The Depths Of Being — 1963 Association Address

by Herbert E. Rieke




Table of Contents





The Depths Of Being

During the past year a prominent Bishop in the Church of England, Dr. John Robinson, wrote a little book entitled, “Honest to God.” It has started a great controversy among Protestant and Catholic theologians. The book was reviewed in The London Observer last March, with the big headline, “Our Image of God Must Go.” He says, “Men can no longer credit the existence of ‘gods’ or of a God as a supernatural person, such as religion has always posited.”

The book brings out that people used to think about God as “up there,” but since the days of Columbus such a belief is no longer tenable. Later people thought of God as “out there” beyond the stars and galaxies. But recent advancements in science make such a concept also unacceptable. Bishop Robinson emphasizes that God is not to be found in the heights, but the depths of being. We speak of the depths of your life. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (I Cor. 2:10) We speak about the source of our being. People ask, “Where did I come from?” That’s where God is to be found. We discuss our ultimate concern — that which we take seriously without reservations, the final reality, Truth — that’s where God is.

The Bishop speaks of God as the Ground, source and goal of our being. He speaks of the Ground of man’s being as Love. He quotes Feuerbach as saying, “The true atheist is not the man who denies God, the subject. It is the man for whom the attributes of divinity, such as love, wisdom and justice are nothing.” He ends up by saying, “The Christian affirmation is not simply that love ought to be the last word about life, but that, despite all appearances it is.” He says, “To give ourselves to the uttermost in love, is not to be confounded but to be accepted — that love is then Ground of our being to which ultimately we come home.”

We can be very grateful that not only the modern natural scientists, but also the modern theologians, are beginning to appreciate the great truth of Christian Science. For you know our religion has emphasized that God is not a person up there or out there, but that He is to be found in the depths of consciousness, in Mind, in Love, in Truth, in Principle. Our Leader says, “Unfathomable Mind is expressed. The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space. That is enough!” (S&H 520:3)

A reporter once speaking about Christian Scientists said, “In those people was the depth of sincerity. . .” (My. 81:21)

There is need for “deep thinking” in the world. Our Leader says, “The time for thinkers has come. Truth, independent of doctrines and time-honored systems, knocks at the portal of humanity. Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away.” (S&H vii:13-17)

Emphasizing the importance of the elimination of shallow thinking, Mrs. Eddy writes, “Small streams are noisy and rush precipitately; and babbling brooks fill the rivers till they rise in floods, demolishing bridges and overwhelming cities. So men, when thrilled by a new idea, are sometimes impatient; and, when public sentiment is aroused, are liable to be borne on by the current of feeling. They should then turn temporarily from the tumult, for the silent cultivation of the true idea and the quiet practice of its virtues.” (No and Yes 1:7-14) Mrs. Eddy was a deep thinker, and expected us to probe the depths of being. In our practice of Christian Science, we must make sure that we do not just repeat a lot of platitudes.

You know how a platitude is defined — “a quality or state of being dull and insipid, commonplace, a flat, trite, or weak utterance; a dull or stale truism.” (Webster) This is what our Leader is talking about when she speaks about “hecatombs of gushing theories, stereotyped borrowed speeches, and the doling of arguments, which are but so many parodies on legitimate Christian Science, aflame with divine Love.” (S&H 367:6) Watch in your practice of Christian Science that you do not substitute platitudes for dynamic, fresh, inspiring ideas.

When reading your daily lesson dig deep, or the lesson won’t do you much good, and could do you harm.

Do you go over your lesson every day? Someone once said, “Yes, she goes right over her lesson like an airplane flying high over the earth.”

Do you go through your lesson every day? The comment was made, “Yes, he goes through it — like a lead bullet.” I would rather have you read just one section a day and dig deep — be a thorough researcher — than to have you scratch the surface six times a week.

The poet Pope once wrote, “Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.” Don’t be a shallow Christian Scientist; be thorough in your study and application. In our whole movement there is a great need for thoroughness, research in depth.

By giving us the seven synonymous terms for God, Life, Truth, Love, Spirit, Soul, Principle and Mind, our Leader has truly defined the depths of the Supreme Being, the profundity of existence. Let us consider each of these synonymous terms this morning, and dig a little deeper to find the true God.




Depths Of Life

I want to talk about Life, your life. What is it? Where did it come from? Is your life shallow or do its roots extend deep into Eternal Being? Jesus said that he came that we might live, and live more abundantly. Are you living abundantly, or does your day consist of a series of mundane experiences? It’s not enough to think about God as divine life; we must rejoice that God is our Life, our heavenly Life. Our Leader says on page 496 of our textbook: “We all must learn that Life is God. Ask yourself: Am I living the life that approaches the supreme good?” We might even say, “Am I living the Life that is the supreme good or God? Are we letting this perfect divine Life radiate through every spiritual cell, fiber, and function of our being?” Are you living abundantly? Or is your life a rat race? It’s not what you do that’s important; it’s how you think about what you do that determines the nature of your life.

A school teacher’s life can be thrilling. A housewife, a salesman, a Christian Science practitioner can have one great thrill after another. Life can also include big thrilling things.

How would you like your experience to include a free trip around the world, all expenses paid, with compensation besides — meeting some of the finest people in the world? I know of a young couple that has been rejoicing in the fact that God is their Life, and that therefore their life includes that which is stimulating, interesting, dynamic, unrestricted, broadening. And you know what? They are going to have that trip around the world this year.

A young person recently said to me, “I wouldn’t want to be a Christian Science practitioner. The life would be so dull. I want to travel and see the world.” We haven’t found our experience dull. And we’re seeing the world in a very constructive way!

Don’t depreciate your life — it’s the most glorious thing imaginable.

Your Life is God.

Sickness is just shallow thinking about life. Our Leader tells us that “The remedy consists in probing the trouble to the bottom, in finding and casting out by denial the error of belief which produces a mortal disorder. . .” (S&H 184:8) You see, all sickness is found in shallow, mortal beliefs about life, and the remedy is found in digging deep, to appreciate the realities of life.

Poor circulation is a sluggish sense of life dammed up and obstructed. The remedy is to think about life as “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb.” (Rev. 22:1)

Over-weight is just a heavy, cumbersome, materialistic burdened concept or thought about life. But life is light, unencumbered, spiritual, free, unburdened. For God is our life.

Poverty is a limited sense of Life, a limited sense of God, and consequently a limited sense of good. Your God, your Life, is unlimited, unrestricted. Refuse, absolutely refuse, to think of your God, your Life, as limited. Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? What cannot God do?

Sin is a distorted thought about life. It is the illusion that says that life, your life, can be evil. Dig deep, appreciate the fact that God is your life; therefore your consciousness and experience includes no evil.

Death is a shallow, very shallow concept of life. Don’t be a mortal, a dying creature. Dig deep. Acknowledge that God is your Life, and therefore it is eternal. Don’t fulfill the shallow expectation of the people, that all must die. Fulfill the deep expectation of God that all must live eternally, abundantly.

The flower does not say, “Oh I have so much work to do to be a beautiful rose, to be fragrant — it just lets Life express itself as a rose. Just let Life express itself as man, as you, a beautiful, fragrant, healthy expression of being. Many individuals spend half their time planning on their death, thinking about insurance, wills, cemetery lots, etc. Don’t dig a shallow grave for yourself. Never plan on dying. Dig deep in Spirit and plan to live eternally.




Depths Of Truth

May we talk now about the depths of Truth? Our Leader says, “We must look deep into realism instead of accepting only the outward sense of things.” (S&H 129:22-24) The physical sciences have carried on a rather limited and shallow investigation of truth.

Go back several centuries to the days before Sir Isaac Newton and observe how shallow the investigations were. Year by year the physical scientists are probing deeper into phenomena to such an extent that many of them now do not want to be called physical scientists, but natural scientists, because they question the existence of the physical or material. But they still are just scratching the surface. Two hundred years from now it will be said that the physical scientists of 1963 were only skimming over the surface of reality.

Pilate asked Jesus, “What is Truth?” He too was probing, but in a rather shallow fashion. He didn’t even wait for the answer. What is the ultimate of reality? Mind or matter? Some of the natural scientists are beginning to agree with us, it’s Mind. Mind is the depth of being, of reality.

Do we have to wait until the natural scientists have probed phenomena to its final analysis before we can discern what Truth is? By no means. Christ Jesus had the answer if Pilate had been willing to listen. And our Master has the answer for us, and we have learned to listen. We know that Truth is God, and God is Truth.

Constantly you and I are dealing with the question, “What is real?” And our daily experience is the result of our thought about reality.

Some years ago I was confronted with a rather serious problem. I declared over and over again that God, good, was all-powerful, and ever-present, and that evil therefore was powerless and nowhere. But harmony did not seem to be manifested. I stopped my repetition of words and asked myself, “Do you really believe that God is so all-powerful and ever-present that evil has no power anywhere at any time?

After making an honest examination of my thinking I found that I was far from realizing the great truth. Instead of becoming discouraged however, I acknowledged that a thorough housecleaning was needed. I asked over and over again, “Do you believe God is so everywhere present that sickness, sin, and lack are nowhere with anyone at any time?” I looked out of my office window, over a troubled world and sighed, “It’s difficult.” The material senses argued that evil was present and powerful. It was easy enough to say just words, but to realize the truth with all one’s heart and soul and mind was quite different. I discovered that it took radical reliance on Truth to be a real Christian Scientist.

Material sense did not give me the correct answer. And so, I turned whole-heartedly through spiritual sense to God. I asked the above questions many times without answering outright. Each time I turned from the material mirage to spiritual reality. It became easier and easier. Finally, the testimony of spiritual sense was so overwhelming and predominate in my thinking that I could answer with a feeling of positiveness, “Lord I believe, help Thou mine unbelief.” To my great joy I found a wonderful sense of harmony reigning where discord had seemed to be. You see I was probing deep into eternal Truth, instead of being satisfied with just the outward appearance of things.

At another time early in my experience I found my thought becoming somewhat clouded. I prayed, but my prayers seemed empty to me. While reading in the book of Hebrews I came upon the passage, “He that cometh to God must believe that he is.” I closed the book and asked myself, “Do you really believe that God is? You talk about God, read about Him — but how real is He to you? Is He as real as this chair, or the table, or the electric light? Is He as real as your mother?” I began to ponder carefully this last question. I was very certain of the existence of my mother. I talked to her, and she listened to me. I knew I could call her up on the telephone and ask her to do anything for my welfare, and she would be very happy to do it. No one could bring any doubt into my thinking as to the nature and existence of my mother. I asked myself, “Am I just as certain of the existence and love of God?” I was surprised to find that my sense of God’s existence was rather nebulous. I could see that if I was going to be a Christian Scientist I must deal with God as a great reality in my life, and not as just a vague theory or ideal abstraction.

I proceeded to talk to God as my nearest and dearest friend. I unburdened myself and asked for help and inspiration. In a few minutes I found myself realizing that I must be more unselfish about a certain matter, and should be more conscientious in my study and work; that I must be more patient and kind. Suddenly I realized that thereby God was talking to me in terms that could not be mistaken. I heeded this divine advice and soon found myself entertaining an entirely new, alert, and happy sense of things.

What is real to you? Platitudinous words about the omni-presence and the omnipotence of God is not enough. There must be deep convictions. Mrs. Eddy said of Jesus’ prayers that they were “deep and conscientious protests of Truth, — of man’s likeness to God and man’s unity with Truth and Love.” (S&H 12:13). She also tells us that we should “Plead with an honest conviction of truth and a clear perception of the unchanging, unerring, and certain effect of divine Science. Then, if your fidelity is half equal to the truth of your plea, you will heal the sick.” (S&H 418:7)

We can all dig deeper to face reality or Truth. Our textbook says, “Perfection underlies reality. Without perfection, nothing is wholly real. All things will continue to disappear, until perfection appears and reality is reached.” (353:16-19). Here is a real challenge.

Do you truly think of yourself as perfect? A little humorous bit has been going around recently. It runs as follows: “I used to be conceited, but now I know I’m perfect.” Do you feel a little guilty when you say, “I’m perfect”? If the original before the mirror is perfect, the reflection, which is just like the original, must be perfect. Our Leader says, “We must give up the spectral at all points.” What is the spectral? The belief that we are imperfect mortals. She says further, “When we learn that error is not real, [is non-existent] we shall be ready for progress. . .” (S&H 353:22-23)

Do you wives see your husbands as perfect? Do you men see your wives as perfect? Do you think of your children as perfect? Do you practitioners see your patient as perfect? Or do you see them as individuals who have a lot to learn? Remember, the earth is round whether you think it is or not. And likewise, man is perfect because a perfect God could not create anything but a perfect man. We can’t change an imperfect man into a perfect man, any more than we can change a flat earth into a round earth. But we can stop thinking of the earth as flat, and start digging deeper and recognize the earth as round.

Likewise, we can stop thinking of man as an imperfect mortal, and dig deeper into reality, into Truth, and see man as he actually is — the perfect spiritual image and likeness of God. We’ll have to do it sometime — why not now? Why not face reality?

Yes, we truly find God not in the heights, but in the depths of being, the depths of reality. Christian Science has shown us what reality actually is. Perfection underlies reality.




Depths Of Love

Where shall we find God? In the heights of the heavens, or in the deep affections, the depths of Love? John said, “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (I John 4:16) Bishop Robinson emphasizes this point by saying, “Whether one has known God is tested by one question only, how deeply have you loved? For he who does not love does not know God, for God is Love.” Speaking reverently and gratefully about Jesus, Robinson says, “Jesus is the man for others, the one in whom love has completely taken over, the one who is utterly open to and united with the Ground of his being.” (p. 76) “It is in Jesus and Jesus alone that there is nothing of self to be seen, but solely the ultimate, unconditional love of God.”

I also loved this sign of the times where the Bishop said, “But the Christian affirmation is not simply that love ought to be the last word about life, but that despite all appearances it is. It is the conviction that there is nothing — in the world as is, or the world as it shall be — that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

To love deeply is to live deeply. To love sparsely is to live a shallow life. It is only in deep sincere love that you find God. It is this divine Love that blesses you, makes you supremely happy.

Mere human infatuation is very shallow love and does not unite us with the eternal Principle of our being, Love. Promiscuity and lust would stand in our way and prevent us from experiencing those deeper affections which give true meaning to life. Each and every one of us is created to love — not just on the surface, but to have deep affections. In so many marriages there is just tolerance, instead of what our Leader calls “tender solicitude.” Many husbands and wives rob themselves and each other of the life-giving power and inspiration of deep affections. One must work at his marriage to make it a success, with the same diligence he works to make his business a success.

We must love our children more deeply to be of greatest help to them. Recently I told a mother of four to take out five minutes each day for each child. I asked her to sit quietly and look at the child as he played. And just rejoice what a wonderful job God was doing in him. During that five minutes she was not to tell the child once what he ought to do or must do. She was just rejoicing in what God was doing to the child. If the child asked her what she was doing she was to tell him, “Oh I’ve just been loving you, and thanking God for how perfect He has made you.”

Never allow yourself to be so busy loving your children that you forget to love each other as husband and wife. Every married couple should have a date about once every week, wherein and whereby they have a happy time together as during their courting days. Love deeply and know that you love deeply, with all your heart and soul and mind, with all your strength and understanding.

To love deeply is to feel deeply. Our Leader tells us, “If the Scientist reaches his patient through divine Love, the healing work will be accomplished at one visit, and the disease will vanish into its native nothingness like dew before the morning sunshine.” (S&H 365:15-19) Don’t wait until you have a sense of love for your patient. In every treatment declare with spiritual understanding that you have great compassion toward your patient, tender solicitude for his welfare. For then in a practical manner you are arguing for the presence of divine Love. And it’s Love that heals.

Mrs. Eddy was once asked the best way to heal instantaneously. As you remember she replied, “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. That will do the work. It will heal everything; it will raise the dead. Be nothing but love.” (We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Second Series, p. 49-50) You see, when you’re all love, then there is nothing present but God. When you do not know anything but love, you are acknowledging the omniscience of Love. When you’re rejoicing that there is nothing else but love, you are effectively denying the possibility of evil, disease, and sin.

Declare daily, yes almost constantly, that right where you are, all that’s present is the deepest, most compassionate, tender love, expressing itself; and you are that very manifestation of Love that knows no indifference, no coldness, no intolerance, no hatred, no resentment, no selfishness. You’re not trying to express Love — you’re letting that divine Love express itself through you, in you, by you, and as you.

Never think of God as off in the heavens. The only place you can find Him is in your heart, a heart full of love. You will remember our Master said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” The government of God is to be found in the depths of true affection.




Depths Of Mind

Where is God to be found? Not in the heights, but in the depths of Mind.

We must think deeper. Our Leader was truly a very deep thinker.

There is much shallow thinking that goes on in the world. Some people don’t want to go much deeper than the comic strip in the daily newspaper.

During this past year I gave you an assignment to read the book by Messrs. DeWitt John and Erwin Canham. Most of you stated that you enjoyed the book. Some stated that they enjoyed Mr. John’s part, but felt that Mr. Canham’s autobiography was too superficial. Others liked Mr. Canham’s part, but felt that Mr. John’s contribution was too deep — it was over your head, as some stated.

One student said she did not the assignment at all, and would I please next year give an assignment of some book or books in the Bible, as I did several years ago. In talking with Mr. John during Annual Meeting time, I told him that I assigned this book to be read — that my students not only appreciate the ancient prophets, but some of the “Latter Day Saints.” He had a hearty laugh on that one. But I mean it. I don’t think you will be the most effective Christian Scientists by just being a thorough Bible scholar. Mrs. Eddy was such, but she was also keenly interested in all of the modern developments of science, philosophy, education, medicine, and government. She was a deep thinker in every realm of thought.

Some of the stories in the Old Testament are easy to read. The four gospels bring inspiration through their simplicity (although there is a lot of deep thinking implied therein). Paul’s letters and the book of Revelation are often considered as “deeper.” You have to dig to get the inner meaning. But that’s good. Studying these books sharpens your awareness of your mental capacities to think deeper. God is to be found in the depths of Mind.

Some people who have read our textbook have stated that they do not understand it — it’s too deep for them. They would like something a little lighter, easier, and not so deep. Some have turned to Unity, or Emmett Fox, or more recently to the writings of Vincent Peale. Now there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Peale’s book, “The Power of Positive Thinking” and his other writings. I have read many of them. But when I get through, my whole feeling is that he hasn’t gone deep enough; he’s compromised too much with old theology and medicine. I don’t want to be told why man should be a positive thinker, but that he is.

I am thrilled to find so many members of this Association taking courses at colleges and universities, finishing up your A.B. degree, or working on your Master’s or Doctorate. I would encourage you all to think seriously along these lines. You can truly enhance your value to your community through increased education.

Now I’m not arguing for intellectualism. But when you take advanced courses and study them in the light of your understanding of Christian Science, you enhance your understanding of reality, you’re learning to think deeper, and find God in pure Mind. If I may quote the poet again, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring.”

Some Christian Scientists do not read much in The Christian Science Monitor except the daily metaphysical article. They say the rest of the paper is too high-brow, intellectual, and deep. They prefer the shallow writings to be found in sensational daily newspapers. It is true that The Christian Science Monitor does not just skim the surface but reports the news in depth. It gives you a better understanding of some of the underlying forces and currents in our society. It is more profound in its presentation. This is the reason why many of the intellectual leaders of the world subscribe to The Christian Science Monitor.

If you have not been reading and enjoying the many pages of the Monitor, I would encourage you to discipline yourself and start reading them regularly. It will add more depth to your understanding of human events, and much more depth to your conversation. It will help you to claim a greater depth of Mind. And in that depth, you begin to find God.

Read good, thought-provoking books, and not just shallow novels, or thrilling mystery stories. There are programs on the television which cause you to think deeper. Watch them instead of being content with just shallow entertainment.

A statement in the Bible, “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he,” might lead one into the shallows of existentialism, but Mrs. Eddy went deeper in considering this statement and said, “And so as a man spiritually understandeth so is he in truth.”

Mrs. Eddy once wrote a letter to The Christian Science Board of Lectureship. It is found on page 248 of Miscellany. She says, “You are the needed and the inevitable sponsors for the twentieth century, reaching deep down into the universal and rising above theorems into the transcendental, the infinite — yea, to the reality of God, man, nature, the universe.” I feel that this certainly does not apply just to lectures, but to every Christian Scientist, whether he is a practitioner, a Sunday School teacher, a Board member, or just an attendant at church. We all need to reach deep down into the universal Mind and rise above shallow thinking to appreciate that consciousness which transcends all being, that divine Mind called God. You find the supreme good in the depths of Mind.




Depths Of Soul

Each of you has a sense of things, a consciousness, an awareness, a conscience which the world has called your soul. How deep is it?

The Psalmist said, “Why art thou cast down O my soul?” It is not in the depths of discouragement, the slough of despondency, or the gutter of materialism, that we find God. He can only be found in the depths of Soul, in that deep spiritual feeling, and consciousness. How wonderful it is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord, to be free of a material sense of things and free to feel that glory of spiritual being.

I feel keenly that smoking cigarettes is not so wicked — it is so shallow, so stupid. Drinking alcohol is not the worst sin in the world. Such indulgence just makes people so superficial. Observe the conversation of people who are half drunk at a cocktail party — there is no depth.

If a man is so tense as the result of the pressures of modern living, he needs a tranquilizer. But it is not to be found in tobacco, liquor, or pills and drugs. It is in silent communion with that inner-spiritual force in his being, which reveals a man who has dominion over every situation. His peace is to be found in the depths of true Soul.

An individual who is self-conscious and nervous as the result, needs to do something about it. Getting intoxicated does not get rid of that false sense of self — it just substitutes an obnoxious sense of aggressiveness for timidity. The true remedy for self-consciousness, self-depreciation and timidity, is to be found in the depths of Soul, in the appreciation of that true inner spiritual selfhood, which is the very likeness of God, always loved and appreciated. Some people are so shallow that they question whether they even have a Soul.

Are you shallow or soulful? — that is the important question. A soulful man or a woman will be an inspiration to everyone with whom he comes in contact.

Depth of feeling — that’s where you find God. When you devote your energies to appreciating the beauty and harmony round about you, when you can truthfully say, “I feel God’s presence with me here,” there is no opportunity for you to feel pain. Pain is just surface feeling. Its remedy is to be found in the depths of Soul. Many people have been healed by this passage in our textbook: “Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life.” Our Leader tells us on page 7 of Unity of Good, “When I have most clearly seen and most sensibly felt that the infinite recognizes no disease, this has not separated me from God, but has so bound me to Him as to enable me instantaneously to heal a cancer which had eaten its way to the jugular vein.” You heal by finding God in the depths of Soul. This is why psychiatry and psychoanalysis are limited in accomplishment. There is a lack of soul, a lack of that deep feeling our Master had, a lack of compassion.

On page 292 of Miscellaneous Writings our Leader says, “. . . have mortals, with the penetration of Soul, searched the secret chambers of sense?” It is only as we acknowledge the depths of Soul that these secret chambers of sense become as shallow nothingness to us. It is in the depths of Soul that we find a God who wipes away all tears and pain, and gives us that new view of being, full of harmony and beauty.

Sometimes people say, “I do not allow myself to feel very deeply about things, because I might be hurt.” The only way you can truly be free from hurt is to feel deeply, feel that indwelling presence of God. You all have a sense of things throughout eternity. It is either a scratchy surface kind of feeling, or it has depth, the depth of Soul.

Don’t look for God in the heavens. Find Him in that inner-awareness of true spiritual being. Find Him in the awareness of beauty and harmony. If God has not been very real to you, very vital, very active, search for Him in the depths of Soul where He abides eternally.




Depths Of Spirit

Job said, “There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” (Job 32:8) I was once talking with an atheist who said he didn’t believe in the reality of Spirit. I asked him the difference between a corpse and a living man. Almost without thinking he said, “In the one there is the evidence of Spirit; in the other there is not.” We take the non-material form of Spirit so much for granted. It is in the depths of Spirit that we find God. To say there is no Spirit, is to say that we are all as corpses. If there weren’t Spirit there would be no awareness of phenomena, no awareness of the existence of anything. Jesus saw this self-evident fact that the summum bonum, the supreme good, is in Spirit, when he said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” It is only in the depths of Spirit that you find Truth.

People are aware that there is a non-material element in the universe called thoughts, attitudes, emotions, feelings, consciousness. Now God is not to be found in material concepts, but in the very depths of Spirit, in true non-material being. In the symbolical language of the first chapter of Genesis, we are told that God made everything, and looked at it and behold it was very good. In the symbolism of the allegory found in the second chapter of Genesis, Eve said, “But suppose that God were not All-in-all, that there were something beside Him — then what?” And she was soon faced with the “what.” Eve’s sin was the wrong attitude toward life, a failure to worship God as All-in-all, a supposing that He had an opposite.

Are you going to assume the attitude of Eve and suppose that God is not the All-in-all of your being, of all being? It is in the depths of Spirit, in the depths of your positive attitude toward life and reality, that you find God. When you claim the positive, affirmative attitude, you find God. When you think in terms of the reality of good and evil, as Eve did, you seem to lose Him. You’re thinking there is something besides God, Spirit, called matter. Before long, you find yourself tilling the ground with the sweat of your brow, until you become a slave to matter, cast out of the garden of Eden. Before long you’re crying, “Where shall I find God?” There is only one answer — in the depths of Spirit, in the recognition that there is none else besides His infinite goodness, in the correct attitude toward life. Most people think in terms of the reality of both positive and negative, good and evil, Spirit and matter, life and death, truth and error. In such thinking they lose God just as Eve did. Where shall we find Him? Only one place — in the depths of Spirit.

Nicodemus was found wandering outside of the Garden of Eden, asking how he might find God and His heaven. Jesus gave him the answer: “He must be born again, born of the Spirit.” He must see Spirit as the inner-source, the All and Only of his being. It is in the depths of pure spiritual being that we find God.

The physical scientists, assuming that there is something besides God, Spirit, have searched deeper and deeper into their supposition that God, Spirit, isn’t All-in-all. And when they have arrived at the end of their rainbow of materiality, what have they found? A “hole in nothing.” That’s what their supposition finally amounts to. Is that where you find God — in a hole in nothing? By no means — you’ll find Him in the depths of Spirit, in the recognition that good is All-in-all.

In the Christian Science textbook our Leader says, “Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual, — neither in nor of matter, — and the body will then utter no complaints. If suffering from a belief in sickness, you will find yourself suddenly well.” (14:12-16) What is she telling us? That we should find God in the depths of Spirit, in the recognition that all there is is spiritual being.

Now right where you are, what is present? A physical body? A negative, or possibly neutral attitude toward life and being? Decidedly not! All that’s present is pure, unadulterated Spirit, making itself manifest. Not in matter, through matter, in spite of matter — but instead of matter. When Enoch walked with God and was not (a material creature), he found God (reality) in the depths of Spirit.

When Jesus ascended it was the result of the clear recognition that there are not two sides to existence, the good and bad, the spiritual and material. Here was the clear recognition that good is infinite, All-in-all, and that there is no evil. Spirit is omnipotent and omnipresent. There is no matter. Our Master found God in the depths of Spirit and recognized his complete oneness with this Spirit of God.




Depths Of Principle

Where will you and I find God? Not in the heights of the heavens, not in the past or the future, not in the hereafter — we find God in the depths of Principle. We find Him in the primal spiritual law governing the universe. Mrs. Eddy says, “God’s law is in three words, ‘I am All;’ and this perfect law is ever present to rebuke any claim of another law.” (No and Yes p. 30:11-13) God is found in the law, the divine Principle governing the universe. The multitudinous theories given the name of law aren’t law at all — only hypotheses. Many phenomena have been regarded as cause, but which are not cause at all. For instance, there is the belief that sin, ignorance and fear can cause disease; but delving deeply into Principle our Leader says, “Immortal Mind is the only cause; therefore disease is neither a cause nor an effect.” (S&H 415:1-3) It is when we, through prayer, see clearly that there is one divine Principle governing the universe that we begin to find good effects. Our Leader says, “There is but one primal cause. Therefore, there can be no effect from any other cause, and there can be no reality in aught which does not proceed from this great and only cause.” (S&H 207:20-23) Note how our Leader was finding God in that deep primal, fundamental Principle of being.

There are a lot of things that you have regarded as cause, which are not causative at all. For instance, some of you may have thought that evil associates have caused your children to go astray and lose interest in Christian Science. You need to dig deeper and rejoice that there is no reality in aught which does not proceed from the one great and only cause called God.

You may have thought that carelessness or drunkenness causes accidents. Find your God in the divine Principle which governs all “from the rolling of worlds, in the most subtle ether, to a potato-patch. (Mis. 26:6-8)

There is a lot of sloppy surface thinking on this subject of cause and effect. The whole of medical science is built on very shallow thinking about cause and effect. Germs are regarded as cause, but germs are harmless ideas. Emotional disturbances are given the title of cause or law. Heredity is honored as law. In fact, all the bad effects in society, including sickness, sin, poverty, and war, are predicated on false beliefs about Principle, law, and cause. Where will you find God, and the kingdom of heaven which is the effect of His primordial cause? Only by delving deep into the divine Principle of being.

You know there was a time when everyone on this planet thought that the earth was flat. They thought God made it that way. But it made no difference what they believed — it was round all the time, because that’s the way it was made. Now you couldn’t change a flat earth into a round earth in a million years, but you could stop thinking of the earth as flat, and start thinking about it as it really is — round. You then find freedom in your travels. It is because the astronomer was penetrating deeper into the Principle governing the universe that it was discovered that the earth was round. The belief of a flat earth was shallow, and ignorant thinking.

Now likewise you are spiritual and perfect because God, the one divine Principle, causes man to be just that way. You may have thought of yourself as mortal, material, and imperfect. In fact, everyone in the universe might have thought of man as mortal, material, and imperfect. But that would not make it so. He has been spiritual and perfect throughout eternity.

You can’t change a mortal, material, imperfect man into a spiritual and perfect man in a million years, with the help of all the Christian Science practitioners in the universe. But you can stop thinking about man as a mortal, material, imperfect creature, and start thinking of him the way God causes him to be — spiritual and perfect. Thus, find freedom in your life and all your activities.

May I repeat — all the thinking in the world could never change a sick man into a well man. Jesus said, “By taking thought you cannot change one hair of your head from white to black, or black to white.” You can’t change a sick man into a well man any more than you can change a flat earth into a round earth. But you can stop thinking of man as sick, and start thinking of him as he really is, created by the one divine Principle, and thus discover that man is and always was healthy and harmonious.

You can’t change a poor, unemployed man into a rich, employed man. But you can stop thinking of him as flat, poor, and unemployed, and start recognizing the fact that God employs all of His ideas to express His infinite perfection, goodness, and abundance. Thus you find that man is and always was rich. You can’t change a sinful man into a righteous man; but you can stop accepting the concept of man as a miserable sinner, and you can start accepting the concept of man as perfect, even as the Father in heaven is perfect. You can’t change a dead man into a live man. Jesus refused to think of Lazarus as dead and knew that man expresses eternal life. That’s why Lazarus came forth.

I am sometimes asked why our prayers and sincere metaphysical work do not sometimes meet a case; and I would say in almost every instance it is because you are trying by mental means to change a flat earth into a round earth, to change a sick moral into a well mortal, or into a spiritual idea of God — and this can’t be done. When you’re willing to stop thinking of man as a sick mortal, and willing to see him as he really is, created by divine Principle, perfect and harmonious, there cannot help but be good results. This is the divine Principle by which Christian Science works, but we have to delve deeply into it, and recognize that as a man spiritually understandeth, so is he in truth.

As I have mentioned in every class and several associations, too many people have a salt and pepper concept of Christian Science. They talk this way, “What I need to do is express a little bit more Love, Truth, Life, Soul, Spirit, Principle, Mind, in my daily affairs. If I will reflect more of God, I will find everything running much more smoothly. Putting these ingredients into the salad bowl, stirring them up, and seeking to express God — this is not the principle by which Christian Science works. Man does not express God. What happens is that God, divine Principle, Life, Truth, Love, Soul and Mind, reflect themselves in a mirror of divine Science, and the result is man, the true image and likeness of God, the very expression of God’s being.

Please observe the illustration of the mirror. The original in front of the mirror reflects itself in the glass, and the reflection is the exact likeness of the original. The reflection does not say, “Oh I’ve got so much work to do. I’ve got to go up when the original goes up, down when the original goes down, and wiggle-waggle when the original wiggle-waggles. I’ve got to work so hard to be the same color, the same shape, the same form as the original.” The reflection does not talk that way. It has no life, no being, no existence apart from what the original causes it to be. Just so, man has no life, no existence, no being, separate or apart from the divine Principle of all being. Our Leader says, “The spiritual man’s consciousness and individuality are reflections of God. They are the emanations of Him who is Life, Truth, and Love.” (S&H 336:14-16) Man has no choice but to be just like God. Unless God, the original, is sick, man, the reflection, just can’t be sick. Unless divine Principle, the original, is unemployed, man, the reflection, just can’t be unemployed.

Unless God, the primordial creator is a miserable sinner, man, the reflection, just can’t be a miserable sinner. Unless God, eternal Life, dies, man, the reflection, just can’t die.

Stop telling yourself and others what you ought to do, must do, and should do. Start rejoicing in the fact about what God, divine Principle does, and rejoice in the fact that the reflection is automatically just like the Principle. Delve deeper in the divine Principle of Christian Science, for therein will you find God.

Many individuals have too much of a personal sense in regard to demonstrating Christian Science. And you know our Leader tells us in the trial at the end of the chapter on Christian Science Practice, that the culprit is personal sense. People think they have to do some great and glorious thing, and they approach it with the fear that they might not be able to do all that would be expected of them. You don’t do anything — God is the omniactive Mind, the omniactive Principle. He does it all, and He does things gloriously. It’s your responsibility to let Him do it. This was the way Jesus talked. He said, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” He knew that the reflection automatically was just like the original. He said, “It is my Father who dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.” He was not trying to reflect God. He was just rejoicing that God was reflecting Himself in the mirror of divine Science, producing the perfect man, the very image and likeness of Himself.

There is only one I or Us, and that’s God. Delve deeper into the Principle of Christian Science, and you will find that we are not trying to demonstrate the divine Principle of Being — we’re letting the divine Principle demonstrate and prove its allness in our thinking and living. And as a result of this divine proof we see ourselves as we really are and always have been — perfect, harmonious and free.

Yes, God is not far off in the heavens beyond the stars — He is in the very depths of our being — your being and mine. He is there for the purpose of expressing His divine nature through us. We can find Him and love Him as Life, Truth, Love, Spirit, Soul, Mind, Principle — and we can find great joy in letting God express all His divine attributes through our thinking and living.




The Lord’s Prayer

The question is asked, “May we teach the children in Sunday School how to give an effective Christian Science treatment through the careful consideration of the spiritual inspiration to be found in the Lord’s Prayer?” This not only is permissible, but mandatory. The Manual provides that we should teach the children the Lord’s Prayer with its spiritual interpretation. It does not say that we should just have them memorize the words, but help them, as our Leader says, to “reach the heaven-borne aspiration and spiritual consciousness, which is indicated in the Lord’s Prayer and which instantaneously heals the sick.” (S&H 16:21-23)

The Lord’s Prayer is the most beautiful pattern for an effective treatment. It is the complete outline of the teachings of Christian Science. Every facet of the lessons we study finds its rightful place in this prayer.

Most children when they say, “Our Father, which art in heaven” think of God as up in the sky somewhere. Mrs. Eddy corrects this erroneous concept with her beautiful interpretation, “Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious.” The Hebrew phrase translated “which art in heaven” could well be represented by the adjective “heavenly.” The phrase was not used to locate God in the sky, but to indicate the quality of His being. Help the children to think in terms of “Our heavenly Father, our all-harmonious Father-Mother God.” Encourage them to see that we always begin with the right concept of God in the solution of our problems.

The term “Father,” or “Father-Mother” indicates the very source of our being. When we recognize the source or cause as all-harmonious we have faith that the effect will be all-harmonious also. The term “Father-Mother” also presents a beautiful picture of one who loves us, supports us, sustains us, protects us. We can well appreciate what the heavenly Father-Mother does for His children.

“Hallowed be Thy name.” This word “hallowed” needs to be explained. As a child I used to think it meant “hollow” be Thy name. We get a wonderful feel for the meaning of the word through Mrs. Eddy’s interpretation, “Adorable One.” Because God is a loving Father-Mother, He is oh so lovable and adorable.

If you as a teacher love God’s nature with all your heart and soul and mind, it is very easy for you to help the children to adore Him. To adore God is our Master’s first commandment.

Now we’re ready to consider more fully the complete nature of God. Children can readily see that names are given to indicate the nature of something, as when the mother calls her little daughter “my sweetie pie.” Use other illustrations to show that name means nature.

Help the children to appreciate John’s statement, “God is Love.” Moses said, “God is a God of Truth.” He also said that God is thy life. Jesus said, “God is a spirit.” Encourage them to love the deeper meaning of the other synonymous terms for God — Principle, Mind, Soul.

Now the class is ready for a spiritual exercise. Have the children substitute these seven synonymous terms for God in place of the word “Father,” or “Father-Mother.” They love to do this. It takes a little practice, but before long they are saying, “Our heavenly Mind, our all-harmonious Life, our beautiful Truth, our happy Spirit, our wonderful Soul, our all-harmonious Principle, our heavenly Love.

Now ask each child, “What kind of a life do you have?” And help them to answer, “a heavenly life, a beautiful Life.” “What kind of a mind do you have?” “A perfect Mind, a wonderful Mind.” “By what kind of a principle do you live?” “A heavenly Principle, a wonderful law.” “What kind of a spirit do you have?” “A heavenly Spirit, a cooperative Spirit, a loving Spirit.” “And your soul — what is it like?” “It’s an all-harmonious Soul.” Use synonymous terms which will help to give a fuller meaning to the word “heavenly” or “all-harmonious.” Don’t rush through this — practice this exercise until they get the feel for the nature of the God they adore.

Up to this point they will have been saying “our” but they will have been thinking in terms of “my.” Now call their attention to this little word “our.” Stay with it until they see the real difference between “our” and “my.” Then you are ready for another spiritual exercise. Go through each of the synonymous terms again. As they say, “our heavenly Life” ask them, “Whose life is heavenly?” Emphasize the word “our” — it’s the life of their brothers, sisters, their playmates, their mother and father, their school teachers. “Our perfect Mind.” Whose mind is it? It’s our Mind. The mind of the other pupils in the school. The mind of the President of the United States. The mind of the astronauts. “Our Principle, all-harmonious.” Whose? Yes, it’s ours, and it also belongs to everyone else.

As a teacher, practice to think in these all-inclusive terms. Then you’ll find it’s easy to convey this unselfish feeling to the children.

Here is a wonderful opportunity to emphasize that children who have the same mother and father are brothers and sisters. Therefore, since we pray in terms of “Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,” we are recognizing that we are all brothers and sisters in one very happy family.

This is about as far as you can go in one Sunday School session. Even with older children, don’t rush it. Help them to get a real feel for the divine Principle by which we work in Christian Science.

The next week review this material, these spiritual exercises, until they have thoroughly grasped the idea, and have made it their own. Then, but not until then, are you ready to go to the next line of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come.” Children love the explanation of the word “kingdom.” It can be pointed out that countries used to be governed by kings instead of presidents. And the country that was governed by a king was called a kingdom. We are now considering two subjects — what governs us, and where we live. It is God who is our Ruler, and we live right in the very middle of His kingdom, His country. Help them to see that this heavenly kingdom is not off across the water someplace, or up in the sky. Emphasize that our Leader says, “Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.”

Here is a good place to review the first part of the Lord’s Prayer, emphasizing the fact that since we all have one adorable, perfect Mind, our country, our kingdom, cannot help but be perfect. We are all impelled to think rightly about each other and all things. Since we all have one beautiful, marvelous Life, Soul, Spirit, our kingdom cannot help but be harmonious. Since we all work by one divine Principle there cannot help but be harmony in our kingdom, our country. Since God is our King, our Ruler, we are all governed harmoniously, according to His good law.

Now let us emphasize that since God our Creator is perfect, His creation must be perfect. Use many illustrations to emphasize this point. If you have a good manufacturer, he will turn out a good product. If you have a good cook she will make a good meal. If you have a perfect dressmaker, she will turn out beautiful dresses. A good teacher will turn out good pupils. A good boy will do good deeds. Ask many questions along this line, until the children are clear that the effect must be just like its cause.

We can emphasize that a good Ruler will pass only good laws, and we are governed by these good laws of God. Emphasize that this heavenly kingdom is never far-off in time or space — it’s right here and now. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Show them what it means for something to be at hand. It’s touchable, graspable, present. Daniel knew that he lived right in the middle of the kingdom of heaven, even while he was in the lion’s den, and this realization protected him.

Guard your thought that you do not teach the old theology of other “worldliness.” What people have called the material universe, is just a misconception of the one and only true spiritual universe that God creates. Devouring lions are just misconceptions of loving, strong manifestations of Mind. Daniel refused to think in terms of misconceptions, and that’s the reason he was safe.

Use as many illustrations to show that the kingdom of heaven is really right here and now. Discuss the subject about how many accidents didn’t happen today. If you would compare the number of accidents that didn’t happen to those that seemed to happen, you’d have a figure almost as infinity to zero. Contemplate with the young people why these accidents didn’t happen. It was because of the presence of Mind, of Love, of Truth, of Principle, of God and His qualities.

Show them carefully that newspapers do not present a picture of the world the way it really is, but rather give a picture of the exception to the general rule. If someone commits a crime, there is a story about it in the newspaper. They don’t record the honesty and decency expressed by the vast multitude of people. But you must be convinced that you live right in the middle of heaven here and now to be able to convey this realization to the children. Show them that Mrs. Eddy appreciated the beauties and harmonies of the universe in which we live. She says in Miscellaneous Writings, “Earth is more spiritually beautiful to my gaze now than when it was more earthly to the eyes of Eve.” (86:16-18) Remember that we’re never changing the universe — we’re only changing our view or concept of the universe. And it is your responsibility as a teacher to help the children to have a beautiful, wonderful, spiritual, harmonious concept of the universe in which they live.

If you need any proof that it’s wrong to think in terms of other worldliness, the next line of the Lord’s Prayer furnishes it: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Our Leader emphasizes this point by saying, “Enable us to know, — as in heaven, so on earth, — God is omnipotent, supreme.” Here you can emphasize that man is not free to choose good or evil. Our Leader says that “Man is incapable of sin, sickness and death.” (S&H 475:28) Use the illustration about the reflection in the mirror. Show how the reflection is always just like the original. Show how when the hand goes up, the reflection of the hand in the mirror goes up. If the dress before the mirror is blue, what color will the reflection be? Use many illustrations until they are convinced that the reflection will be exactly like the object before the mirror. Then you can explain that the reflection has no will of its own — it can do nothing of itself, but what the original does. Likewise, we have no will of our own. Our prayer is that the will of God be done in us. We never want our own way about things, we want God’s way to be expressed. You can get the point across to them easily, that in applying Christian Science it’s not a question of them putting forth a lot of human effort to express God and His qualities — it’s a question of letting God express all of His divine qualities through them, a question of letting God’s will be expressed in their daily affairs.

It’s well to emphasize that God’s will is always the good will. It’s never God’s will that anything evil ever happened to man. We must make this clear to the children because false theology has often implied that God’s will might be unpleasant. Here you can bring in many illustrations to show how human willpower distorts our concept of the universe and hides its beauty and harmony.

You could well spend one whole Sunday School session on these two lines of the Lord’s Prayer, until the children are certain that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and that there is great joy in letting God’s will be expressed through them.

Now we’re ready to consider individual man. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Call the children’s attention to the fact that the words “us” and “our” are in the plural. We are all God’s perfect children. Since there is a perfect God who creates a perfect universe, it follows that each and every part of this universe must be perfect. God gives to each of us that which maintains our perfection and harmony. We do not have to store up for tomorrow. Each, day, each minute, each moment, God supplies all good, because the reflection is always just like the original. We never have to beg God for anything. God is a self-supporting God, and man reflects that self-supporting quality.

Our Leader interprets this passage saying, “Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections;” In studying a large unabridged dictionary, you’ll find this word “grace” has many meanings. In theological terms it is considered as the free gift of God’s love and favor. It is not a reward for something we have earned. Paul wrote to Timothy, God “hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus . . .” (II Tim. 1:9) The Bible also says, “by grace ye are saved.” I think it is good for us to see, and help the children to see, that the good we have does not come because of some virtue of our own. It is not because of something we have done, for we can do nothing of ourselves. All the good we have is the reflection of the infinite good which is in the Father-Mother God.

The word “grace” also means “graciousness, politeness, courtesy.” These are qualities to be found in God and naturally reflected by His children. The word “grace” is also associated with “graceful, spontaneous, grateful.” Man naturally reflects these qualities. Having graciousness, politeness, being graceful, grateful and free, we cannot help but find all of our needs met. There can be no famished affections in the God who is Love. Therefore man, the reflection, can have no famished affections. It is good to see this because much of humanity’s troubles come from thinking that one is unloved, unappreciated, that there is a lack of affection in one’s experience.

In the next line we read, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The words “debts” and “debtors” confuse some young people. For they think almost entirely in terms of financial debts and debtors. As you know, the more accurate translation is, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” But these are sometimes pretty big words for the children. I think it is more helpful to think in terms, “Forgive us our sins or shortcomings, as we forgive the sins or shortcomings of others.” It is as though our Master is saying, “We must think in terms of perfect God, perfect universe, perfect man. But we must not see only ourselves as God’s perfect children, but also everyone else. God forgives us our sins when they are entirely wiped out, but they’re not wiped out until we wipe out the concept of sin in others, as well as in ourselves. This is something that the teacher must see and feel himself, in order to convey this spiritual inspiration to the pupils.

Mrs. Eddy gives us a very beautiful interpretation when she says, “And Love is reflected in love;” This passage does not mean that as we reflect love toward others they will reflect love back toward us. For you will notice that the first “Love” is with a capital “L,” and the second is with a small letter. This certainly means that Love, which is the original God, is just naturally reflected by man, by all men. On this basis you can help the children to see that they love everyone because they are just the natural reflections of divine Love. It follows that everyone loves them, because everyone else also is the reflection of this same divine Love. Therefore they see good in everyone, and everyone sees good in them. They appreciate the good in everyone, and everyone appreciates the good in them. Give many examples of this reciprocal love.

Watch that you do not give the impression that God will be good to us in proportion as we are good to others; that God will forgive us our sins as we forgive the sins of others. God is always good to us and others. Love is reflected in love.

Well now we’ve discussed the subject of perfect God, perfect universe, perfect man, including all men. This of course is the positive Principle of Christian Science. It follows that as we think this way we are delivered from all temptation and evil. We need to help young people to see that we do not have to beg God not to lead us into temptation. As our Leader says, “And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.” Because we know the truth about God, the universe, and man, including all men, we are free from temptation and evil.

Here it is well to illustrate the fact that no true science ever explains error. Science denies error, erases it, and explains it away with the truth. Give pupils many examples of error and ask them to explain these errors. Watch the way in which they quickly learn to deny the errors and explain them away with the truth. Use mathematical errors — ask them why two plus two is five. Use geographic errors — what makes the earth flat? Use spelling errors — say cat is spelled kat. Watch them deny error and explain it away with the truth. Use errors about animals, saying an elephant is an animal with a long neck and spots all over his body. See how quickly they deny it, this lie. A horse is an animal the size of a mouse, and he swims on his back. When you get them in the process of denying errors, then slip in one, “you’re a bad boy.” And watch them refute it with the truth on the basis of the first part of the Lord’s Prayer.

The next week come back with some more errors. Take self-evident errors first, then slip one in that man is poor, or sick, or unhappy. This is an important spiritual exercise that they need to practice — first to detect the error, deny it, erase it, and explain it away with the truth. Use all sorts of illustrations to show that when people believe in errors they run into all kinds of trouble. When a young person sees this point, he will never leave Science but will be proud to be a Christian Scientist.

Children readily understand that the sailors in Columbus’ time believed that the earth was flat, and so they had all sorts of fears. But the earth wasn’t flat and there was nothing to be afraid of. Ask them why they steal from grocery stores, why they shoot people, why they are poor in school. And get them to refute these lies. Such an exercise makes this part of the Lord’s Prayer practical. Give them an assignment to think up errors that people have believed in, in time past, but about which they have now changed their thought. This helps to give students an awareness of the significance of the Bible passage, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” A class could well spend a whole session taking examples of errors which they deny and explain away with the truth. Don’t rush through this part of the Lord’s Prayer — help them to think it out.

Now the question inevitably arises, “Why is this all true?” Show them that the last line of the Lord’s Prayer gives the answer, because the kingdom, or the government, belongs to God, and all the power and all the glory. Go back over them fact that God lovingly governs all, therefore man cannot be ruled by evil forces.

Use illustrations to show that since God has all power, evil has no power. I like the illustration of a tug of war. Children understand this. Take a string along with you and show them that if all the power is on one end of the string, then there can be no power on the other side or end of the string, and the tug of war is over. Show them that if they think there are two powers pulling on them — one a good power and the other the evil power, they are pulled back and forth like this string. But as they see that God is the only power and has complete control of them, they are not tense, or anxious, or troubled, but relaxed, free, and happy.

Show them likewise that the glory all belongs to God. The reflection in the mirror doesn’t make himself that way — the credit all goes to the original before the mirror. Jesus said that we should let our light so shine before men that they see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. We let all of God’s qualities shine through, not to glorify ourselves, but the divine Principle by which we live. Jesus did not try to get people to worship him, but to worship the heavenly Father-Mother God.

I find that children love the answer when you ask, “And when is this true?” They learn to sing out, “Forever and ever!”

Mrs. Eddy’s spiritual inspiration certainly is a good summary for the whole prayer, “For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.” Explain the word “infinite” — that it means unlimited. Since God is unlimited, fills all space, where would there be room for evil? Since God is all powerful, how much power then does the opposite of God called evil have? If I have all the marbles in the room, how many do you have? Since God is all Life, and He is ever present, how can there be any absence of Life? Of Truth? Of Love? He is certainly over all, supreme, and All.

It is good to emphasize that Jesus used one more word — “Amen.” Show them that the word “Amen” means not that’s the end, but “So be it, that’s the way it is, and nothing can change it.” When discussing this subject with high school students, it’s good to say “QED.” For those studying geometry know it means “to have been proved.” This subject should be discussed quite thoroughly. Children should be helped to see that when they are right they need to know they are right and rejoice in that fact. When they multiply seven times seven and get the answer forty-nine, they need to rejoice that it is forty-nine, and not let anything confuse their thought on the subject. They should be taught that when they have really prayed the Lord’s Prayer intelligently that it meets the situation, no matter what the problem might be. Mrs. Eddy says, it “instantaneously heals the sick.” (S&H 16:23)

Children often have a sort of lukewarm attitude, saying, “I suppose it works,” “I hope it works,” “I’ll try to make it work.” Help them to establish in consciousness that as they follow the rules it always works. Boys building a model airplane know that if they follow all the rules carefully it will fly. Girls know that if they follow the pattern carefully the dress will fit. It will turn out just like the picture on the pattern. The child who puts a coin in the coke machine feels quite certain that the bottle of coke will come out. We must help them to establish confidence in their prayers and metaphysical work.

You cannot complete the consideration of the Lord’s Prayer in one session, especially with small children. But if you take the steps in order, one at a time, until they thoroughly see the points, they will soon have the true spirit of the Lord’s Prayer. And memorizing the words will then be easy.

A public-speaking coach encourages speakers never to try to memorize words. We go over and over our lecture until we get the ideas. Think in terms of the ideas, and then the words will come naturally. The lecture will not sound like an eighth-grade recitation. It’s the same in learning the Lord’s Prayer, the Commandments, and the Beatitudes. Please don’t have the children memorize words. Help them to love the ideas, and the words will naturally come, and they’ll come right from the heart. It may take a little longer than to just memorize the words, but pupils have a something very substantial then.

I might say also that just to memorize the words can sometimes do the children harm, because the prayer then becomes just a ritual without any meaning. And Christian Science children should learn to pray from the heart.

As you thoroughly understand the Lord’s Prayer yourself, as you have grasped its inner meanings, and most of all, as you yourself are living the very spirit of the Lord’s Prayer in your daily life, you will be able to share it with young people in such a manner that it becomes the central light of their life.

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Love is the liberator.