The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-10
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE LECTURE By John c Lathrop S. B.

This means that prayer is right think Ing, and in order to pray alright one must learn to think alright, and ia order to do this must learn of divine Princi- pie; one must cease believing that blind application to God to grant personal desires avails anything. Science and Health explains CD. 8, His work is done, and we have only to avail our selves of Gods rule in order 10 receive His blessing, which enables us to work out our own salvation" This rule is nothing more or less than the long hid den Spirit of truth" and it is the rule of Christian Science revealed in this day and generation-namely, the law that life, intelligence, and substance are spiritual and not material This law must be conscientiously affirmed and realized in thought. and material and evil beliefs must be denied and seen to be unreal This intelligent affirm ing of the true facts about mans spir- itual being-namely that he is Gods image, perfect, pure, and free-and the denying of the opposite material be- liefs in fear. disease, and sin, constitute treatment in Christian Science. Such is the efectual fervent prayer of righteous man" that 'availeth much.' E AVAILABLE TO ALL
 Anyone can understand how Christian Science heals the sick, and anyone can be practitioner and give a treatment
 in the measure that one obtains this understanding. Many people commence to help and heal others immediately after they themselves emerge from darkness Thus a person becomes pioneer missionary for good in his own family and in his own community; he becomes the happy channel through which much trouble, disease, and dis cord are destroyed There is no ele- ment of danger in this process for with spiritual faith and understanding come the tact and wisdom necessary to act and talk sensibly, and which teach a Christian Scientists not to undertake problems beyond his understanding. One does not attempt to solve q prob- lem in algebra before one has mastered multiplication and division. There is protecting power in deep divine faith which surpasses all mortal knowledge.
 SIMPLICITY OF CHRISTIAN
 SCIENCE
 If Christian Science is truly natural if must be simple. because true nature is simple and sincere. A simple thing is one that is plain and single; not complex To be simple is to be clear, direct, humble. and unadorned; not com bined with something else. Matter pos sesses noe of these characteristics, but is complex entangled, vague and de- ceitful; for this is the character of the material mind Matter is anything but simple It is so complex and confused Tn material mortal belief that it never has been and never can be understood by this false belief If material belief were more humble and simple it would not lie and. claim its effect, matter, to be cause and creator. Matter is the mask of mortal belief, and this lie of belief shields and hides itself behind this mark. until 1t is unmasked by Christian Science.
 SIMPLICITY OF SPIRIT
 The only substance that is miple, art less, and entire is Spirit. and it's quali- ties are the same. Spirit is God, and God. good is the simplest thing in the world to the good and pure minded. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God" said Jesus. Only the materially minded. enslaved by the lie that life and intelligence are in matter. find Spirit, God, abstract or hard to understand Unmask mortal belief, ex- pose and reverse it's evil claims, lay bare it's wilfulness, mesmerism, and nothingness. and the light and sim plicity of spiritual Truth, without seam or rent, begin to dawn upon the thought and the real man, as the im- age and likeness of God, is revealed. This ideal Christ man, in all his sim plicity and perfection, is not material. but is a spiritual idea. This is the man whom Jesus saw, and this correct idea of man enabled him to cast out errors of belief and heal the sick.
 JESUS EXAMPLE OF SIMPLICITY
 Jesus lived life of simplicity life apart from matter or the flesh. He saw man in Gods likeness and this law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" will make anyone free from the law of sin and death" Christian Science is this simple law of life and intelligence in Spirit, not in matter. The question is asked, If Christian Science Is the game as Jesus taught, why is it not nlore simple so that all can readily un- derstand it?" Mrs. Eddy answers this question in her Miscellaneous Writ lngs" (p 53), "The teachings of Jesus were simple; and yet he found it diff cult to make the rulers unders tand, be- cause of their great lack of spirituality. Christian Science is simple, and readily understood by the children; only the thought educated away from it finds 1t abstract or difficult to perceive Its seeming abstraction is the mystery of godliness; and godliness is simple to the godly; but to the unspiritual, the ungodly, it is dark and difficult The carnal mind cannot discern spiritual things"
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