Wednesday, July 28, 2021

The service began with singing Hymn 406:
Margaret Glenn Matters, Christian Science Hymnal, No. 406 © 1932, renewed 1960 The Christian Science Board of Directors
 
1st Hymn – #406
*O Love, our Mother, ever near,
To Thee we turn from doubt and fear!
In perfect peace our thoughts abide;
Our hearts now in this truth confide:
Man is the child of God.
 
O Light, in Thy light we can see
That man is ever one with Thee.
In love our lives Thou dost enfold,
And now our waiting hopes behold
That man is God's own child.
 
O joy that ever will remain,
Midst seeming sorrow, hate, and pain,
Our hearts to fill with this glad song
That soars above the mists of wrong:
Man is the loved of Love.
 
Readings from The Holy Bible


1. Ps. 119:1
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 
 
2. I Pet. 1:2 Grace, 4
... Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. ...
 
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 
 
3. Mark 10:14 Suffer, 15 
... Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 
 
4. I Sam. 3:1 (to 1st .), 2–5, 7–10, 19, 20
And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. ...
 
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. ...
 
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. ...
 
... ¶ And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beer–sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 
 
5. Dan. 1:1, 3–6, 8, 11–17
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. ...
 
... ¶ And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: ...
 
... ¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. ...
 
Then said Daniel to Melzar whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. ¶ As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 
 
6. Matt. 18:2–6 Jesus, 8, 10
... Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. ...
 
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. ...
 
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 
 
7. Luke 10:21 Jesus, 23
... Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. ...
 
... ¶ And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
 
Correlative passages from the Christian Science textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
 
1. SH 586:3
EYES. Spiritual discernment, — not material but mental. 
 
2. SH ix:3–5 (to ;)
A child drinks in the outward world through the eyes and rejoices in the draught. He is as sure of the world's existence as he is of his own; ...
 
3. SH 582:28
CHILDREN. The spiritual thoughts and representatives of Life, Truth, and Love. 
 
4. SH 236:25–6
Children are more tractable than adults, and learn more readily to love the simple verities that will make them happy and good. 
 
Jesus loved little children because of their freedom from wrong and their receptiveness of right. While age is halting between two opinions or battling with false beliefs, youth makes easy and rapid strides towards Truth. 
 
A little girl, who had occasionally listened to my explanations, badly wounded her finger. She seemed not to notice it. On being questioned about it she answered ingenuously, “There is no sensation in matter.” Bounding off with laughing eyes, she presently added, “Mamma, my finger is not a bit sore.” 
 
5. SH 514:6–25
Mind, joyous in strength, dwells in the realm of Mind. Mind's infinite ideas run and disport themselves. In humility they climb the heights of holiness. 
 
Moral courage is “the lion of the tribe of Juda,” the king of the mental realm. Free and fearless it roams in the forest. Undisturbed it lies in the open field, or rests in “green pastures, . . . beside the still waters.” In the figurative transmission from the divine thought to the human, diligence, promptness, and perseverance are likened to “the cattle upon a thousand hills.” They carry the baggage of stern resolve, and keep pace with highest purpose. Tenderness accompanies all the might imparted by Spirit. The individuality created by God is not carnivorous, as witness the millennial estate pictured by Isaiah: — 
 
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, 
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid; 
And the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together; 
And a little child shall lead them. 
 
 
6. SH 69:7–10
God's children already created will be cognized only as man finds the truth of being. Thus it is that the real, ideal man appears in proportion as the false and material disappears. 
 
7. SH 130:20
Laboring long to shake the adult's faith in matter and to inculcate a grain of faith in God, — an inkling of the ability of Spirit to make the body harmonious, — the author has often remembered our Master's love for little children, and understood how truly such as they belong to the heavenly kingdom. 
 
8. SH 583:5
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The representatives of Soul, not corporeal sense; the offspring of Spirit, who, having wrestled with error, sin, and sense, are governed by divine Science; some of the ideas of God beheld as men, casting out error and healing the sick; Christ's offspring. 
 
9. SH 309:17
If these children should go astray, and forget that Life is God, good, and that good is not in elements which are not spiritual, — thus losing the divine power which heals the sick and sinning, — they were to be brought back through great tribulation, to be renamed in Christian Science and led to deny material sense, or mind in matter, even as the gospel teaches. 
 
10. SH 323:32–12
Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea. Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy to see them disappear, — this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony. The purification of sense and self is a proof of progress. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” 
 
Unless the harmony and immortality of man are becoming more apparent, we are not gaining the true idea of God; and the body will reflect what governs it, whether it be Truth or error, understanding or belief, Spirit or matter. Therefore “acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace.” 
 
11. SH 568:1 (only)
Innocence and Truth overcome guilt and error. 
 
12. SH 256:7
Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man. 
 
13. SH 236:21–22
Children should obey their parents; insubordination is an evil, blighting the buddings of self-government. 
 
14. SH 322:26
The sharp experiences of belief in the supposititious life of matter, as well as our disappointments and ceaseless woes, turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love. Then we begin to learn Life in divine Science. Without this process of weaning, “Canst thou by searching find out God?” It is easier to desire Truth than to rid one's self of error. Mortals may seek the understanding of Christian Science, but they will not be able to glean from Christian Science the facts of being without striving for them. This strife consists in the endeavor to forsake error of every kind and to possess no other consciousness but good. 
 
15. SH 409:20–23
The real man is spiritual and immortal, but the mortal and imperfect so-called “children of men” are counterfeits from the beginning, to be laid aside for the pure reality. 
 
16. SH 470:21–24, 32
God is the creator of man, and, the divine Principle of man remaining perfect, the divine idea or reflection, man, remains perfect. Man is the expression of God's being. ...
 
The relations of God and man, divine Principle and idea, are indestructible in Science; and Science knows no lapse from nor return to harmony, but holds the divine order or spiritual law, in which God and all that He creates are perfect and eternal, to have remained unchanged in its eternal history. 
 
17. SH 470:16 (only)
The children of God have but one Mind.
 
The readings concluded with silent prayer followed by the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew Chapter 6.
 
The congregation then sang Hymn 533:
Pauline T., Adapt., Alt., Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430-603, No. 533 © 2017 The Christian Science Board of Directors
 
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation;
I hear the sweet though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing,
It finds an echo in my soul,
How can I keep from singing?
 
What though my human comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I’m clinging,
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
 
*I lift mine eyes, the cloud grows thin,
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smooths
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing,
All things are mine since I am His,
How can I keep from singing?
 
The meeting closed with Hymn 15:
Bernhard S. Ingemann, Christian Science Hymnal, No. 15 © 1932, renewed 1960 The Christian Science Board of Directors
 
As gold by fire is tested,
Its purity shown forth,
So cleansing fires of Truth may prove
To man his native worth.
 
*And as a mirror shows us
A likeness clear and bright,
So God forever sees His child
Revealed in radiant light.
 
'Twas thus the loving Master
Saw man's perfection shine,
Beheld God's child forever pure
In radiance all divine.