Sunday, December 8th, 2019 Roundtable
And God Made Two Great Lights
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: God the Only Cause and Creator
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Morning Prayers
In divine Science, God is One and All; and, governing Himself, He governs the universe. This is the law of creation: “My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.” And that infinite Mind governs all things. On this infinite Principle of freedom, God named Himself, I AM. Error, or Adam, might give names to itself, and call Mind by the name of matter, but error could neither name nor demonstrate Spirit. The name, I AM, indicated no personality that could be paralleled with it; but it did declare a mighty individuality, even the everlasting Father, as infinite consciousness, ever-presence, omnipotence; as all law, Life, Truth, and Love.
— from “Spirit and Law” in Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, page 258
Discussion points
472 —WATCH that you realize that Jesus’ statement, “Give and it shall be given unto you,” is a law that carries with it the power of enforcement. To obey it with right motives means to exercise it, and hence to experience its promise.
— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter
Golden Text — “Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” — Psalm 148 : 11-13
Forum post — “Nothing Can Be Added To It Nor Taken From It” by Parthens
There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit. The pointing of the needle to the pole symbolizes this all-embracing power or the attraction of God, divine Mind.
— Citation 5 from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 102
Forum post — Two Great Lights by Mike from NY
OIL. Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration.
— from the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 592
We must see that Science and Health with the Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy has the authority of God.
— Plainfield Roundtable
Take one line of Science and Health and work with it throughout the day.
— Plainfield Roundtable
Luminary: One that illuminates or enlightens mankind;
— from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Illumination: That which gives light; an enlightening of the understanding by knowledge, or the mind by spiritual light.
— from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Article — “What Christmas Means To Me” from Miscellany, by Mary Baker Eddy, pages 261-263
Article — Mary by Martha Wilcox
Forum post — And hath made of one blood all nations of men… by Florence from GA
Mary and the Remnant
“Sacred history tells us that in this province of Galilee, and among the common people, was a little group of metaphysical thinkers. Right in the midst of this dense materialistic thinking of the upper class, was this little group, this remnant of Israel who practiced pure and undefiled religion. They taught and practiced the most beautiful moral precepts. In fact, they were full of light in that black night of materialism.
“This little remnant of Israel was undiscouraged for Israel’s deliverance. Their faith in God was unshaken by the blood ravages of Rome. They worshipped the true God of all the religions of that day; none approached the Hebrew religion in purity of doctrine or cleanness of life as shown forth by this little group of metaphysicians.” (From “The Virgin Mary” by Martha Wilcox)
The important point here is that this remnant was working and watching from a place of victory, not victimhood. As they grew spiritually, their sense of victory having already been achieved became more real to them than the wretchedness of their physical circumstances. Thus, they gradually removed themselves from the place of emotionally bingeing on how bad things were, the place of powerless complaining and crying out to God. Over time they were filled with genuine gratitude and appreciation — and even breathless expectancy — for the new outpouring of Light coming upon the earth, calling those “things that be not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)
They filled themselves with an ever-increasing sense of “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be [against us].” (II Kings 6:16.) They overwhelmed their doubts by storming them with the promises of God, such as Psalm 27, Psalm 91, and all the songs of the prophets proclaiming the kingdom of God. They watched and prayed from the perspective of glory, not discouragement. This was spiritual warfare waged from the mindset of “It-is-finished: the battle is the Lord’s and it’s already won,” not a far-off victory, but here and now, accepted as a foregone conclusion. (I Samuel 17:47, II Chronicles 20:17.) As Rebecca Greenwood has said, “We pray not for victory, but from victory.”
This is how a little remnant changed history, and brought the Light of Christmas to a darkened world.
— by Parthens
A small group of wise thinkers is better than a wilderness of dullards and stronger than the might of empires.
— Misecelaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, page 163
Final Readings
A fundamental law in Christian Science has been revealed to us. This law is, that things do not merely happen. Thought held persistently within our mentality tends toward the externalization of itself in outward and visible forms. The thought of the whole Hebrew nation, a thought born in the Garden of Eden, lay back of Jesus, the Saviour, and forced him into view. The Virgin Mary’s state of mind was the mighty God, the law of divine Science. This law, set in motion in the consciousness of Mary, gave us a Saviour who saves us from all sin, disease, age, want, war, and death. This law, active in the consciousness of Mary, gave visible proof that the Father of man was not a material personality, but was an all-creative Principle, known to Israel as their God.
— Addresses, by Martha Wilcox, page 294