Articles

Courage is a spiritual quality. Its basis is realization of the allness of God, good; for spiritualized consciousness reflects true courage in thought, word, and deed, in thinking, speaking, and acting.

Among the root meanings of the word "salvation" as set forth by Bible scholars is the inspiriting phrase, "to save alive. " How instantly this thought dispels a sort of theological gloom which has settled upon this word "salvation" from time to time in its Christian history, threatening to rob it of its force and beauty! The original Greek word used in the New Testament, we are told, is also a buoyant word in its root significance, implying health and well-being, so that there is no justification for riveting attention to the idea of escape from evil, when referring to salvation.

One evening when some Christian Scientists were enjoying the splendors of a brilliant sunset mirrored in a placid lake, it was observed that all those present, though standing at different points, faced a glimmering, sunlit path leading directly to the sun. This seemed to typify man's unity with God, for each individual received freely, continuously, and directly his own full view of the mirrored sunlight.

The Biblical account of creation, as given in the first chapter of Genesis, closes with the statement, "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. " All Christianly scientific healing is based upon this premise.

" Whoever reaches the understanding of Christian Science in its proper signification will perform the sudden cures of which it is capable. " So writes Mary Baker Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" ( pp.

One who serves the Cause of Christian Science, whatever the service may be, serves God, and the spirit in which the service is rendered determines its worth. The opportunity to serve as Reader in a Christian Science church or society is a sacred one.

It is related in Luke's Gospel that Jesus, after his return from Jordan, where he had been baptized, and after his conquest over the temptations in the wilderness, "returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee. " "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day," and opening the book of the prophet Isaiah, read from it the words of the Messianic forecast: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Observation shows that many persons, ourselves often included, have quite a habit of believing that their discordant conditions, their misfortunes, their unhappiness, even their sickness and sin, are due to other people's thoughts or actions, to surroundings or circumstances. This is a much more serious fault than is usually realized.

Earnestly exhorting the Thessalonians to watchfulness, brotherliness, and patience one with another, Paul counsels, in words that ring with commanding power, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. " Mary Baker Eddy in splendid confirmation of this statement writes: "Watch, and pray daily that evil suggestions, in whatever guise, take no root in your thought nor bear fruit.

For centuries the Jewish people looked forward with joy to the coming of the Christ, prophesied from early times. While believing their prophets, they had a mistaken sense of how the Christ should come.