Articles

When Mary Baker Eddy released the book Miscellaneous Writings for publication, she asked that current teachers of Christian Science stop teaching for one year. She said, " 'Miscellaneous Writings' is calculated to prepare the minds of all true thinkers to understand the Christian Science Text-book more correctly than a student can.

How often we'd like to see more evidence of control in our everyday lives! The parent may long to see his or her children express more poise; perhaps a young person desires a greater sense of dominion in academics or athletics; the business person may cherish more concord in the workplace. Having events and people functioning smoothly and productively is desirable and natural.

Do you remember the court scene at the end of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, where all the characters revert back into playing cards? Up to this point in the story, Alice was immersed in her dream, falling down a rabbit hole, swimming in a pool of tears, becoming incredibly small and amazingly tall, talking with a grinning Cheshire cat! In the last scene everything becomes too outrageous, with the Queen demanding, "Off with her head!" At this point Alice starts to rebel and so begins to wake up. She suddenly realizes that she has no need to be afraid of these characters and exclaims, "You're nothing but a pack of cards!" This realization breaks the dream and she wakes up.

Whether we are seeking to heal ourselves, or have been asked to give Christian Science treatment for someone else, we want to be successful at it. Our goal is to heal quickly and permanently, as Christ Jesus did.

I was in Australia a while back—sitting on a veranda watching a kookaburra swoop in to be fed. As my friend held out his hand to the bird, he asked me, "Why is your Church in journalism?" I was surprised by his question but found myself saying, "Well, people are affected by the way news is presented, and we feel we can help.

After establishing the authority for Jesus' ministry, the Gospel of Mark launches right into it. Jesus' words stirred people's hearts; his practical demonstrations of healing filled them with wonder and, in some cases, with fear.

Just when adultery seemed no longer news—after all those tabloid affairs of presidents, princes, and other celebrities—the ancient sin is back in the headlines.

You can spend a lot of time thinking about that special someone. But what if that someone is already married to another person, or you are? It seems to be accepted in our society that people are unable to control such thoughts and feelings.

I had reason to reflect on Jesus' emphasis on forgiveness (see Matt. 18:21, 22) when my dearly loved daughter, struggling with a difficult and unrewarding relationship, came with her baby to make her home with me.

Christ Jesus not only taught that man is the child of God; he showed that this understanding leads to salvation. Spiritual qualities such as intelligence, purity, joy, and love identify us as the immortal offspring of God, Spirit.