In the sixteenth chapter of the gospel of Matthew we read these plain, significant words by Jesus: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." This command is imperative to-day to all who are seeking the way to eternal Life; and in Christian Science we are beginning to learn how, in some measure at least, to be obedient to the Master's commands.
Mrs. Eddy, in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," in the chapter on Atonement and Eucharist, has thrown a wonderful light on the subject of the cross. On page 50 she writes: "The distrust of mortal minds, disbelieving the purpose of his mission, was a million times sharper than the thorns which pierced his flesh. The real cross, which Jesus bore up the hill of grief, was the world's hatred of Truth and Love." As students of Christian Science, we understand the cross to be scorn and hatred of spirituality,—the lust and antagonism of material ignorance and animality toward the glorious spiritual truths which we are demonstrating; and because of the antagonism of these carnal beliefs, we need not be surprised when our good is evil spoken of, or that we are often misunderstood.
The Lamb "slain from the foundation of the world" is now and always has been the pure, undefiled innocence, or spiritual selfhood, which is the perfect reflection of God. Mortal belief has always warred against the Lamb; but it can neither overcome nor destroy it, for it is as indestructible as God, its divine, infinite Principle. This purity and innocence is possessed by each individual child of God, and is expressed by the only real, the only true selfhood. The Adam, or so-called material man, cannot perceive the reality of being, and must, therefore, be put off; hence the seeming warfare between the flesh and the Spirit.
