AT the close of the fourth gospel we are given a most impressive account of Jesus' meeting with his disciples at the sea of Tiberias, after the tragedy of the crucifixion and his glorious victory over the flesh and all evil which had assailed him, a victory marked by his resurrection from the tomb and by several meetings with his followers before his ascension. This particular occasion, which is known to Christian Scientists as "the morning meal" (Science and Health, p. 35), was undoubtedly of the utmost importance to Jesus' students, who were beginning to enter into the spirit of their Master's teaching as they had never before done, and to understand in a new sense the meaning of his command, "Follow thou me." In significant words Mrs. Eddy tells us of their changed mental state, their grief turned into repentance,—"hearts chastened and pride rebuked" (Science and Health, p. 35). She adds that they then "changed their methods, turned away from material things," and rose "into newness of life as Spirit."
Here the question may be asked whether the great Teacher had ever, by precept or example, sanctioned the use of material means. To this, the one outside of Christian Science would probably answer that in one instance he used clay in healing a blind man, but it is important to bear in mind that, so far as the record goes, his word alone was the means used in several other cases of blindness which were healed, so the argument for the clay is a rather uncertain one. It may, however, be of interest to examine the story, as given in the ninth chapter of John's gospel, to see what lesson it has for us today. There are few if any who claim that the clay was a remedial agent, but some Christian people think that its use was symbolic, and this may be granted for the sake of the lesson to be gained. The question then is, What did Jesus' use of the clay symbolize?
In the preceding chapter we read of a tremendous struggle between mortal or material belief and the pure spirituality taught and lived by Christ Jesus. He rebuked the materiality of those around him in these telling words, "Ye judge after the flesh," and he carried his argument for divine Life, Truth, and Love to such a height that' they attempted to stone him. He, however, escaped from their madness and almost immediately, as it would seem, he met a blind man, within the precincts of the temple, another victim of the belief that life and intelligence are subject to matter; blind as were Jesus' adversaries, though in another way.
