Conception Unconfined — 1956 Association Address
by Herbert E. Rieke
Table of Contents
Conception Unconfined
In our practice of Christian Science, we are continually dealing with different concepts of man and the universe, with a multitude of individual conceptions. And it is well for us to be clear on this subject. Answer these questions.
What is your concept of God?
What is your conception of the universe? What is your concept of man?
Where did you get these conceptions?
They were found in the divine Mind and brought forth through the teachings of Christian Science.
Now you know in mortal thought there have been a lot of misconceptions in regard to God, the universe, and man. Christian Science is showing us how to separate the chaff from the wheat, the misconceptions from the true concepts. In this way we find health, harmony and freedom. We must utterly destroy the misconceptions and garner the true concepts into our storehouses.
When is it that you were conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity? Of course, that is a lie, a misconception of your origin and your nature. But it is a misconception which many religious people have accepted for a long time and have suffered as a consequence. We must regularly and persistently repudiate this misconception of the origin of man.
Were you conceived by human parents? No. Do you accept your human mother’s conception of you? If you do, you will, of course, miss the mark of the “conception unconfined [that] is winged to reach the divine glory.” (Science and Health page 323)
In our practice of Christian Science, we must help not only children and young people, but often adults, not to limit themselves to their parents’ concept of them.
On page 463 of the textbook our Leader has a very beautiful paragraph on the subject of “Scientific obstetrics.” She says, “To attend properly the birth of the new child or divine idea, you should so detach mortal thought from its material conception, that the birth will be natural and safe.” We often apply this truth when a little one is coming into a family. But it has a much broader significance that all of us can give thought to quite regularly. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again — born of the Spirit and of water. This new birth is going on daily — yea, hourly, every minute. And it is our privilege to detach our thought from any material conception in regard to ourselves that this new birth will be natural and beautiful.
Mrs. Eddy goes on to say, “The new idea, conceived and born of Truth and Love, is clad in white garments.” Not only is that little one conceived and born of Truth and Love, but you also are conceived continually of Truth and Love and brought forth as the very image and likeness of good. Your true nature is God’s conception of man. Right where you are God is always present with all His glory conceiving of wonderful ideas, and you are that compound idea of God — His divine conception. Our Leader goes on to say, “When this new birth takes place, the Christian Science infant is born of the Spirit, born of God . . .”
This new birth is going on in your consciousness constantly, and you have no right ever to think of yourself in any way except as born of the Spirit, of God. Any other concept of yourself or others is a misconception to be denied and replaced with the true concept of yourself as the very manifestation of infinite good.
Whenever you women or any of your patients might be carrying a little one it is your duty and privilege to know that that child is being conceived of God. You have no right to have any other conception of the child. God’s conception of you and me is the only conception of man there is. In her article entitled “The New Birth” as found on page 17 of Miscellaneous Writings, our Leader tells us, “With the spiritual birth, man’s primitive, sinless, spiritual existence dawns on human thought . . .” Every Christian Science treatment furthers this new birth. Every time you pray sincerely you are permitting conception to be born in your thought.
In reality there is no birth but this new birth, this spiritual birth. Even while the mother is carrying the little one the only thing you have a right to know is that “man’s primitive, sinless, spiritual existence is dawning on human thought.” This the only way that we can detach mortal thought from its material conceptions.
In Christian Science we never deny this new birth, but we recognize it as the only birth there is. It consists of the constant unfoldment of spiritual ideas in our individual consciousness. Right where you are, right there, God is present with all His glory. He is conceiving of wonderful, spiritual ideas, and you are that conception. Right where you are and everywhere Love is giving birth to very loving, lovely and lovable ideas, and you are that idea. Right where you are Truth is revealing dynamic facts. It is conceiving of all divine reality. It is bearing witness to its own immutable perfection. Man, made in God’s image and likeness, is the eternal conception of infinite Truth.
Right where you are divine Life is giving birth to its beautiful and inspiring manifestation. Life is conceiving of a living creature. Where do you come in? That’s right — you are the living creature, the very manifestation of spiritual, eternal Life.
Right where you are and everywhere Mind is present, pregnant with ideas, conceiving of the most beautiful thoughts, bringing forth the most inspiring conceptions in regard to all things. You are this divine, compound conception.
Right where we are Spirit is giving birth to the spiritual concept of all things; and we are loving that concept so completely, embracing it with all our heart and soul and mind that we become one with it, and are this spiritual concept made manifest.
Right where we are and everywhere Soul is continually giving birth to perfect vision, perfect hearing, perfect feeling. Soul is conceiving of man as divine consciousness expressed. Soul is manifesting itself as all-harmonious being. The true man is the result.
Divine Principle can only conceive of harmony, order, law, peace and perfection. Principle conceives of man as embodying all of these divine qualities. In reality you are not one who has a concept of God as Principle, Life, Truth, Love, Spirit, Soul and Mind — but rather you are Principle’s concept of itself. You are the outcome, the offspring of divine Principle.
Now we come to a very important part of this paper. Since God is the one and only source, origin or Principle of existence, since divine Mind is the only conceiver, it rightfully follows that anything unlike God is inconceivable. What do you think of the thing which we call sickness?
Sickness is inconceivable, unthinkable. God certainly does not give birth to sickness. He does not originate pain. He does not conceive of imperfection.
Furthermore, there is no mortal mind to conceive of disease, inharmony, pain, discord. Therefore, disease is inconceivable.
In giving a Christian Science treatment you have the right and duty to know that divine Mind is constantly giving birth to perfect health, conceiving of infinite harmony, and bringing forth abundant life. And you also have the duty to know that discord is inconceivable, unthinkable, and therefore impossible. Throughout the teachings of Christian Science Mrs. Eddy emphasizes that it is our thoughts, our deep convictions, that are the most important things for us to watch. On page 454 of the textbook Mrs. Eddy tells us that if a child should run and fall on the carpet, the mother should not express a false sense of sympathy but should declare, “You are not hurt, so don’t think you are.” The fall has no power to harm the child at all if it does not think or have a mental picture of hurt. Again, on page 397 our Leader says, “When an accident happens, you think or exclaim, ‘I am hurt!’ Your thought is more powerful than your words, more powerful than the accident itself, to make the injury real.”
No circumstance or condition has any power to hurt or harm us. It is only our thought that it might hurt us that would seem to do the damage. But we do not have to think hurt from accidents or any evil; and the best way not to think them is to recognize that hurt, accidents, and all evil are inconceivable, unthinkable, and therefore impossible in Science.
Since God is ever-present and is constantly unfolding His unchanging harmony in our experience, we cannot conceive of ourselves as ever placed in any circumstance where divine Love has not gone before us and caused everything to be in its proper order. We cannot conceive of being in an accident. We cannot think of such a possibility because we cannot conceive of the absence of God, divine Principle.
The Bible tells us, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Mrs. Eddy, giving the positive interpretation of this biblical passage says, “As a man spiritually understandeth, so is he in truth.” Why can’t you give birth to thoughts of criticism?
Criticism and faultfinding are inconceivable, unthinkable, because the divine Mind is constantly unfolding in your thought appreciation and gratitude for all good manifested.
Did you ever think you were afraid? Inconceivable, impossible, because God is constantly revealing in your thought His ever-present protection.
Have you ever been troubled with doubts? Inconceivable, unthinkable, for the divine Mind is always begetting faith, confidence and trust.
Have you ever seen any egotism in anyone or in yourself? Inconceivable, for the son of God loves the heavenly Father with all his heart and soul and mind, and loves his neighbor as himself.
Did you ever hate anyone? Inconceivable, for man is the very manifestation of infinite Love.
Do you have the getting habit? Inconceivable, because you realize that all true life is manifested in abundant giving instead of getting.
What do you think of jealousy and envy? Inconceivable. God does not give birth to such erroneous qualities, and God is the only thing that ever gives birth to anything.
Have you ever allowed resentment and hurt to be conceived in your consciousness? Have you ever nursed it along as it were? Inconceivable, impossible, for you know that “nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Have you ever pictured yourself as ungrateful, unhappy, disappointed, discouraged, blue, and the like? Inconceivable, unthinkable, impossible, for we realize that God is ever-present, causing us to be happy and joyous all the time. And there is never anything that can interfere with this divine joy and dominion.
What do you think of the dishonesty in the world? It is truly inconceivable isn’t it? For a true God manifests himself in all truthful and honorable qualities. And in Truth there is no error — all is Truth.
Were you ever frustrated? How inconceivable this is when the divine Mind is ever-present inspiring us in our every thought, word and deed.
What do you think of all the conflicts in the world? The war and rumors of war? The fights, scraps, battles, among nations and individuals? Inconceivable. How impossible it is for God’s children made in His image and likeness to be other than at peace with everyone everywhere.
Do you ever think of yourself or anyone else as a material, mortal creature? Inconceivable. For we see that the substance of man consists of the spiritual qualities which he eternally reflects.
Do you think you’ll ever die? Inconceivable. It is impossible for us to mentally picture the absence of Life. It is impossible for us to associate ourselves with anything but eternal Life. We cannot conceive of the time when we might not be here. We cannot conceive of anything except Life abundant and Life eternal.
Do you ever think in terms of lack or limitation? Inconceivable. For divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need. We believe this. We know it. We understand it. We are so thrilled with it that any sense of lack or limitation is inconceivable.
God, divine Mind, is constantly giving birth to healthy, happy, harmonious, abundant and wonderful ideas in our consciousness. And there is no animal magnetism or mortal mind to give birth to anything else in our consciousness.
Suppose that someone accused you of being a hippopotamus. What would you say? Of course, you’re not a hippopotamus. But why aren’t you a hippopotamus? There is only one answer of course — because God didn’t make you that way.
If God made you a hippopotamus what would you be? A perfect hippopotamus of course.
Just the same way — if we’re accused of being sick, sinful, imperfect mortals we need to laugh at the lie and deny it vigorously.
Why aren’t we sick, imperfect, sinful mortals? That’s right — because God didn’t make us that way. And if He didn’t make us that way, we’re not that way. It’s inconceivable to think that a perfect God would create or form an imperfect man, isn’t it?
Could you conceive of an elephant’s trunk growing on the end of your nose? Of course not. Inconceivable, impossible. Why not? Because God doesn’t do that to men.
Could you conceive of an abnormal growth as manifesting itself either inside or outside of your body? Inconceivable, impossible, unthinkable — for God gives birth to only that which is harmonious, beautiful and lovely.
How grateful we are that Christian Science has taught us that we cannot conceive of ourself as a personal individual, separated from God. We cannot think of ourselves as a mortal, material creature, disturbed, confused or frustrated. The only thing that we can conceive of is the omnipresence of God, infinite good, making itself manifest. And we conceive of ourself as that very manifestation, because we know that this is the only conception that there is. It is God’s conception of us. We cannot conceive of things going wrong for us because we know that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and the kingdom of God is within us. We cannot conceive of anything but this kingdom of heaven because God is ever-present unfolding this divine conception in our consciousness. On page 323 in the textbook our Leader says, “Beholding the infinite tasks of truth, we pause, — wait on God. Then we push onward, until boundless thought walks enraptured, and conception unconfined is winged to reach the divine glory.” How grateful we can be that Christian Science has inspired us to think of ourselves as “boundless thought” and has showed us that we can walk enraptured, filled with eternal joy and the unlimited inspiration of Love. How doubly grateful we are that through Science we are accepting this conception unconfined, unrestricted, unlimited — the conception of man as the very manifestation of God. This conception enables us to find this divine glory, this everlasting happiness and eternal peace.
Consciousness
Let us give consideration to the very important subject of consciousness. Without consciousness nothing exists. In order for us to see, hear, feel, know, or be, there must be consciousness. There is a lot of careless thinking among Christian Scientists on this subject of consciousness, and it behooves us to do some very accurate thinking on this subject which is so basic and important to everything with which we have to deal.
You of course know what consciousness means — it is awareness, a state of being aware of something. Now of course before we took up the study of Christian Science we thought there were a lot of awarenesses, as it were. We have therefore heard people talking about the consciousness or awareness of evil, the consciousness or awareness of good. We have heard people talking about mortal consciousness, human consciousness, and divine consciousness. The idea has been presented that we all have a human consciousness, and it consists of a certain proportion of divine thoughts and a certain proportion of mortal thoughts. We have been encouraged to diminish the mortal in human consciousness and thus increase the divine. We have heard discussions about sub-conscious mortal mind, unconscious mortal mind, and conscious mortal mind.
Mrs. Eddy sweeps away all of these erroneous uses of the word consciousness with this simple but sublime statement: “Divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness.” (Science and Health p. 536) Here we see that there is only one consciousness and that divine. We see that it consists of divine understanding. This means of course that there is no awareness but the awareness of infinite good.
When giving yourself or another a Christian Science treatment you are always dealing with the subject of consciousness, or awareness. The argument is that there is an awareness of pain, or of disease, or lack, or limitation, or fear, or discouragement, or inharmony of some sort. Your Christian Science treatment establishes the basic fact that there is no awareness except the awareness of God’s presence, power and glory. It establishes the fact that there is no awareness of evil of any name, and there is only an awareness of God and His heavenly kingdom. A Christian Science treatment brings such an awareness of God’s love and power that patients often say, “The whole room seemed illuminated.”
Of what are you aware this afternoon? Are you aware of your physical body this afternoon? That of course is false self-consciousness. We need to deny that lie of awareness and declare with vigor that we are aware that the one divine Mind is present, making itself manifest, and that we are that perfect manifestation. This awareness of Soul shows us what Paul meant when he said that we should be absent from the body and present with the Lord. He was encouraging us to have no awareness of physicality, but a deep and wholesome awareness of the one divine Spirit.
Rather recently I heard a woman say, “I was aware of a lot of malicious error operating in our office.” That false sense of awareness needs to be repudiated with the simple truth that we are aware of the ever-presence of operative Truth, and of Love which knows no limits.
A short time ago I heard someone say, “I am aware of my limitations.” This lie needs to be repudiated with the truth that we are aware only of the unlimited nature of man. We are aware of infinity, for God is infinite and there is none else beside Him. There can therefore be no awareness of limitations.
Sometimes we hear people say, “I was aware that they didn’t like me.” That is not true awareness — it is a lie about consciousness. It needs to be corrected with the simple truth that we are aware of the universality of Love.
You are aware of Life because Life is God, and God is divine consciousness. You are aware of divine activity, of growth, of unfoldment, of spontaneity, strength, and divine inspiration. It is for this reason of course that neither you nor anyone else can ever be aware of death. Consciousness goes on forever, and therefore you will always be aware of eternal Life. The lie called death is but the false thought that there can be an end to consciousness; but consciousness knows no end. You will always be conscious of Life, and you might just as well get used to that idea. Then you will find that you are never tempted to think about passing on.
In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, “If delusion says, ‘I have lost my memory,’ contradict it. No faculty of Mind is ever lost.” You cannot be aware of the absence of Mind, you can only be aware of Mind’s ever-presence. Whatever you need to know, under any circumstance, is right there in the divine Mind; and you can be aware of every right idea and concept. Perfect memory is the awareness of the infinitude of Mind. You, as a child of God, living in divine consciousness, are always aware of every right idea. In your business and home affairs you can always be aware of God’s guiding hand. Declare for this awareness, this perfect consciousness.
There is no such thing as unconsciousness. Since God is divine consciousness unconsciousness would be just another term for the devil, and we have learned certainly in Christian Science that there is no devil. You will never be in a state where you do not have divine awareness. How about sleep — that’s unconsciousness isn’t it? Don’t you believe it. There is no such thing as unconsciousness. When you go to sleep at night be a law unto yourself that you are going to be conscious of God’s presence, power and inspiration all night long. Mrs. Eddy tells us to be a law unto ourselves that mental malpractice shall not harm us whether awake or asleep. When you are a law unto yourself that you are always aware of God’s presence and power, you can see there is no opportunity for malpractice operating either during the day or night.
You do yourself great harm if you think of yourself as unconscious when asleep. We are always thinking. Human sense calls our thoughts at night “dreams,” and those during the day “reality.” But Mrs. Eddy says that our night dreams often come nearer the facts of being than the so-called day dreams. Go to sleep with the recognition that you are going to commune with God all night long, that He is going to continue to unfold His glorious ideas all night long. And you are going to be aware of these beautiful ideas called beautiful dreams. You can see that these simple ideas eliminate the possibility of bad dreams, destructive dreams, harmful dreams. There is no place for such dreams in your experience — either during the daytime or night. You have the spiritual obligation to be a law unto yourself that there is only an awareness of infinite good twenty-four hours a day.
Sometimes in your practice you are confronted with an argument that someone has fainted or has become unconscious. Don’t accept this lie for a second. That patient is forever conscious of God’s glory and power and kingdom. Unconsciousness is non-existent, impossible in the one and only universe of divine consciousness.
Human psychology speaks a great deal about a sub-conscious mind. They mean by this that we have packed away someplace in our brain, or mind, memories, ambitions, fears, shocks, and so forth, which we have suppressed, and of which we are not conscious at the present time. False psychology teaches that these sub-conscious thoughts have a great influence upon us, our health, our character, or ability, and our careers. Christian Science throws a very helpful light on all of this false thinking, and shows us that there is no sub-conscious mortal mind or conscious mortal mind — for Mind is God, and therefore there is only divine consciousness, for there is only one Mind. In many of your treatments you have to handle this argument or lie that there is a sub-conscious mortal mind influencing your patient. You of course will do it on the basis that there is only divine awareness now, that there was only a divine awareness yesterday and yesteryear, and that there can only be a divine awareness tomorrow.
Many places in her writings Mrs. Eddy speaks of matter as unconscious mortal mind. She is indicating to our thought that there is no objective reality called matter. She is resolving so-called matter into thoughts, showing that it is just negative thoughts. Through Christian Science we are learning to think positively, to be aware of all positive ideas, and this positive thinking is a complete law of annihilation to what has been called matter.
On page 264 of the textbook our Leader says, “As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible.” As we accept the basic truth that there is only one divine consciousness and no awareness of anything else, you can see that wonderful objects of thought will present themselves in our experience. And we will be aware of many things of which we do not now seem to be aware.
Take for instance the passing of a loved one. We think of course that we cannot be aware of their presence because we have been thinking of them as mortal, and thinking also of ourselves as a mortal. And Mrs. Eddy makes it very clear that there can be no communication between mortals who think they have passed on and those who are here. But Christian Science shows us how to be aware of the immortal nature of our loved ones, and also how to be very conscious of our own immortal nature. Then we find that we too can have the experience that the Master had on the mount of transfiguration. You will remember that both Jesus and the disciples were aware of the presence and the individuality of Moses and Elias. They were not however aware of these prophets as mortal creatures, but as immortal expressions of Mind. They were also conscious of their Master as spiritual and perfect, and saw him as a transparency rather than a mortal creature. They became aware of these objects of spiritual creation because they were recognizing, at least in a degree, that there is one divine consciousness in which all ideas eternally reside.
Through prayer let us see that consciousness is One. You do not have a consciousness of your own, and I one of my own, and everyone else an awareness of his own, any more that we each have a little mind of our own. There is only one divine Mind or divine consciousness. It is your mind and my mind. It is your consciousness and my consciousness. And every idea of God dwells in this divine consciousness, or awareness. No idea can ever get out of this divine consciousness, or awareness, by any means — either by death or any other method. We live in this divine consciousness forever. That is the reason why when giving a Christian Science treatment there is no question of thought transference from us to someone else — we all live in this one divine awareness of good. And your Christian Science treatment is acknowledging this simple fact, and in this way your patient becomes aware of the multitudinous objects of creation called health, harmony, freedom, perfection, and the like. Your treatment silences the lie that there is an awareness of evil, and in this way the awareness of infinite good is a present reality in the experience of what we have called the patient.
I cannot encourage you too much to go back to the first line of the Lord’s Prayer and pray in the plural term — “Our heavenly consciousness, our heavenly awareness of infinite good.”
“The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness.” (S&H page 536) Therefore this consciousness is yours and mine and everyone’s. In this consciousness we find the unity of purpose and life. In this consciousness we find our true brotherhood and mutual interests. Declare for this divine awareness.
Believe in it. Love it. See it as ever-present with everyone. For in this way you become aware of the kingdom of heaven, God’s infinite and perfect creation.
Effective Metaphysical Work
Let us consider Christian Science treatment by argument, and also the ultimate of Christian Science healing through Spirit alone. This subject is discussed on page 411 of the Christian Science textbook, lines 3 to 12.
The purpose of every treatment is to reveal the absolute truth of the allness of good and the reality of health, harmony, and perfection. And also, to reveal the non-existence of evil, including sickness, sin, and death.
In healing by argument, the student seeks to keep his mind stayed on Truth. He seeks to reflect God’s qualities. He puts forth effort to use the divine Principle in the solution of problems. In healing through Spirit alone he seeks to let God of Truth bear witness to itself. He knows God is ever-present expressing Himself, and the result is man, the complete and perfect manifestation of God’s qualities. In this case we do not have a student using the divine Principle, but one who is letting the divine Principle use him, and radiate its infinite harmony through every phase of his experience. (See Science and Health, page 454, lines 31 through 2)
When you heal by argument it is like a school teacher who has a bad boy in her class. She calls him up front and sends him out of the room so that the rest of the class might function harmoniously. When a Christian Science practitioner calls a disease by name and labels it as nothing and powerless, he literally excludes it from the experience of the patient so that the body may function harmoniously.
Of course, the perfect teacher will not have any bad Johnnies in her class, and the Christian Science practitioner perfectly in tune with divine Love will not know of any disease that needs to be excluded by argument or any other means. Thought that is illuminated with the allness of good heals instantly without argument.
Mrs. Eddy once said: “In order to heal quickly we must not recognize any disease in a patient, even as a belief, because we make more or less a reality of it when we do; but we should go to a patient with the feeling that he is well and we want to show him that he is well. She told us that when she had healed instantaneously she had lost sight of the personality and realized only the presence of the spiritual and perfect.” (We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Second Series, page 23) Our Leader was not trying to get rid of anything, heal anything, or overcome anything. She was proving with Scientific certainty that the patient was well.
In healing through the Spirit alone we let Truth bear witness to itself, while we listen. It is really a “letting” process. In the first chapter of Genesis we read: “Let there be light: and there was light.” The practitioner just lets this Truth unfold in consciousness. It takes practice to let Spirit bear witness to the truth. It requires a listening ear. But the rewards are great — even instantaneous and perfect healings.
In our daily prayer we find: “Let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin.” Divine Truth, Life, and Love are always present and willing and ready to reign and to manifest themselves with such glory that sin, sickness and death are revealed as nothing. All we have to do is to be willing to let them be established in us. Let them, as it were, do their work. Let them bear witness to the truth.
In their metaphysical work many Christian Scientists do not do enough listening. In the old orthodox prayers people spent most of their time talking to God or pleading with Him. Many Christian Scientists spend too much time in mental arguments on different subjects. But the healing comes when the argument is over and we are willing to let God unfold His immutable perfection in consciousness.
During the past year in order to help individuals develop a listening ear I have tried a very interesting experiment. I have asked patients to sit down at their desks and let God write them a letter. They start out: “Dear Sam,” and then think of what a loving Father-Mother God would write to a beloved child. When we have gone over these letters together we have often found a rich opportunity to help them correct their concept of God.
In all her writings Mrs. Eddy emphasizes the fact that the one and only true God knows nothing about evil, sin, disease, or death. She often quotes from that statement in Habakkuk: “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity.” (Hab. 1:13) If we think of God as one who knows all about our shortcomings and imperfections, and then if we listen to Him we will not really be having communication from the heavenly Father-Mother God, but only from our concept of God. A perfect God who knows nothing about evil does not command His children. He does not tell them what they ought to do or ought not to do; but rather He tells them who and what they are and what they are doing. The one and only true God who knows nothing about evil does not deny evil, for that would indicate a consciousness of it. Rather He constantly affirms the glorious truth in regard to all things.
On receiving communications from the one divine Mind I have found wonderful opportunities to improve my own concept of God. I have also found that in reading passages from the Bible we need to constantly look for the spiritual interpretation. In other words, we need to be asking ourselves the simple question, “What is the one pure and perfect God seeking to tell me through this passage?” This is the message that I received from the 23rd Psalm:
I am your divine Shepherd I give you abundance
I cause you to lie down in green pastures I lead you beside still waters
I reveal myself as your Soul
I lead you in the paths of righteousness for my name sake Because you are traveling on the highway of eternal life You are always courageous
For you are appreciating the ever-presence of good. With my presence and power, I comfort you
I prepare a table of infinite good before you To share with all your friends
I anoint your head with the oil of gladness Your cup of blessings is running over
Surely goodness and mercy go with you eternally And you dwell in my divine consciousness forever.
I hope you will not feel that I am showing any disrespect for the Bible or the wonderful truth expressed therein. The beauty of the 23rd Psalm has been enhanced, for I see that the true word of God does not include even a suggestion of the possibility of evil.
In your practice of Christian Science, you will find it helpful not to preach at patients, telling them what they ought to do or what not to do. Rather, show them how we do things in Christian Science. Never suggest that there are two ways to think — the right and the wrong. Show them rather that since there is just one Mind, of course we all naturally think the divine thoughts in regard to ourself and everyone else. You may find it quite a challenge to take all the commands out of your practice of Christian Science, out of your business activity and home life; but you will find a rich reward to accept the concept of a God who knows no evil, and who constantly asserts His allness and righteousness in the experience of everyone.
In her book Unity of Good, our Leader says: “Perhaps no doctrine of Christian Science rouses so much natural doubt and questioning as this, that God knows no such thing as sin.” Then she invites us to reason together on this important subject, “Whose statement in Christian Science may justly be characterized as wonderful.” She encourages us not to press this subject too rapidly for those not prepared to receive it. She says, “Not much more than a half century ago the assertion of universal salvation provoked discussion and horror, similar to what our declarations about sin and Deity must arouse, if hastily pushed to the front while the platoons of Christian Science are not yet thoroughly drilled in the plainer manual of their spiritual armament.” That was written in 1887. Then she goes on to say, “Wait patiently on the Lord, and in less than another fifty years His name will be magnified in the apprehension of this new subject, as already He is glorified in the wide extension of belief in the impartial grace of God.” And so although our Leader did not expect us in 1887 to press this subject to its ultimate conclusion, I am sure that she expected us some sixty or seventy years later to really begin to grapple more thoroughly with the concept of a God who knows no evil. I think it is time for us to give more sincere thought to this true God who knows only infinite perfection.
During this next year I am going to give you an interesting assignment. We are going to study the books Unity of Good and No and Yes very carefully, and seek to discipline our thought to accept a Creator who knows only infinite good. You will find this a very challenging experience. I am asking all of you to receive a communication from God at least once a week between now and Christmas. I want you to start out, “Dear John” or “Dear Mary” and then receive a letter from your Father-Mother God who knows nothing but the infinitude of good. Then on December 15th I would like to have you send me a copy of the best communication from God you have received. Please don’t let it be over one page in length — that is, in long-hand or one half-page if typewritten. You know it is my custom on Christmas morning to spend the entire morning thinking individually about each member of the Association with a prayer and blessing. On next Christmas morning I will read each of these communications that you have received from your heavenly Father-Mother God, and it will be a joy knowing what God is telling each of you, my students.
Here I would like to say a few words about the Christ. In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says that the Christ is, “The divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error.” (p. 583) The word Christ you know is synonymous with Saviour or Messiah. In the absolute, in the kingdom of heaven, there isn’t any sickness to be healed, any sin to be destroyed, or any mortal to be redeemed — all is in perfect primeval harmony. But our Leader tells us that poor humanity does need a Saviour, does need to be shown the non-existence of every phase of evil that we might enjoy the allness of good. On page 474 of the textbook we read: “The apostle says that the mission of Christ is to ‘destroy the works of the devil.’” And again, on page 473 we read: “Christ is the ideal Truth, that comes to heal sickness and sin through Christian Science, and attributes all power to God.”
It is the Christ that uncovers and then denies, refutes, and destroys error, sin, disease, and death; thus, opening the way for God to flood consciousness with the eternal Truth in regard to all things. As long as there seems to be discord in the world we need the Christ. As long as there seems to be inharmony in human experience we must deny sin and plead God’s allness. When you heal by argument make sure that you have a wonderful reverential sense in regard thereto. You are truly entertaining the Christ — the same Christ which cast out demons in the days of our beloved Master and healed sickness in the days of our Leader. When you rebuke the devil, and deny error, it is not you personally that is doing this. It is the Christ in consciousness. And you can rejoice that this Christ always speaks with authority and has complete dominion over error. It is not enough however to rebuke error — we must then let divine Mind fill consciousness with eternal Truth.
You will recall how Jesus, manifesting the Christ, said “Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.” (Mark. 9:25, 27) Here we see the Christ working. Then the story goes on: “But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.” Here we find divine Mind revealing to man that he is an upright and perfect creature.
The Christ rebukes the lie of mortality, then the way is open that we hear the divine Mind declaring: “You are my immortal child in whom I am well pleased.” The Christ denies or casts out disease. Then we hear God say: “You are full of my wellbeing. Right where you are I am with all my glory, manifesting myself in perfect action, harmonious feeling, infinite being, and eternal existence. You are my perfect manifestation.”
The Christ rebukes the sense of lack and limitation. Then God reveals to us: “I am infinite being, divine Love, absolute Truth, radiant Life. And I am ever-present manifesting my glorious sense of abundance. You feel this abundance through every fibre of your being. You are rich and you know it.” Christ rebukes hatred, jealousy, envy, anger, resentment, dishonesty, insincerity. Then we hear the divine Mind affirming: “You are my pure ideas, full of love and truth. You love me supremely and love your neighbor as yourself. You love my law and are naturally obedient thereto. You find true pleasure in living in obedience to my law of Love.”
It is the Christ that rebukes unhappiness, disappointment, that the joy of God might be radiated by you. It is the same Christ that denies the devil of materiality, that we might be conscious of the infinite things of Spirit. It is the Christ that denies the false personal sense of things, all error, all mistakes. Then the eternal Truth reveals the facts to our consciousness.
I hope from this discussion you are getting a better sense of the impersonal nature of Christian Science treatment. It has nothing to do with a personal sense of yourself. It is just the Christ rebuking the devil making way for God to pour forth His eternal facts.
In speaking about more effective metaphysical work, I would be remiss if I did not refer to Mrs. Eddy’s beautiful instruction on page 49 of the book We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Second Series. She asked the question of her class: “What is the best way to do instantaneous healing?” The author says, “Many arose. Some said, ‘Realize the ever-presence of good;’ others, ‘Deny the claims of evil.’ There were many answers, but when they had finished, she said, as I remember: ‘I will tell you they way to do it. It is to love! Just live love — be it — love, love, love. Do not know anything but Love. Be all love. There is nothing else. This will do the work. It will heal everything; it will raise the dead. Be nothing but love.’”
It is easy to see how this consciousness of infinite Love heals instantaneously, because when you love completely you see nothing but perfection round about you. When you acknowledge that there is nothing but love, you of course see clearly that there is nothing unlovely or unlovable. When you are acknowledging that right where you are all there is is divine Love expressing itself, then you have nothing but God, Love, with you, Immanuel — which reveals the non-existence of all error.
In closing the Association let us contemplate for a few moments what divine Love has to say to us about several phases of our experience. Let us listen together to what the absolute God reveals unto His children.
“You are my beloved children in whom I am well-pleased. I am with you, in you, and through you, manifesting myself in all-harmonious being. You are full of my divine inspiration, wisdom, and strength. I cause you to see good, hear good, and feel good all the time. You are on my Glory Road where the lights are all green, and there is only smooth traveling. You are loved and appreciated by everyone, because I put my divine Love in the hearts of all.
Your home is paradise. It is beautifully nestled in the kingdom of heaven. Your neighbors are wonderful people, worshiping the same God, loving the same ideals, and appreciating the good in everyone and everything. Each member of your household brings to the family circle his individual gift of joy, love, and divine cooperation. You are all working together to make each other comfortable, happy, satisfied, and complete. Your table is spread with all the good things of life. There is sweet rest and divine relaxation for all your loved ones. Your home is always secure in my loving care.
Your business is always good because it is founded in Love, maintained by Truth, and expands with Life. You see your opportunities to serve your fellow-man as infinite. All of my children are lovingly giving and receiving from one another in a rhythmic manifestation of divine Love. Your rewards for service are just as infinite as your opportunity to serve. You recognize and appreciate your partnership with the one divine Principle which guides every event of your career. You feel the presence of that divine intelligence, that plans, initiates, and carries through every business transaction and undertaking. Since all business is the manifestation of the one divine Mind, you see every business or phase of business as cooperative and coordinated with every other business. You rejoice as my perfect child that you can do all your work with joy, inspiration, divine relaxation, and complete satisfaction.
Your church is my abiding place, where spiritual inspiration, instruction, and divine guidance reaches forth to help everyone in your community. Its doors are always open in loving welcome for everyone. It is filled with perfectly blended harmonies. My word as expressed and heard in your church is pure and powerful, inspiring, and radiant with Life. Everyone loves your church and appreciates its holy purpose.
The government of your beloved country is under my divine control. You all have the same motive and holy purpose, that all our citizens might have the glorious opportunity to live abundantly. You acknowledge equality and liberty for all. You see everyone as properly self-governed because they are each governed by the divine Principle of their being. You recognize God’s side as the only side in your country.
Your resources are the manifestation of infinite, divine substance. Your national know-how is the expression of the one divine intelligence. You are at peace with everyone because you know that peace is the divine reality of being. You see a glorious future for your country because you know there is nothing but a continuous unfoldment of good.
Your world, your universe, is the complete and harmonious manifestation of my infinite being. All nations dwell together in peace, appreciating the contributions of all other nations. Your universe is filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. Every nation feels the presence of this divine glory. And every nation cooperates with every other nation in the full manifestation of heaven. In your universe everything and everyone is giving. The sun gives its warmth. The rain gives abundantly of its refreshment. The herbs of the field give their nourishment. The roadways, seaways, and airways, give smooth traveling for everyone. The deep places of the earth give of their substance. The schools give knowledge and inspiration. And men and women, my children everywhere, give of their love, substance, and spiritual understanding. This is the perfect universe that I have made, and you have every reason to rejoice and be glad therein.”
