Sunday October 17th, 2021 Roundtable
Our Oneness With God
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Doctrine of Atonement
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Morning Prayers
Love, Love alone will found, upbuild, and establish forever both the Christian Scientist and our Cause. … The Principle of our demonstration as Christian Scientists is unity and our demonstrations depend on united minds and their at-onement with the One Mind.
Be wholly absorbed in the work of gaining daily more understanding of God. Then personal ambition, envy, desire to be in this or that place cannot use you. Personal ambition has no place in a Christian’s thought of life. He is wholly occupied in the loving, humble purpose to do good, to be good, and to prove that good is all that can govern thought, action, condition, or being.
— from Divinity Course and General Collectanea, (the “Blue Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 164; 220
Discussion points
15 — WATCH lest the appreciation of those whom you benefit and heal through Christian Science tend to put you on a pedestal in your own estimation, instead of to cause you to feel more humble. Even our beloved Leader spoke of her “present feeble sense of Christian Science.” Science and Health, 577:28.
— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter
GOLDEN TEXT: Psalm 25 : 8
“Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”
Forum posts — Doctrine of Atonement — October 17th, 2021
There is no service that does not become honorable when performed by love.
— “Baptism and Communion” from, Christian Science Journal, May 1912 by Ida Mitchell Roff
Once a story appeared in the Christian Science Monitor that illustrates this point. A group of ministers were discussing the text, “pray without ceasing.” The maid in the home overheard the talk and said to her employer, that to her, that text was one of the easiest and best in the Bible. The old minister said, “Well, well. What can you say about it, Mary? Can you pray all the time, when you have so many things to do?” “Yes,” said the girl, ‘when I begin to work, I pray that I may have strength equal to my day; when I kindle the fire, I pray that God’s work may revive in my heart; as I begin to sweep out the house, I pray that my heart may be cleansed from all its impurities; when I am preparing and partaking of the breakfast, I desire to be fed with the manna and the sincere milk of the Word.’ “Go on,” said the minister, “Pray without ceasing.”
— from Mary Baker Eddy, Her Spiritual Precepts, Vol. I, by Gilbert Carpenter
We’ve learned to pray daily with the following powerful statements given to us by Christ Jesus from the book of John: “I and my Father are one” (John 10: 30 ), “The Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works” (John 14: 10), and “The Father hath not left me alone” (John 8: 29)…(read more by clicking on link below.)
Article — Three Essential Statements by Mary Beth Singleterry
During the time that I was under Mrs. Eddy’s personal instruction and a mental worker, she gave us two lessons from the Scriptures that impressed me very, very much. One was animal magnetism, based on the man who was born blind. She showed us very clearly that “neither hath this man sinned nor his parents,” for they were both the divine man. For a long time I clearly saw that there was no such thing as a “sinning mortal man,” but only “the perfect man,” needing no healing. I saw that my so-called matter man was the divine in reversion, or “seen through a glass darkly,” as St. Paul says. The other lesson was an “Answer to Prayer,” taken from the first chapter of James and the first eight verses. When she read, “but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering,” I saw clearly that a doubleminded man could not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
— from Addresses by Martha Wilcox, page 19
Article “How to Save the World” by Nancy Beauchamp
You know not the reasons for what I am now doing, and little think what is my meaning in it; but I will in a little time somewhat explain my design; and when the Holy Ghost shall be poured out from on high he will further acquaint you with it, and make you to experience the benefit of it. You may think your refusal is a humble aversion to my disparaging myself; but you cannot be my disciple if you set yourself against my authority, wisdom, and love; and you can have no fellowship with me, or interest in my saving blessings, unless you be spiritually washed in my blood, and, by my Word and Spirit, from the guilt and filth of your sins. He who is once justified and sanctified by my blood and Spirit, needs only to be further cleansed in the daily exercise of faith and repentance, from the guilt and defilement which, through remaining corruption, he perpetually contracts by his conversation in the world. And most, though not all, of you present are cleansed in this respect. I do not expect you all to be either obedient or happy. I know that though I have chosen you all to the apostleship, there is one among you, sitting familiarly with us at table, that is not seeking faith, holiness, and salvation, and who will ungratefully desert and betray me.
— Self-Interpreting Bible, Vol. IV, The New Testament, John 13