IN mercy to mortals, Love's unfoldings of the truth come gradually to the understanding. When the spiritual senses are opened to discern this orderly process, statements of this truth are more easily accepted and assimilated. During the centuries many religionists have unreasoningly accepted the immaculate conception, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, even though these events seemed to contradict all other human experience, but to-day the questioning spirit is aroused, and these essential and fundamental doctrines are being seriously undermined in the secret chambers of theological thought, so that there are frequent outbreaks of public confession of disbelief in them. To the faithful student of the Bible it is helpful to see that throughout the Scriptures the highest proof of the truth of man's divine origin is clearly shadowed forth. In six conspicuous instances we find that faith in an unseen power or creator has progressively revealed the superiority of spiritual law, as it has risen above and annulled asserted material laws of "birth, maturity, and decay" (Science and Health, p. 244).
Early in the sacred records we have a glimpse of a priest, Melchisedec, "without father, without mother,... having neither beginning of days, nor end of life," who is referred to in Genesis, and also by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews. This writer says that "after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." This was exemplified in the virgin birth of Jesus.
The first assertion of dominion over the material law of birth is found in the history of Abraham. This patriarch, who had obeyed the call of Spirit to come out from his old environment, "not knowing whither he went," was cheered and quickened by the assurance that in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed; and yet in spite of this pledge he found himself in his advancing years still childless. Nevertheless his faith in divine Principle was strong, and when in the eventide of that lovely Eastern day, and also the seeming eventide of mortal life, the angels, in the guise of three unknown visitants, suddenly appeared at the door of his tent and announced to him that the time had come for the fulfilment of the promise, of this long-expected event,—the birth of an heir,—he gave them a most hospitable reception, and the glad annunciation awakened in him neither surprise nor incredulity, though the aged Sara was unable to believe. More bound, perhaps, by belief in the material law, she laughed in derision that such a thing should be. To-day this "spirit of unbelief" still laughs at the assertion of the higher law, which rises superior to and annuls a lower sense of law.
