Sunday, March 31st, 2019 Roundtable
Be Ye Therefore Perfect
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Reality
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Morning Prayers
Oh, may the light that is never dim so encompass you, that no night is there. May His angels hold thee in their power, and Songs of Science be heard in the intuitions of thought, till your life is in tune with the rhythm of God.
— from Divinity Course and General Collectanea, (the “Blue Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 224
CHURCH. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.
The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick.
— from the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
Discussion points
180 —WATCH that you make the right decision in the valley of decision (Joel 3:14). One is called upon to decide between a human experience that is harmonious under the effects of demonstration, but which brings little growth, and one that brings increasing development because of constant problems. There can be little development unless one has opportunities to demonstrate.
A man going through a jungle might have the choice between walking along in imaginary safety, or hiring beaters to bring the wild animals out from under cover for him to destroy. Under the latter action his path would not be peaceful, but it would be progressive and beneficial to all.
A right decision is to be willing to have all forms of error brought out from their hiding places, as fast as one is able to meet them, in order that one may cross swords with them and overcome them.
If a balloon made in some frightful form was lying dormant, it would not frighten you. Yet it might be inflated at any time; therefore the sooner it does become inflated, the sooner you will stand up to it, conquer your fear of it, and puncture it.
The inflation of error does not increase its power or make it more real, but it does bring it out from under cover, where you can handle it. It means that it has been brought out from its hiding place, and is ripe for destruction.
— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter
Rights of Many — Thy Way Richard Oakes
Rules for overcoming animal magnetism:
1. See what it is trying to do.
2. Know that it cannot do it.
3. See that it is not done.
To accomplish this:
I. Be patient.
2. Be meek.
3. Be vigilant.
4. Be sober.
5. Be loving.
— from Divinity Course and General Collectanea, (the “Blue Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 170
Jesus said to his disciples, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting,” but he did not appoint a fast. Merely to abstain from eating was not sufficient to meet his demand. The animus of his saying was: Silence appetites, passion, and all that wars against Spirit and spiritual power. The fact that he healed the sick man without the observance of a material fast confirms this conclusion. Jesus attended feasts, but we have no record of his observing appointed fasts.
— from Miscellany, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 339
Golden Text — “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” — (Ecclesiastes 3 : 14)
RESPONSIVE READING: Psalm 19 : 1, 7-10, 14
1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
7. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
THE BIBLE TEACHES US HOW TO HEAL THE SICK
Our Subject Embraces the Spiritual Signification
of the Scripture
“The Ten Commandments are a perfect digest of wisdom whereby to regulate the routine of life; without those commands the Science of Life had not been expressed. The Ten Commandments carried out are indispensable to health, happiness and immortality. They are central figures in the group of metaphysical healing—ingrafted into every one of its conditions, and the test of them all.”
from “Essays Ascribed to Mary Baker Eddy” in Essays and Other Footprints (the “Red Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 13
Forum post — perfect, perfection by Barbara from PA
Forum post — we are not careful to answer thee by Jeremy from PA
Forum post — we will not serve thy gods by Lynda from PA
Forum post — “Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” by Parthens
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
— Daniel 3: 27 from citation 3 in the Bible portion of this week’s lesson
You say, “I have burned my finger.” This is an exact statement, more exact than you suppose; for mortal mind, and not matter, burns it. Holy inspiration has created states of mind which have been able to nullify the action of the flames, as in the Bible case of the three young Hebrew captives, cast into the Babylonian furnace; while an opposite mental state might produce spontaneous combustion.
— Citation 15 from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 161 : 3-10