Sunday, November 17th, 2019 Roundtable

The Psalmist saith: “He shall give His angels charge over thee.” God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment. What a glorious inheritance is given to us through the understanding of omnipresent Love! More we cannot ask: more we do not want: more we cannot have. This sweet assurance is the “Peace, be still” to all human fears, to suffering of every sort.

— from “Angels” in Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 304-305

Golden Text — “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” — Romans 6 : 23

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77 — WATCH lest you conceive of animal magnetism as a power or danger from outside, rather than as the subtle suggestion that writes its message with unseen fingers on the inner tablet of your own consciousness, as illustrated by the handwriting that appeared on the wall in Daniel 5. It is true that the fundamental false belief comes to us from outside, but it appears in our thought as our own thoughts. When we accept it, it is expressed in our lives. So error first comes from the outside to the inside; then if it is accepted, it goes from the inside to the outside.

In the Christian Science Journal for August, 1912, Mrs. Eddy is quoted in an article by Mr. Tomlinson as having said, “Error comes to you for life and you give it all the life it has.”

— from 500 Watching Points by Gilbert Carpenter

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Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously. When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them. The issues of pain or pleasure must come through mind, and like a watchman forsaking his post, we admit the intruding belief, forgetting that through divine help we can forbid this entrance.

— from Science and Health, 1910, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 392

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We have a God given right to say no to thoughts that do not bless us.

— Plainfield Roundtable

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The weeds of mortal mind are not always destroyed by the first uprooting; they reappear, like devastating witch-grass, to choke the coming clover. O stupid gardener! watch their reappearing, and tear them away from their native soil, until no seedling be left to propagate — and rot.

— from Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 343

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We should ask ourselves, “Do I want this thought to be manifested in my life?”

— Plainfield Roundtable

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If it is not good it is not from God.

— Plainfield Roundtable

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When I blame others I am a vicitim and throwing away my God given dominion.

— Plainfield Roundtable

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Erroneous suggestions that come to us are not our personal thoughts.

— Plainfield Roundtable

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I can see a danger that is becoming more or less evident in our ranks. It lies in the tendency of our workers to take on some old theological beliefs in regard to the belief of death. To accept or hold to the belief that death is not to be overcome on this plane of existence is to deny the work of Jesus. Furthermore, it is as though one were to declare that a mortal state of existence is real and that an immortal state could only be gained through death; and worse than all, it is as though one were to deny Christian Science healing, for in every case in which Christian Science has healed an incurable disease, it has overcome death. We need to remember this. Practically every Christian Scientist knows of such cases, and in the light of them, he will not join in this belief which today tends to destroy the very foundation of the Science of Life.

— from 1915 Association Address by Bicknell Young

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Instead of being bound for the grave, we must know we are on the eternal road of Life that has no sense of death.

from “Essays Ascribed to Mary Baker Eddy” in Essays and Other Footprints (the “Red Book”), by Mary Baker Eddy, page 74

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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

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.

— Psalm 23 from the Responsive Reading in this week’s Lesson

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Forum post — “Green pastures” and “still waters” by Joanne from FL

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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

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Surely: Certainly; infallibly; undoubtedly.

— from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Forum post — “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” by Karen

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The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space.

— from Science and Health, 1910, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 520

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Then said Jesus…

I am the good shepherd,

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

— John 10 from citation 3 in the Bible portion of this week’s Lesson

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Forum post — “…no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” by Lynda from PA

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When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious — as Life eternally is — can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony.

— Citation 10 from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 495 : 14-24

Supplant: To remove or displace; to overthrow; to undermine.

Replace: To put again in the former place; as, to replace a book. To put in a new place.

Silence: To oblige to hold the peace; to restrain from noise or speaking. To still; to quiet; to restrain; absence of mention; oblivion.

— from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

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God creates and governs the universe, including man. The universe is filled with spiritual ideas, which He evolves, and they are obedient to the Mind that makes them. Mortal mind would transform the spiritual into the material, and then recover man’s original self in order to escape from the mortality of this error. Mortals are not like immortals, created in God’s own image; but infinite Spirit being all, mortal consciousness will at last yield to the scientific fact and disappear, and the real sense of being, perfect and forever intact, will appear.

— Citation 2 from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, p295 : 5-15

Disappear: To vanish from the sight; to recede from the view; to become invisible by vanishing or departing, to cease;

— from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

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Forum post — Grateful that Christ has enabled me to do God’s work by Jeremy from NJ

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Forum post — “Surely God Does Nothing Without First Revealing It to His Servants the Prophets”s by Parthens

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A small group of wise thinkers is better than a wilderness of dullards and stronger than the might of empires.

— from Miscellany, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 162

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The Virgin Mary

From the very moment that Isaiah uttered the prophecy, “Hear ye now, O house of David; the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isa.7:13,14) From that very moment throughout the years, every daughter of Israel not only longed to become the mother of “The Anointed One,” but thought it possible that she might become the mother of “The Anointed One.” Therefore Mary, in common with all Jewish maidens of her period, cherished the hope of becoming the mother of the long expected deliverer of Israel.

The World of Mary’s Day

History tells us that the world of Mary’s day was drowning in its foully materialistic thinking. Rome, the most important city, had set up the worship of the Emperor, the adoration of a human personality, as her religion. In the province of Galilee, where Mary lived, there were many established religions and political parties: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes, the Lawyers, and the revolutionists, all waiting the hour to strike Rome.

The conception held by these groups concerning the deliverance of Israel was wholly a material conception. What remained of the morality and spirituality of the Israelites was, at this time, found only among the common people.

A Group of Metaphysical Thinkers

And 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. Many of the best literary productions nearest the advent of Jesus, were written in Galilee by these religious thinkers.

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 Addresses by Martha Wilcox, page 289

Continue reading… — Mary by Martha Wilcox

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Noteworthy News — Thy Way America, We’ve Been Warned — When God warns, it’s real, and we’d better sit up and take notice. …

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And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

— Luke 18: 18-19 from citation 4 in the Bible portion of this week’s Lesson

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And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,

Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

— Luke 18 : 26-30 from citation 4 in the Bible portion of this week’s Lesson

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Final Readings