Watching Point 425

425 — WATCH lest, when you read that Mrs. Eddy promised to give the course in Divinity to students who came to live with her (Manual, page 68), and then find out that according to the testimony of many of these students, she never taught it, that you believe that she broke her promise.

The very name, course in Divinity, indicates that it is a course taught by Divinity, or by God Himself. It is a God-taught course; hence God must be teaching it continually, and man’s part is to listen for His voice, to realize his ability to take the course, before he can take it.

Mrs. Eddy gave the students in her home the teaching that would enable them to hear God’s voice. She knew that if they were faithful in practicing what she taught them, they would receive this God-taught course. Hence she fulfilled her promise to teach the course in Divinity when she taught her students how to be taught of God, how to listen for His voice. She could not teach the course, since only God can do that.

The notes kept by students touching this course in her home, seem sketchy and cover cryptic statements, some of which sound out of harmony with the teachings of Science and Health. The course in Divinity, however, is received through spiritual sense. Since this faculty lies dormant, it must be resurrected. Therefore, Mrs. Eddy gave lessons in cryptic and sketchy form, in order that the students would be forced to ponder their meaning, not with the human intelligence, but with spiritual sense. She knew that in this way they would develop this soul faculty, and so be enabled to be taught of God.