The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-04-25
"A Lecture ON
Christian Science
Entitled
Spiritual Achievement
Through the Understanding
of Christian Science
by
Lucia C. Coulson, C.S.B.
of London. England

by
Lucia C. Coulson, C.S.B.
of London, England
Member Of the Board Of Lectureship Of
The Mother Church, The First Church Of
Christ, Scientist. in Boston, Massachusetts
It is sometimes asked how we dare
to claim spiritual perfection for man
when on every side there are evil
dences that he is both sick and sinful.
The answer is that we do not claim
this for a mortal. This distinction is
made so clearly and convincingly by
Christ Jesus in his conversation with
Nicodemus that it is worth while to
consider that story. When the ruler
of the Jews came to him and ques-
toned him, Jesus said that to see the
kingdom man must be born again,
or as the exact translation has it, "be
born from above" "That which is
born of the flesh is fiesh," he con-
tinued, "and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit" One is mortal, the
other immortal. These two never
mingle, although like the wheat and
the tares they seem to grow side by
side. That which is Of the flesh re-
mains mortal, imperfect, that which is
of the Spirit, sinless, stainless, i'm
maculate. Therefore we do not make
mortal good, but let the mortal give
place little by little to the immortal.
In so doing what appears to take place
is the emergence of a better, happier,
and healthier human being, What
does it mean to be born Of the Spirit?
It means that the Christ-idea awakes
in us, which from then on is the gov
erning factor of our experience. It
means that the intellectual acceptance
of Truth bows before a knowing of
Truths actuality, which is beyond all
argument and beyond all doubling,
because it is an inward conviction Of
that which is. Its first fruit is joy,
and with it comes always lessening
of the trust in materiality. The NOR
tai has begun in however small a
degree to withdraw. That which is
born from above has nothing of the
human about it. Being spiritual only,
it is indestructible.
Is there any experience equal in
Importance and desirability to this
new birth? Without it we have only
the letter, therefore without it heaven
is not opened. With it the divine pos
sibilities begin to unfold and even our
human experience is bathed in a new
and fairer light. If that light some
times does not seem to last it is only
because further rebirth is necessary,
for as Mrs. Eddy tells US, the new
birth goes on continually until we
reach eternity. Commenting upon his
own words Jesus said: "The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou
nearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, and whittier
it goeth: so is every one that is born
of the Spirit" How true that is!
Caiaphas had high position but he
had not been born again Of the Spirit.
The woman of Samaria had and so
had the Roman centurion. Truly we
cannot tell of the Spirit whence it
cometh or whittier it goeth.
How do we gain the new birth!
Nicodemus laid down prejudice, and
was ready to learn and to inquire
from one who had less authority and
learning humanity than himself. And
It was night when he came to Jesus
If it is night with you, be of good
cheer, for that is the moment when
the mortal is most ready to yield and
when the idea of beauty and glory
which is your true selfhood is most
likely to appear. It is this man "born
of the Spirit" which Christian Science
claims for each of us as perfect and
spiritual and demonstrable. The
maintaining of this truth about man
brings the spiritual idea into view and
results in healing.
Christian Science being Science
also defines for us the nature of the
Christ and defines it as Truth, as
Saviour, as "The divine manifestation
Of God, which comes to the flesh to
destroy incarnate error" (Science and
AASoAei, ~ ocoJs 4AAS uIVAic SuIlSC
was the spiritual selfhood of the man
Jesus and was expressed by him in
his mighty works. Christian Scien-
lists have sometimes been accused Of
not according to Christ Jesus the
honor and reverence Of other Christian
denominations. But this is q misap-
prehension Of the doctrine of Chris
tian Science. The greatest honor we
can accord another is to follow and
obey him. Jesus himself said, eff We
love me, keep my commandments"
This Christian Scientists are endeav-
oring to do even to the extent of obey
ing his command to heal the sick. It
may be said of all true Scientists that
they adore the Christ. What does this
mean or involve? It means to adore the
qualities Of the Christ, whose nature
is perfection. How are these qualities
expressed in human experience? The
man who manifested a dominion or.
power which was Godlike. In one of
her books (Retrospection and Intro
spection. D. 91) Mrs. Eddy mentions