The March Primary Class
To the Primary Class of the Massachusetts Metaphysical
College, 571 Columbus Avenue, that Assembled Feb. 25,
1889, with an Attendance of Sixty-five Students
My students, three picture-stories from the Bible pre-
sent themselves to my thought; three of those pictures
from which we learn without study. The first is that of [15]
Joshua and his band before the walls of Jericho. They
went seven times around these walls, the seven times
corresponding to the seven days of creation: the six days
are to find out the nothingness of matter; the seventh
is the day of rest, when it is found that evil is naught [20]
and good is all.
The second picture is of the disciples met together in
an upper chamber; and they were of one mind. Mark,
that in the case of Joshua and his band they had all to
shout together in order that the walls might fall; and the [25]
disciples, too, were of one mind.
We, to-day, in this class-room, are enough to con-
vert the world if we are of one Mind; for then the whole
world will feel the influence of this Mind; as when
earth was without form, and Mind spake and form [1]
appeared.
The third picture-lesson is from Revelation, where, at
the opening of the seals, one of the angels presented him-
self with balances to weigh the thoughts and actions of [5]
men; not angels with wings, but messengers of pure and
holy thoughts that say, See thou hurt not the holy things
of Truth.
You have come to be weighed; and yet, I would not
weigh you, nor have you weighed. How is this? Be- [10]
cause God does all, and there is nothing in the opposite
scale. There are not two,—Mind and matter. We
must get rid of that notion. As we commonly think, we
imagine all is well if we cast something into the scale of
Mind, but we must realize that Mind is not put into the [15]
scales with matter; then only are we working on one side
and in Science.
The students of this Primary class, dismissed the fifth
of March, at close of the lecture on the fourth presented
their teacher with an elegant album costing fifty dollars, [20]
and containing beautiful hand-painted flowers on each
page, with their autographs. The presentation was made
in a brief address by Mr. D.A. Easton, who in appro-
priate language and metaphor expressed his fellow-students'
thanks to their teacher. [25]
On the morning of the fifth, I met the class to answer
some questions before their dismissal, and allude briefly
to a topic of great import to the student of Christian
Science,—the rocks and sirens in their course, on and
by which so many wrecks are made. The doors of animal [30]
magnetism open wide for the entrance of error, some-
times just at the moment when you are ready to enter on
the fruition of your labors, and with laudable ambition [1]
are about to chant hymns of victory for triumphs.
The doors that this animal element flings open are
those of rivalry, jealousy, envy, revenge. It is the self-
asserting mortal will-power that you must guard against. [5]
But I find also another mental condition of yours that
fills me with joy. I learned long ago that the world could
neither deprive me of something nor give me anything,
and I have now one ambition and one joy. But if
one cherishes ambition unwisely, one will be chastened [10]
for it.
Admiral Coligny, in the time of the French Huguenots,
was converted to Protestantism through a stray copy of
the Scriptures that fell into his hands. He replied to his
wife, who urged him to come out and confess his faith, [15]
“It is wise to count the cost of becoming a true Chris-
tian.” She answered him, “It is wiser to count the cost
of not becoming a true Christian.” So, whatever we meet
that is hard in the Christian warfare we must count as
nothing, and must think instead, of our poverty and help- [20]
lessness without this understanding, and count ourselves
always as debtors to Christ, Truth.
Among the gifts of my students, this of yours is one
of the most beautiful and the most costly, because you
have signed your names. I felt the weight of this yes- [25]
terday, but it came to me more clearly this morning when
I realized what a responsibility you assume when sub-
scribing to Christian Science. But, whatever may come
to you, remember the words of Solomon, “Though hand
join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished: but [30]
the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.”
You will need, in future, practice more than theory.
You are going out to demonstrate a living faith, a true [1]
sense of the infinite good, a sense that does not limit God,
but brings to human view an enlarged sense of Deity.
Remember, it is personality, and the sense of personality
in God or in man, that limits man. [5]