The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-03-25

OF PASADENA, California
Member Of the Board Of Lectureship of
The Mother Church, The First Church
of Christ, Scientist, In Boston, Massa-
chusetts.
Let me ask you to go back in
thought over long lapse Of centu-
ries and contemplate one of the most
dramatic scenes in history. It &C.
Cured during the ministry of our
Way-shower, Jesus the Christ. AS he
went about doing his beneficent works
among men our Master came upon
man who had been blind from his
birth. With that sublime compassion
and unfailing tenderness with which
he was endowed, and relying on that
ever-present power of God by means
of which he did his mighty works, he
restored the mans sight. One would
naturally suppose that those who saw
this benefcent result accomplished
would rejoice and be glad, but the
carnal mind, even as it does today,
began to question Jesus authority to
perform such mighty works. In JUS
LITIGATION of his actions and in expla-
nation Of his glorious mission he ut
tered those sublime words which for
all time explained the reason for his
coming and the purpose of his loving
ministry: II am come that they might
have life, and that they might have
it more abundantly."
With such tangible proof before
them as the blind mans healing, what
hopes this ringing declaration Of
Truth must have aroused What
courage it must have inspired! How
faith must have increased in Gods
healing presence! To those who for
so long had been feeding on the dry
husks Of doctrines, rites, and cere-
monies, what source of encourage
ment it must have been to witness an
incontrovertible proof Of a living, di-
vine afflatus which would bring into
evidence that fullness of Life divine
which could and would destroy all hui
man ills. Christian Science has come
to this age to acquaint humanity in
diligently with this same ever.
abundant divine Life. 1t is saying to
every humble seeker for good: I am
come that you might have life and
that you might have it in all it's full
ness and unfailing grandeur.
God is Life
The Psalmist sang, "Thou wilt shew
me the path of life; in thy presence
is fullness of joy; at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore."
What is this path which leads to the
fullness and richness Of life? Jesus,
our great Master, revealed it for all
time when he declared, "And this is
life eternal, that they might know
thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent" To
know God, then, is life eternal-that
abundant life where limitation, dis
ease, and mortality are unknown. To
gain the unlimited and affiuent sense
of life is the great privilege of every
one and leads to that fullness of joy
which is mans true heritage. To
reach the high goal we must under
stand the great fact that life is purely
and entirely spiritual. The human
mind, unenlightened by divine facts,
has very largely thought Of life as
material, organic, mortal, and finite.
It has conceived Of life largely in
terms of physical processes, mortal
events, or material conditions. And
yet, upon careful thought and close
analysis, we can readily see that hui
man life is mortally mental and not
corporeal. In speaking of "my life"
"his life," or cher life" to what do we
refer? Do we not have in mind what
one thinks, what he knows, that Of
which he is conscious? Such phrases
as, "He leads very peaceful life"
"He has very happy life" Ellis was
a very useful life," show us conclu-
sively that we frequently think of life
entirely apart from bodily conditions
or the physical concept of it. In
thinking back over some of the beauti-
full experiences which have come into
our lives, the surrounding conditions
and attendant circumstances have
largely faded from memory, but the
1--we and graciousness expressed linger
on and on. Sometimes the human
events do not readily recur to thought,
but the kindness which shaped the
events is never forgotten. We may
know very little about the material
conditions or personal habits of some
one and yet, as we observe his kindly
deeds and noble acts, we think of him
in the words of our immortal Shakes
peare, "He hcth daily beauty in his
life." What beautiful thing to be
said of anyone!
God or Life is Ever Present
One of the cardinal teachings of
our great Master, which Christian
Science strongly emphasizes, is the
ever-presence of God. When Jesus
rent his disciples out to heal and teach,
''e ed, "A--d 6 ye so, preach, say
ing, The Kingdom of heaven is at
hand" We have always thought Of
heaven as place where life reigns
supreme and where death never
comes. Since the kingdom of heaven