The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-03-16
A LECTURE ON
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
Entitled Christian Science and
Universal Happiness

By John Ellis Sedman, C.S., of Los Angeles.
California, Member of the Board of Lee
tureship Of The Mother Church The
First Church of Christ, Scientist. in
Boston, Massachusetts.
Mr.. sedman spoke, in part, as fol-
lows:
Down through the ages, happiness
has been the great quest of mankind,
and quite rightly so. We all desire
happiness, and we all need it. We
must have happiness, and most as
suredly we can have it; for God does
not withhold any good thing from any
of His children. Real Life, real living,
and real happiness are eternally ana
inseparably connected. This fact be-
comes obvious when we know what
Life is. God is Life, eternal, self-ex-
istent, harmonious Life, existing at the
standpoint of causation, and producing
eternal, indestructible, harmonious
life at the standpoint of effect. Nov
it is clear that the one infinite har-
monious God, who produces all true
happiness, must Himself be eternally
and ceaselessly happy. 1t is evident,
also, that the eternal changeless hap
piness Of God must be fully and per
fectly expressed in His creation. We
see indications of this fact in tn
spontaneous happiness of a little
child, and in the joyous outpouring
song OF bird. On page ALL of the
Christian Science textbook, Science
and Health with Key to the Scrip
tures," Mary Baker EDDY, the Discov-
erer and Founder of Christian Science,
writes, Goods being is infinity, free
dom, harmony, and boundless bliss"
Although happiness is so widely
valued and desired, nothing is more
misunderstood. Often people seek
happiness where it is not, and then
grow discouraged because they do not
find it. A great many people believe
that happiness is Elusive and fleeing.
Some think it is vague and indefin-
able. Many believe that happiness
comes and goes for no reason that
can be ascertained or understood.
Others believe that if anyone def
nitely and deliberately seeks happi-
ness, he will most assuredly fail to
attain it. Some doubt it's actuality.
They think that happiness is dream.
Quite naturally these people encour-
age and practice self -deception; be-
cause they believe that if anyone at
tains the goal of reality, he will find
only establishment and misery there.
Christian Science shows the fallacy
Of all such views. Christian Science
accomplishes this result by making
plain the eternal and demonstrable
facts Of being. When these eternal,
spiritual facts are seen and under
stood, happiness is seen and enjoyed.
The wisest and best man who ever
inhabited this earth said, eff We con-
tinue in my word, then are We my dis
ciples indeed; and We shall know the
eruth, and the truth shall make you
tree" From what can the eternal
truth which Jesus revealed make US
free? From everything that inter-
feres with true and everlasting hap
piness.
Right here let me call your atten-
tion to an important point. The hap
piness which Christian Science COM
mends and which Jesus encourages us
to seek and to find, is not to be con-
fused or confouTied with any spur
ious, false sense of happiness. Chris
tian Science makes plain the fact that
any concept of happiness which il
based upon materialism and selfish
ness is not true happiness. Such a
concept of happiness is nothing but
fleeing, human dream, which cannot
satisfy. On page 81 Of Science and
health Mrs. Eddy describes true hap
piness in these words: Happiness is
spiritual, born of Truth and Love.
1t is unselfish; therefore it cannot
exist alone, but requires ell mankind
to share it."
Unhappiness IS myth, a fiction,
dream, and it is found only in the
realm of dreams. Only mort--ls, or
human beings, experience unhappi-
ness, and mortals are unhappy only
when deceived by material sense. The
unhappiness CT mortals is unreal, I'M
true, and unnecessary. 1t has no
foundation nor support in Gods in
finite plan. Consequently it can
always be healed.
If we would find real happiness,
we must diligently seek it. We must
pray for it and we must watch and
work for it. If we would find true and
everlasting happiness, we must seek
it at its source; and we must seek it
in the one and only right way, the
way which God has provided. There
is an old classical saying which runs
as follows:
"He who knows not, and knows not
that he knows not, is a fool, shun
him.
'He who knows not, and knows that
he knows not, is simple, teach him.
"He who knows, and knows not that
he knows, is asleep, wake him.
"He who knows, and knows that he
knows, is wise, follow him"