Editor's Extracts From Sermon
Text: Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of
God.—Matt. xxii. 29.
The Christian Science Journal reported as follows:—
The announcement that the Rev. Mary B. G. Eddy [25]
would speak before the Scientist denomination on the
afternoon of October 26, drew a large audience. Haw-
thorne Hall was densely packed, and many had to go
away unable to obtain seats. The distinguished speaker
began by saying:— [30]
Within Bible pages she had found all the divine Science [1]
she preaches; noticing, all along the way of her researches
therein, that whenever her thoughts had wandered into
the bypaths of ancient philosophies or pagan literatures,
her spiritual insight had been darkened thereby, till [5]
she was God-driven back to the inspired pages. Early
training, through the misinterpretation of the Word,
had been the underlying cause of the long years of in-
validism she endured before Truth dawned upon her
understanding, through right interpretation. With the [10]
understanding of Scripture-meanings, had come physical
rejuvenation. The uplifting of spirit was the upbuild-
ing of the body.
She affirmed that the Scriptures cannot properly be
interpreted in a literal way. The truths they teach must [15]
be spiritually discerned, before their message can be
borne fully to our minds and hearts. That there is a
dual meaning to every Biblical passage, the most eminent
divines of the world have concluded; and to get at the
highest, or metaphysical, it is necessary rightly to read [20]
what the inspired writers left for our spiritual instruction.
The literal rendering of the Scriptures makes them noth-
ing valuable, but often is the foundation of unbelief and
hopelessness. The metaphysical rendering is health and
peace and hope for all. The literal or material reading is [25]
the reading of the carnal mind, which is enmity toward
God, Spirit.
Taking several Bible passages, Mrs. Eddy showed how
beautiful and inspiring are the thoughts when rightly
understood. “Let the dead bury their dead; follow [30]
thou me,” was one of the passages explained metaphysi-
cally. In their fullest meaning, those words are salvation
from the belief of death, the last enemy to be overthrown; [1]
for by following Christ truly, resurrection and life im-
mortal are brought to us. If we follow him, to us there
can be no dead. Those who know not this, may still
believe in death and weep over the graves of their beloved; [5]
but with him is Life eternal, which never changes to
death. The eating of bread and drinking of wine at the
Lord's supper, merely symbolize the spiritual refresh-
ment of God's children having rightly read His Word,
whose entrance into their understanding is healthful life. [10]
This is the reality behind the symbol.
So, also, she spoke of the hades, or hell of Scripture,
saying, that we make our own heavens and our own hells,
by right and wise, or wrong and foolish, conceptions of
God and our fellow-men. Jesus interpreted all spirit- [15]
ually: “I have bread to eat that ye know not of,” he
said. The bread he ate, which was refreshment of divine
strength, we also may all partake of.
The material record of the Bible, she said, is no more
important to our well-being than the history of Europe [20]
and America; but the spiritual application bears upon
our eternal life. The method of Jesus was purely meta-
physical; and no other method is Christian Science. In
the passage recording Jesus' proceedings with the blind
man (Mark viii.) he is said to have spat upon the dust. [25]
Spitting was the Hebrew method of expressing the utmost
contempt. So Jesus is recorded as having expressed
contempt for the belief of material eyes as having any
power to see. Having eyes, ye see not; and ears, ye hear
not, he had just told them. The putting on of hands [30]
mentioned, she explained as the putting forth of power.
“Hand,” in Bible usage, often means spiritual power.
“His hand is not shortened that it cannot save,” can [1]
never be wrested from its true meaning to signify human
hands. Jesus' first effort to realize Truth was not wholly
successful; but he rose to the occasion with the second
attempt, and the blind saw clearly. To suppose that [5]
Jesus did actually anoint the blind man's eyes with his
spittle, is as absurd as to think, according to the report
of some, that Christian Scientists sit in back-to-back
seances with their patients, for the divine power to filter
from vertebræ to vertebræ. When one comes to the age [10]
with spiritual translations of God's messages, expressed
in literal or physical terms, our right action is not to con-
demn and deny, but to “try the spirits” and see what
manner they are of. This does not mean communing
with spirits supposed to have departed from the earth, [15]
but the seeking out of the basis upon which are accom-
plished the works by which the new teacher would prove
his right to be heard. By these signs are the true disciples
of the Master known: the sick are healed; to the poor
the gospel is preached. [20]