post — “Praise the Lord” by Joanne from FL

Article — “Death Overcome” from Collected Writings by Bicknell Young

Click here to play the audio as you read: — Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, Pages 390-393

Testimony — Serious Illness Healed Praising God by Debra, Bulletin Board Post

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like us His praise should sing?
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise the everlasting King.

Hymn: — 280 from The Christian Science Hymnal, 1932 edition

John 4:10 – Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

“…our thoughts form a never ending stream. We think, think, think day and night….The supply of thought is endless….the ‘river of water of life’ is a stream of right and pure thought….the river of thought is constantly flowing. We must think something every instant. It is inevitable. It is the nature of Mind, man’s source and support, to be omniactive. Every instant, therefore, we should think a good thought, a God thought, for it is ours to choose what we shall think. God’s thoughts, and thoughts of God, are life-giving….They are precious beyond all else.” (CSS – “Living Water,” by Martha R. White, 7/22/1911)

— Forum post by Louise

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.

Hymn: — 324 from The Christian Science Hymnal, 1932 edition

The human need of Mrs. Eddy’s Church was for money; yet from her spiritual standpoint she was able to see that funds obtained through a mixed thought, — one that was not strictly honest, — would not build the church she had in mind. For instance, the funds the Providence church had collected would have been in the nature of a second-hand demonstration, which would not have had the same value in building the extension, as money that was contributed directly for the purpose. One might say that it was a “warmed over” demonstration. It would not have been the direct result of the prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” or, in other words, “Enable us each day to make the demonstration requisite for the needs of this day.” To take funds contributed previously for a different purpose, and use them as if they were a fresh influx, would represent a “warmed over” demonstration.

It is the claim of laziness that prompts mortals to use “warmed over” demonstrations, in order to avoid the work of making a fresh one — the one for the day. The demon-stration that results in man’s human needs being met is a simple one in Science, when the human obstacle — or argument of pessimism, fear and false desire — is removed, just as it is simple to drink from a bottle when the cork is pulled out. Every time one desires to drink of the living waters of Truth he may do so, by removing the cork of belief — the obstacle that animal magnetism would place between man and all good.

We do not want “warmed over” demonstrations in Science, any more than we want today the ginger ale that was poured out of the bottle last night. It has lost all its effer-vescence. The right way is to open a fresh bottle each time one wants a drink, and to pour out a sparkling glass full. Mrs. Eddy’s rule was not to yield to human laziness and attempt to do a constructive thing with a demonstration of the past, even though the manifestation of that demonstration might still appear to be good. The funds that had been contributed looked very desirable to the students. They probably rebelled in their hearts against returning those funds; but Mrs. Eddy looked upon demonstration as the valuable thing, which one can make any time, anywhere, any moment that it is needed. Why cling to the fruit of a past demonstration, when one can make one today that will supply the bread of today

— from Mary Baker Eddy, Her Spiritual Precepts by Gilbert Carpenter

Sanctify: To make holy. To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use. To purify; to prepare for divine service.

— from 1828 Webster’s Dictionary

Final Readings

How can the shadow be made to turn back in the dial? The jovial old man and pleasant old lady say : “If you would have the shadow turn back, you must be youthful, mingle with the young, shout with the young and join in their sports. Don’t walk with a cane until you have to, and don’t walk with an old man’s staff when a little limber stick will do. Don’t put on glasses until you are obliged to. Don’t wear them stronger than necessary, don’t put on number twelves when twenty-fours will do. Don’t mingle with those who are always talking about their ills, their diseases, their aches and their pains, their hardships and trials, their vexations and annoyances. Don’t mingle with those who always have rheumatism and are forever talking about it; who are always grumbling because their food don’t digest well, and their clothes don’t fit good. Don’t stay in a damp, dingy and dark old basement when you can have a bright, sunny, upper room ; don’t wear old shabby clothes when you can have good, new ones.” Now, this is all well enough on the so-called finite plane, but it will never turn the shadow back. It may, if you can keep clear of all these, prevent the shadow from going down so fast. You can, perhaps, keep clear of all these in a measure, — but only by not being one of them yourself ; yet, you have no standard for all this, and it will be seen at length that all is done only by the human will, which is evil trying to predominate over error.

But, when you turn to the Spirit of Truth and cry mightily to the Father of all Good, find your way in Science up to the summit of material sense and view the Promised Land in eternal Life and Light and Glory,— where nought is to be seen but one vast panoramic view of health, and youthfulness, and vigor, and joy, and peace, and rest, for yourself, for me, for all, forever and forever,— then will the flush of youth and vigor settle on your face, and elasticity come into your step. You will spontaneously mingle with the young, for old age will have vanished away and be as though it had not been. You will not mingle with the sick, for sickness will disappear and be heard of no more forever. The staff will fall from your hand, for infirmity has fled away and strength is present with you now. The glasses will fall from your eyes, for you see as you never saw before. The shadow will turn back on the dial not ten degrees only, but back, BACK, BACK, until no shadow can be seen, for infinite and eternal Light is recognized now, and darkness has fled away. Not only fifteen years is added to our days, but Eternal Life, whose limit can not be found, is with us here and now, and we are ” gathered home.”

— From “Human Limitations” The Christian Science Journal, September 1892, by Francis J. Fluno