Arizona republican., 1916-04-12

already full'' (Science and Health. D. 20D; and if we would appreciate the clear and demonstrable sense of God which she has given to us. we must first be willing to discern the falsi- ties which we have believed about God and then to cast them out of our thought Had the world been in the habit of thus considering carefully the false beliefs about God which were presented to it, many of the popular views now existing about, Him would long since have been forsaken It is true that most of us have accepted without question some pop ular dOctrinal theory about God, probably because our parents had previously accepted that particular form of religious belief, or for some other equally simple reason; but are we as willing to accept as infallible everything else that our parents and gard their wisdom in other and less important matters as absolutely final and complete? Again. is it not true in the history of the world that re- ligious thought as whole has been i only too ready to accept orthodox re- i ligious teaching and to trust to find salvation through such teaching rath- CT than by understanding God? h. deed, is it not often declared that it is not wise to inquire too closely into the things of Cod and yet it must ho evident to every one that we can not know too much about God, and ] the Scriptures even enjoin upon us that we must know Him, and know i Him alright and that such knowledge is essential to life itself and all that it includes
 Those who have understood God clearly enough to demonstrate His presence and power have been few i and far between, and have been as lights in the world; but Christian Science is demanding and making it possible that every man should know. and know intelligently. what God is In fact, Christian Science is insist ing and proving that all health, holi- very existence, is wholly dependent on his understanding of God.
 Progressive Revelation of God
 Until the coming of Christ Jesus | mankind had derived it's beliefs about God from the Jewish theology which in part was based on the wonderful revelations of inspired men who knew God alright, and partly on the beliefs about God prevalent throughout the East as recorded in the Scriptures: and certainly the Jewish theology was largely influenced by the beliefs of the nations among whom the Israel ties dweh
 Into this school of Israelitish theo- lOgy. occupied more and more by cer- emonial rites and less and less by the practical religion typified in the ca reers of such men as Elijah and Isaiah came the lowly Nazarene de- claring that God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" As his tory relates, the Jewish theology of that period could not accept his teachings, although that theology had been built up in q great measure on the revelations of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph. of Moses. and of the prophets who had indeed declared the coming of this very Christ.
 Jesus, however, established his right to the Messiahship by his con- vincing works, in which he overcame from the bondage of material sense. Above all he taught so clearly the true and exact nature of God that eventually John was enabled to see and declare the mighty fact that God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." This declaration the centuries have yet to appreciate fully, for had they done so the marvellous works of the Christian era would have been performed during those centuries even as they were in the days of primitive Christianity.
 It is related of St John that dur ing his old age and after his wonderful revelation on the island of Patmos, when his followers would come to ask him about God. his only reply would be, Little children love one another for this is what Jesus taught" Clear ly he did not consider either formu- lated petitions or arbitrary doctrines necessary to salvation but recognized the supreme importance of godlike- ness, that is, of being loving in thought and action. John knew that to dwell constantly in Love was to reflect the very nature of God, who is Love, and was truly to know Him who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases"
 This new and higher sense of God which Christ Jesus gave to the world was accepted and demonstrated by spiritually minded men and women for nearly three hundred years in the same way that our Master dem sick and the shining. and even rais- ing the dead, and this is a matter of historical record. His followers un- derstood his teachings and his revel- ation of the true nature of God suf- fciently to demonstrate them, in a degree, even as he did, and this dem onstration alone is true prayer.
 As Mrs. Eddy has declared in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" CD. 20): Jesus established no ritualistic wor- ship. He knew that men can be bap- tiZed, partake of the Eucharist observe the Sabbath, make long pray
 CTS and yet be sensual and sinful"
 As the ages progressed and man.
 kinds thought of God was further re-
 moved from the convincing demon
 strations of Christ Jesus and the
 early Christians, that understanding