Sunday, June 30th, 2019 Roundtable

May this little sanctum be preserved sacred to the memory of this pure purpose, and subserve it. Let the Bible and the Christian Science textbook preach the gospel which heals the sick and enlightens the people’s sense of Christian Science. This ministry, reaching the physical, moral, and spiritual needs of humanity, will, in the name of Almighty God, speak the truth that to-day, as in olden time, is found able to heal both sin and disease.

— from “Second Sunday Service, December 12, 1897” Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy, page 147

402 — WATCH that you realize that you have never been cut off from God, and can never be. Cut flowers soon die, even though they may be preserved for a time in water. If we believe that we have been cut off from God and placed in the water of mortal mind, we will be dogged by the claims of limitation, finiteness, and death. The claim of personality, that is used to frighten so many students, is no more than the suggestion that man can be cut off from God and still live. Read Miscellaneous Writings 97:32.

— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter

---

I have not seen a perfect man in mind or body, — and such must be the personality of him who is the true likeness: the lost image is not this personality, and corporeal man is this lost image; hence, it doth not appear what is the real personality of man. The only cause for making this question of personality a point, or of any importance, is that man’s perfect model should be held in mind, whereby to improve his present condition; that his contemplation regarding himself should turn away from inharmony, sickness, and sin, to that which is the image of his Maker.

— from Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy, page 97

---

And God saw the light, that it was good.” — Genesis 1 : 3, 4

---

When the smoke of battle clears away, you will discern the good you have done, and receive according to your deserving. Love is not hasty to deliver us from temptation, for Love means that we shall be tried and purified.

— from Science and Health, 1910, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 22

---

Every trial of our faith in God makes us stronger. The more difficult seems the material condition to be overcome by Spirit, the stronger should be our faith and the purer our love.

— from Science and Health, 1910, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 410

---

Remember, thou canst be brought into no condition, be it ever so severe, where Love has not been before thee and where its tender lesson is not awaiting thee. Therefore despair not nor murmur, for that which seeketh to save, to heal, and to deliver, will guide thee, if thou seekest this guidance.

— from Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy, page 149

---

The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

— Isaiah 60 : 19 from the Responsive Reading portion of this week’s lesson

---

Non-resistant – Making no resistance to power …

This idea of non-resistance being the key to understanding rings true to me. Being non-resistant to God is an active process, as far as I have learned here. In the time that I have been a member of this church, I have begun to put off the limitations I held due to identity, age, heredity, nationality, old theology, etc. At each stage, as I have learned to handle those claims, my usefulness for church has increased. The less I have fought God’s reality, the less I have felt lost and useless. The more I trust my spiritual sense, the more my life and work have been full of blessings. As I learn to put aside pride, imagination, and whatever else mortal mind would place in the way as resistance, Christian Science has felt clearer, and God nearer.

When I think back on how I was before Plainfield, I was practically all resistance! Not surprisingly, I had no understanding of God’s good creation, and my place in it.

I am so grateful for this Science, this church, and for regular practitioner support. What I have gained is, bit-by-bit, bringing “out the enduring and harmonious phases of things” that were happening all along, but only recently has become visible to me.

Forum post — by Jeremy from NJ for week of June 16th, 2019

---

He knew of but one Mind and laid no claim to any other. He knew that the Ego was Mind instead of body and that matter, sin, and evil were not Mind; and his understanding of this divine Science brought upon him the anathemas of the age.

Explaining and demonstrating the way of divine Science, he became the way of salvation to all who accepted his word. From him mortals may learn how to escape from evil. The real man being linked by Science to his Maker, mortals need only turn from sin and lose sight of mortal selfhood to find Christ, the real man and his relation to God, and to recognize the divine sonship. Christ, Truth, was demonstrated through Jesus to prove the power of Spirit over the flesh, — to show that Truth is made manifest by its effects upon the human mind and body, healing sickness and destroying sin.

— Citation 4 from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, 315 : 6-10, 32-11

---

Forum post — The Healing Light Of Divine Principle by Florence Roberts

---

Forum post — Arise, Shine by Chardelle from PA

---

Song — Face the Light by Peter Kidd

---

The Cause of Christian Science is prospering throughout the world and stands forever as an eternal and demonstrable Science, and I do not regard this attack upon me as a trial, for when these things cease to bless they will cease to occur.

— from “Second Sunday Service, December 12, 1897” Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy, page 14

---

Final deliverance from error, whereby we rejoice in immortality, boundless freedom, and sinless sense, is not reached through paths of flowers nor by pinning one’s faith without works to another’s vicarious effort.

— from Science and Health, 1910, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 22

---

“For every one that doeth evil hateth light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3)

I found an interesting article entitled “Organization” by Bicknell Young, in which he states, “The mission of the church is to challenge and vanquish sin and hell. Without the church organization, there is nothing with which to challenge and overcome sin. When one turns aside from this organization, claiming for himself an advanced revelation, or that organization is no longer necessary, he is being blinded to his own disobedience and unwillingness to observe the discipline essential to his own spiritual growth in the organization.” The excommunication of our church from the central organization has proved to be a great blessing. It has resulted in what we feel is a “spiritual organization” which steers sharply away from any one central control and allows everyone to progress, and to demonstrate with God. This also results in spiritualization of thought and great growth individually as well as collectively. I have always felt the divine idea of “church” is so important. It allows for accountability. When left alone, it would be very easy to drift away from God without even knowing that this was happening. It would be easy to cherish “hidden sins” without them ever being brought into the Light, to be challenged, rebuked and so destroyed. How important it is that we have each other, for how can you love God if you can’t love your brother as the Bible teaches us? Being part of “church” enables us to do this. And as we have been taught here from the beginning, “one stick you can break, a bundle you cannot.”!

Forum post — by Mary Beth Singleterry for week of June 30th, 2019

---

Article post — “The Real Work of Church Work” Excerpts from the 1936 Primary Class by Bicknell Young

---

Forum post — “Darkness and the Gospel of Mary” by Linda from OH

---

Forum post — “The Scientific Centurion” by Parthens

---

You do now and ever must manifest the God-life that is shining in you. It is working always in every part of your being to will and to do.

— From Lessons of the Seventh Day by Mary Baker Eddy, page 134-136

---

439 — WATCH that you do not neglect to make the demonstration of taking yourself and others out of the belief of nationality, in order to see all in the great household and family of God. In no other way can you escape the impersonal hatred that exists between nations which, when stirred up, comes to the surface to be self-destroyed in the form of war. If one believes that he is an American, he cannot escape the human fact that he is hated by certain other nationalities. The only escape from this belief in hatred lies in seeing man as God’s perfect child, free from any belief in nationality.

— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter

---

Final Readings