Mrs. Eddy's illustrated work, "Christ and Christmas," has by pen and picture presented a summing up of the meaning of the new birth. This work is a rare jewel which few understood in the past, but which is becoming constantly more precious to those who see the spiritual signs of the times. It sets forth in simple verse the real meaning of Christmas. It unfolds the profound explanation of the part which Jesus played in bringing the Christ-idea to human apprehension. It rebukes the false sense of the great natal day and lifts thought to Christian Science, dwelling in the superb heights of inspiration where the new birth is continually going on.
The habit of interpreting the Bible materially is responsible for the material rites of traditional religion. Jesus waged war on this crass materialism, but was often disappointed by the resistance he encountered even among his disciples and others who were looking Spiritward. John records the noted conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus, who was sufficiently spiritually minded to admit to the Master, "We know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Yet in spite of this true estimate of Jesus' mission Nicodemus did not understand the spiritually significant words about the new birth: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God....That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Material birth has its well-known characteristics. They may be changed or modified by an understanding of the meaning of the spiritual or new birth, which is "of water and of the Spirit,"—of purification from matter and the senses. The new birth is an awakening. It registers a dawning of the light upon the darkness which broods over human consciousness. The light inevitably reveals the elements of darkness, the blackness of evil, the purposes of error, its presumption and imposition. Human consciousness may at times be startled by unexpected uncoverings, but the light persists and the new birth goes on.
