Sunday, April 28th, 2019 Roundtable
Life is Real, and Death is the Illusion
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Probation After Death
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Morning Prayers
Oh, my God, I offer as a consecrated gift upon Thine altar, a heart dedicated to Thy service, lips speaking only words of charity, love, and truth, thoughts striving to be only the true thoughts of the Mind of God. Help me to endure unto the end, strong in the faith, powerful in the truth, all the influence that I can bring to bear, all the force of tongue or pen that is mine, I offer in Thy service. May heaven help, consecrate, and accept.
— Mrs. Eddy’s Prayer, given at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, found in both the April 1885 Christian Science Journal and in Mary Baker Eddy’s Six Days of Revelation, page 171
We, to-day, in this class-room, are enough to convert the world if we are of one Mind; for then the whole world will feel the influence of this Mind; as when the earth was without form, and Mind spake and form appeared.
— from Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, page 279: 27-2
Discussion points
Golden Text — “I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand.” — Psalm 31 : 14, 15
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
— from Psalm 23: 6 in the Responsive Reading portion of this week’s lesson
People assiduously praying for physical or financial comfort, are still very selfish, and will be cut off from capacity to receive anything, unless a change of heart (love) is affected. This idea is sometimes confusing to the student, but it need not be. One needs only to ascertain the motive that prompts his praying. One needs to know that God cannot withhold any good from one able to receive it, and one so able does not need to beg, implore or metaphysically harangue to get it. It is the Son of Man who has power on earth to forgive sins, and incidentally, the effect of sin that manifests as conditions needing to be healed. When the right consciousness is gained the laws of being will operate to produce not only a well man, but a whole man. A whole man is one who cannot be sick. The purpose is not to get material things but to develop consciousness, so as to gain a state of being that will make formal prayer unnecessary. Formal prayer includes affirmations and denials as well as any other ritual. Through spiritual communion one is expected to gain the selfless spirit by which he may receive more than he can ever hope for. This gain is not measured in material advancement nor in the spiritual, but finally as a new state of being.
One is always receiving what one needs, to grow in grace and knowledge, so as to become the “Beloved Son” through whom redemption is effected. What one needs is that by which spiritual man is produced; this is known to the Father, hence we read in the Bible, “…your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matt.6:8) The outer things that are supplied in the progression of life are means by which one gains consciousness of the inner values for which they stand. The outer things are necessary as a means of growth, but come as a result of seeking first the inner kingdom of God. One should rather pray to realize patience, kindness, consideration, truth, forbearance, wisdom, love, understanding, selflessness, honesty and so on, than to pray for a well body, a fine automobile, or a new stove, and all such other “outer” symbols. Righteous alignment of the consciousness to the selfless Christ-spirit will make for the highest expression of harmony possible in the “without,” though the divine Will continues to control the consciousness toward manifesting the real and the true state of being.
Article “Prayer” — from Miscellaneous Articles by Bicknell Young, pages 11-12
Forum post — Stand for Christ, Truth, or fall for error by Jeremy from PA
Mortals move onward towards good or evil as time glides on. If mortals are not progressive, past failures will be repeated until all wrong work is effaced or rectified.
— from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 240: 18-21
Forum post — Heaven By Probation and Progression? by Florence from GA
HEAVEN. Harmony; the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; spirituality; bliss; the atmosphere of Soul.
— from the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
Would it help an official, or an ex-official, or church, or anyone at all to be recognized as the Christ Conscious ness? Would our recognition of them do much if we could discern their face, as the face of God? Would it hasten their discernment and the uncovering of error, the mesmeric suggestion that claims to be mesmerizing them and others, and so shorten those days of mesmerism, hypnotism, to which Jesus referred in Matthew 24:22, when he said those days of mesmerism and hypnotism could be shortened by “the elect.” (S&H 96:31-2). (Mis. Wr. 104: 29-32) . Jesus said unless they are shortened, no flesh could be saved; this can only be done by Christian Scientists maintaining their balance as the Christ Consciousness over aggressive mental suggestion that would mesmerize them, seeing those who are practicing these suggestions as having the Face of God.
— from Association Addresses by Bicknell Young, page 10
Become aware of the Truth that God. which is the individual Mind of this universe. is the one and only Mind. All tl;lat is necessary. for the Truth to express It self is to be received in the consciousness of one individual, and it immediately takes effect in the consciousness of all who are attuned! Even if they are not directly your patients–somewhere persons in a hospital, prison, on a desert island, individuals who are reaching out to their highest concept of God, reaching out for help, are healed! Though they do not know how or why, and you do not know who they are,–stlll it is true, since God is the Mind of me, and God is the Mind of you–because there is only that ONE MIND!
Artilce “The Practice of Christian Science” — from Miscellaneous Articles by Bicknell Young, page 8
Forum post — Slipping and Drifting by Elizabeth from GA
Forum — Attend to, not neglect so great salvation by Lynda from PA
When the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress. The struggle for Truth makes one strong instead of weak, resting instead of wearying one. If the belief in death were obliterated, and the understanding obtained that there is no death, this would be a “tree of life,” known by its fruits. Man should renew his energies and endeavors, and see the folly of hypocrisy, while also learning the necessity of working out his own salvation. When it is learned that disease cannot destroy life, and that mortals are not saved from sin or sickness by death, this understanding will quicken into newness of life. It will master either a desire to die or a dread of the grave, and thus destroy the great fear that besets mortal existence.
The relinquishment of all faith in death and also of the fear of its sting would raise the standard of health and morals far beyond its present elevation, and would enable us to hold the banner of Christianity aloft with unflinching faith in God, in Life eternal. Sin brought death, and death will disappear with the disappearance of sin.
— Citation 6 from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 426 : 8-29
Forum — Death Is Not a Stepping Stone by Chardelle from PA
Forum post — “Work Out Your Own Salvation” by Parthens
The herculean Samson became weak, because he gave to another the ability to deprive him of his strength; he himself told his enemy how to bind him. We do the same thing by believing in any influence over us apart from the divine.
Each Scientist should realize the mighty power of his own thought, reflected from God and from none other; yet many seem slow in learning this lesson. They who have demon strated, even though imperfectly, the great scientific truth of the omnipotence of God, should never allow fear of any foe to enter into their thought. If they do, they are mesmerizing themselves in the name of the supposed “foe.” Hence they feel the effects of their own fear and unbelief in the supremacy of God, Good. To know there is but one power and that the power is God should be an ever present fact to us. The only carnal sense we have to overcome is our own. Realizing this we need never be troubled with a false sense of external power. Being “One with God” and not with the world, we rise superior to the influence of the world, which are our own mortal thoughts. These thoughts set right, the transfiguration MOUNT will stand revealed.
Artilce “Treatment” — from Miscellaneous Articles by Bicknell Young, pages 1-2