Oscar Graham Peeke, C.S.B., of Kansas City, Missouri
Member of the Board of Lectureship of The
Mother Church,
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts
Oscar Graham Peeke, C.S.B., of Kansas City, Missouri, lectured on "Christian Science: Its Godliness and Grandeur" Sunday afternoon in the Murat Theatre under the auspices of Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist. Mr. Peeke is a member of the Board of Lectureship of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass. The lecturer was introduced by Foster Oldshue.
The lecturer spoke substantially as follows:
The unprecedented progress of Christian Science in the comparatively short time since its discovery by Mary Baker Eddy evokes widespread comment today. Continually increasing numbers of people are turning to it for healing. Christian Science churches and societies encircle the globe, and many sermons from Protestant pulpits are being leavened by the teachings of Christian Science. It is highly important therefore that these teachings be kept free from adulteration, and that the ethics and purity of Christian Science be maintained for all future generations. In her book, "Retrospection and Introspection," Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, states (p. 61), "Posterity will have the right to demand that Christian Science be stated and demonstrated in its godliness and grandeur, — that however little be taught or learned, that little shall be right."
I trust you will see the importance of that statement. To state and demonstrate Christian Science "in its godliness and grandeur" is the most sacred privilege one can have. To state and attempt to demonstrate Christian Science in an adulterated form is one of evil's deceptive ways of committing iniquity; for any such statement and so-called demonstration may do incalculable mischief in the thought of the immature hearer, and cause the last state of the patient to be worse than the first. Christian Science demands radical reliance on God, for it demonstrates the allness of God and the unreality of matter and evil. It shows that the so-called material senses are in direct opposition to spiritual law, and that by intelligently denying the testimony of these false senses, and by learning to think from the basis of Spirit instead of matter, we are privileged to demonstrate that law as Jesus did in healing sickness and overcoming all discordant conditions.
The only textbooks of Christian Science are the Bible and the works of Mary Baker Eddy. Her well-known work, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," contains the rules for spiritual healing. Earnest students of Christian Science study these textbooks deeply and reverently. They know the value of devoting time to the study of what is known as the Christian Science Lesson-Sermon, which is outlined for each week in the Christian Science Quarterly. They find that this study is the most helpful and practical way to start each new day. Incidentally I might state that students of Christian Science use for their study the King James Version of the Bible.
By studying the Lesson-Sermons one is enabled to see how perfectly Christian Science coincides with the Scriptures. Every point it presents has Scriptural authority. It is well to keep in mind this statement from Science and Health (p. 358): "Christian Science, understood, coincides with the Scriptures, and sustains logically and demonstratively every point it presents. Otherwise it would not be Science, and could not present its proofs." Of particular significance are those two words, "logically" and "demonstratively," for it is on the basis of demonstrable spiritual logic that Christian Science stands.
Let us consider a few important points which Christian Science presents concerning God, man, and the universe. First, however, let us observe what the material senses falsely declare about them. These so-called material senses presuppose God to be a far-off and unknowable Deity; they believe that He is wrathful at times, oftentimes afflictive. Humanly speaking, man and the universe are cognized by them as mortal and material.
Christian Science reverses material sense testimony, proves its falsity, and demonstrates, through spiritual sense, the propinquity and immutability of God, also the great truth that the real man and the real universe are spiritual, and coexistent with their creator.
God is revealed in Christian Science as the creative Principle of all true being, also as Spirit, Life, Truth, Love, Mind, and Soul. Matter and evil have no true existence, for they are not of God's creating. God is the only creator and He pronounced His entire creation good. Matter and evil are proved by Christian Science to be only the phantasmagoria of a supposititious mind opposed to God — that which Christian Science terms mortal mind or material sense. Mortal man and all that he appears to be subjected to are included in this category.
In consideration of this let us suppose the case to be that of one who has turned to Christian Science, either in his search for Truth or to be healed of some ailment. All his life he may have been led to believe that man is mortal and possesses an indwelling soul, that matter is real substance, and that the physical senses testify truly.
Through his study of Science and Health the truth that God, Spirit, is All-in-all dawns upon his consciousness, and the logic of the statement that matter and evil are unreal becomes more and more clear. Also he commences to discern the true status of man as God's image and likeness, spiritual and immortal.
The mortal and material concept he then finds is a false concept, and the material senses are seen to be wholly unreliable, utterly untrue. His entire manner of thinking changes; his thought becomes clearer; he manifests better health, more spirituality; and as he presses toward a higher spiritual understanding he becomes increasingly impressed with the godliness and grandeur of Christian Science, and imbued with the desire to demonstrate its healing power.
The objection of mankind, in general, to making spiritual teaching practical has kept the world in bondage to the unreal presentations of material sense since the beginning of time. The ancient prophets showed the people of their day what may be accomplished by intelligently refuting material sense testimony, and allowing thought to be governed by God alone. Centuries later Christ Jesus gave even greater proofs of spiritual power. He taught that his followers should understand the realities of true being, and not limit their capability to demonstrate God's availability in human affairs. How glorious his promise, "He that believeth on me" (understands my teachings), "the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do." The significance of that statement has not been given the general consideration which it merits. Jesus spoke for all time. The early Christian took him at his word, and made steady progress in demonstrating the godliness and grandeur of his life-giving teachings. Unfortunately, however, after a little over two hundred years of fruitful practice the religion gradually became adulterated. Materialism gained a foothold; self-seeking commenced to vie with self-abnegation; then came the attempt to make spiritual law mutable by subordinating it to human will. It was thus that the spirit of Jesus' teachings became obscured, and the sacred art of Christian healing was apparently lost to the world.
Christian healing had fallen to a low ebb when Mrs. Eddy appeared on the religious horizon. Her momentous discovery of Christian Science was an event of supreme importance in the world's history. Before presenting her discovery to the world she proved its practicality and power. Quietly, unostentatiously, she went about healing all manner of sickness and disease. Even diseases of the most virulent nature yielded immediately to her pure Christlike thought.
In an autobiographical sketch which is found in her book, "Retrospection and Introspection," Mrs. Eddy relates the circumstances leading to her discovery; and in her book Science and Health she gives a most comprehensive explication of the divine law of the healing and redemptive Christ.
The commonly accepted dogma that Jesus and Christ are one and the same is extremely misleading. It has no Biblical authority, and consequently no demonstrable basis. Jesus was born of a virgin mother, and partook partly of Mary's human nature. That is why he sometimes called himself the son of man — using that term in a generic sense. The son of man is not Christ. Christ is defined in Science and Health (p. 583) as "the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error." This divine manifestation has always existed and is ever at hand to bless and to heal. It was expressed by Jesus in such marvelous degree that he is rightly called Christ Jesus, or Jesus the Christ.
Jesus knew himself to be the one referred to by the early prophets as the messenger who would bring to the world the full understanding of Christ, and manifest its majesty and might in healing and saving mankind. He especially desired that his disciples should recognize this, that they should see how greatly he partook of God's divine nature, and learn to follow him in his demonstrations of the Christ instead of holding to him as a human personality.
Jesus came to teach men the way of
salvation not only from sin, but also from sickness and death. Why is there so
much divergence concerning the way of salvation? Christian Science shows that,
primarily, it is because throughout the centuries Christendom has persisted in
doing the very thing Jesus averred should not be done, namely, looking to the
personal Jesus as "the way," instead of beholding the impersonal
Christ, Truth, to which he referred when he said to his disciples, "I am
the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me" (John 14:6). "Thou art an offence unto me" was his rebuke to
the error voiced by Peter when, apparently, that disciple showed so much
concern about his Master's human personality. But on the occasion when Peter
rose to the height of spiritual discernment and declared, "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus said, "Blessed art thou,
Simon Bar-jona." He knew that Peter beheld, in place of a human
personality, the incorporeal and deathless Christ, the Saviour of the world.
The understanding of the Christ, not the personal Peter, was the rock upon which Jesus declared his church was to be built. He established no ritualistic worship, no creed. He commended and encouraged divine service. That service was to be expressed in daily living — in brotherly love, in good deeds, in healing sickness, sin, and sorrow by the power of the Christ. He brought to mankind the true concept of Church as the spiritual structure of Truth and Love.
Let me read to you this illuminating definition of Church given in Science and Health (p. 583): "CHURCH. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." How simple that is, and yet how comprehensive. Immediately following is this statement, "The Church is that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick."
Every earnest student of Christian Science takes part in building in consciousness "the structure of Truth and Love," thus giving evidence that Christian Science is a religion of works more than words. The teachings of Jesus indicate that in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven one must show his faith by his works.
A friend of mine was asked by a lady, "How do you know that Christian Science is the truth?" He replied, "Because it is a religion of works more than words." And then he asked her, "Do you know what it is to be very ill and utterly discouraged?" "Indeed I do," she answered. "Life with me is a constant struggle against illness and discouragement." "So it was with me," said my friend, "until I learned in Christian Science that God is the only Life, and man reflects that Life. Before that time I was pretty well down in the nether regions, or what is commonly known as hell, but Christian Science brought me out. It healed me, and I commenced to win my way to heaven."
This evidently interested the lady. She asked him a few more questions, and through that conversation was led to go to a Christian Science Reading Room. Before leaving there she purchased a copy of Science and Health and other Christian Science literature. She studied the book and was quickly healed. She, too, commenced to win her way to heaven.
Jesus discoursed largely on the glories of the kingdom of heaven. He indicated that in God's kingdom every living thing is tenderly cared for and protected. He gave verbal illustrations of this truth, and exhorted his hearers to free themselves from doubt and fear, and trust God fully, "for," said he, "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." He made it quite clear that heaven is here at hand — a spiritual sense of harmony to be attained here and now, a present consciousness of God's ineffable goodness and love. Do the false claims of the physical senses make one believe that he is being kept out of the heavenly kingdom? "Christ in divine Science" is ever at hand to show the way to enter in.
Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health (p. 242), "There is but one way to heaven, harmony, and Christ in divine Science shows us this way. It is to know no other reality — to have no other consciousness of life — than good, God and His reflection, and to rise superior to the so-called pain and pleasure of the senses."
The pains of the senses oftentimes force people to give up the pleasures of these same false senses. The far better way, the truly sensible way, is the way shown by "Christ in divine Science," for this is the way of freedom, also of glorious opportunities and high attainments. Following this scientific way one discerns more and more clearly the grandeur and perfection of God's creation, and is inspired by its beauty and orderliness. Indeed the earnest Christian Scientist goes on from glory to glory in his thinking. And although his business or profession may necessitate his coming in contact with much that is material, he keeps mentally alert, and is increasingly conscious of man's true being as God's perfect likeness.
Yes, "from glory unto glory" is the way of Christ in divine Science, not hereafter, but here and now. As a well-known hymn puts it:
"From glory unto glory,
Be this our joyous song;
From glory unto glory,
'Tis Love that leads us on;
As wider yet and wider,
The rising splendors glow,
What wisdom is revealed to us,
What freedom we may
know."
Many business men and women are letting "Christ in divine Science" show them the correct way to conduct their business. They find that by doing so various problems which come up are readily solved. Harmony and cooperation instead of discord and dissatisfaction between employers and employees are thus brought about. Also, on occasion when important decisions need to be made, hesitancy and fear are readily ruled out, and good judgment is made manifest through spiritual perception and discernment.
The element of indecision appears to be a besetting evil with a great many people. It looms discouragingly large on occasions when necessity arises to make a definite choice between two or more courses of action. Sometimes after a decision has been made there is a feeling of unrest for fear some other course might have been better.
This should not be. It cannot be when, through Christ in divine Science, one understands that there is but one Mind, God, and that man reflects this omniactive Mind. By scientifically knowing man's oneness with and inseparability from this Mind one can always demonstrate divine guidance in all one's affairs. "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," admonishes Paul (I Cor. 10:31). Obeying this divine command, one finds that God's ever-beneficent law is ceaselessly operating in his behalf. Therefore, like David, the sweet singer of Israel, should we not love the law of God and meditate upon it?
How sure David was of the operation of God's law to direct him rightly when he made that startling decision as to the means by which he should overcome the giant Goliath! This lad had just come down from his lonely vigil on the Bethlehem hills, tending his father's sheep. Doubtless he had spent many happy hours there under a starlit sky meditating on God's law. His decision to meet the Philistine with only a sling and a few stones for a weapon, and for defensive armor only his invincible faith in God, may have seemed fantastic to Saul and his warriors; nevertheless he knew he was being rightly guided. He depended not on the opinion of others but on the one divine Mind, God.
In the book of Proverbs (3:5), we read, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." This is sound and practical admonition. Christian Science shows how simple it is to have such trust. It requires scientific thinking expressed in pureness of heart and honesty of purpose. This is being about God's business, and His business is rich in blessings.
However, someone may be thinking, "I am not good enough to attain such trustfulness. I have made many mistakes in my past life." In substance Christian Science is saying to all mankind: "If you are honest in your desire to go forward spiritually, do not listen to that specious suggestion, which appears to come from the so-called mind of mortals or the evil one." The godliness and grandeur of Christian Science are made apparent by the fact that through its ministrations many have been lifted out of the lowest depths and set upon the rock of spiritual understanding.
As an example, I once knew a man who was a lawyer, a very smart lawyer, but one who was not overly particular concerning the ethics of his profession. He was addicted to drink and became a drunkard. He lost the respect of his fellow men. He descended lower and lower into the pit of debauchery.
One night a Christian Scientist, an old-time friend, found him in a pitiable condition. This friend took him to his home and, when the man became sober, read to him from Science and Health. He also arranged for him to have Christian Science treatment. In a short time the man was cured of the liquor habit, and gradually regained his self-respect and that of his former friends. He studied daily the Bible and Science and Health, and in due time became a member of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist. In a few years he was elected to the position of First Reader in that church. People came to him for Christian Science treatment. He became a much-loved man.
Someone asked him one day if he
ever thought of his past. He quietly replied: "I have no past. I never
lived until I found Christian Science; then I was really born, 'born of the
Spirit.' I understand my true
being to be spiritual."
Jesus pointed out to Nicodemus, that ruler of the Jews who came to him one night to inquire about his teachings, the necessity of being reborn of Spirit, — in other words, of emerging from a material to a spiritual sense of being. This is incumbent on each one of us. All must sooner or later attain to the realization of man's immortal status. To do so we do not have to die. The change called death is not the gateway to eternal life. Death is an illusion of the material senses. Christian Science teaches that all that ever dies is a false sense of life. Man's true individuality is deathless. The provable truth about each one in this audience is that man in Science is the reflection of the one infinite Mind. Because his individuality is God's likeness he is not subject to the so-called laws of matter or to any dictum of so-called mortal mind. He is now and forever under the government and protection of the one God, divine Mind; and infinite Life is the origin and the ultimate of his being.
Then why not begin now to attain to the understanding of man's true individuality? Consider the advantages of such attainment. On page 317 of Science and Health we find this statement, "The understanding of his spiritual individuality makes man more real, more formidable in truth, and enables him to conquer sin, disease, and death."
Jesus understood his spiritual individuality so well that he was able to say with conviction, "What things soever he [the Father] doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." We are all, in truth, the sons of God. This becomes increasingly apparent as the individual human consciousness rises higher toward the divine, and is kept in relation to it. There should never be a moment of doubt concerning the glorious truth stated in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 183), "Whatever is possible to God, is possible to man as God's reflection."
The word reflection as used in
Christian Science is very meaningful, and should be better understood. When you
stand before a mirror you know that what you see reflected there is the exact
image of yourself. The image has no corporeality, and yet you know that the
reflection will do exactly as you do while you are before the mirror.
By looking into the mirror of Christian Science we are privileged to see ourselves and others as God sees us, as reflections of Himself. Humanly speaking, we ourselves, however, must become transparencies for God. We can do so through purification of thought and rising above false mental concepts. Do you not see that, in admonishing his hearers, "Be ye . . . perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48), Jesus evidently meant that they should rise above the mortal sense of persons and things and gain the understanding of man's true individuality as God's reflection? And today we find in Christian Science that just to the extent that we are doing this, are we able to heal the sick and the sinning.
When Jesus sent out his twelve disciples, and later the seventy, to preach his gospel, he also directed them to demonstrate its power by healing the sick. Spiritual healing, he indicated, is an essential part of the religion he taught.
Although Jesus healed bodily ills, he also taught that the body should be given as little thought as possible. In line with this, Mrs. Eddy's statement in Science and Health (p. 383) is pertinent, "The Christian Scientist takes the best care of his body when he leaves it most out of his thought, and, like the Apostle Paul, is 'willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.'"
This should make it clear to you that all wrong bodily conditions are primarily mental. Sick and diseased bodies are evolved from sickly and sinful thoughts. The Christian Science practitioner does not heal physical ailments by treating a physical body. He knows that man's true being is spiritual, that corporeality is a false concept of so-called mortal mind, and that therefore disease is a mortal dream out of which, through Christianly scientific mental work, he must rouse the patient. Be assured that there is nothing mysterious about Christian Science healing. If you will only grasp the truth that God knows no disease, no evil, no corporeality, and therefore man, God's reflection, cannot know them, you may soon learn to claim your dominion over these errors of belief, and so keep happy and free.
Doubtless you will see, from what has so far been said, that the mere letter of Christian Science without the spirit of its teaching is of little avail. Repeating words, or quoting from this book, Science and Health, or from the Bible, without the necessary meekness, compassion, spiritual love, and purity of thought, can have little salutary effect. Christian Science shows that the way to imbibe the spirit of Christian Science is through prayer.
"The prayer of faith shall save the sick," declares the Apostle James. Christian Science healing is accomplished through the prayer of faith — not blind faith, for such faith is without intelligence, but absolute faith. Faith is absolute when it expands into spiritual understanding. Then it becomes the ruling factor in demonstrating God's healing power. For example, if you should witness the correct working out of a complex mathematical problem, you would have faith that it can be done. But your faith must grow into understanding if you, yourself, would work out the answer. So it is with all demonstrations in Christian Science.
Asking God to look down on us as mere mortals, and bless and heal us, is not true prayer, for God does not look down on mortals. We should rid ourselves of mortal beliefs and look up to Him — elevate thought to spiritual heights. Then we find that God is always blessing us, giving us without measure His good and perfect gifts. One's need is to understand God and accept His spiritual bounty, which is the only true substance. It is in this way that human needs are met in Christian Science.
The petitions which reach the throne of grace are those which indicate a desire for more spiritual understanding, to be more loving, more compassionate, more kind, more selfless, more humble; the desire to live so that we may bring happiness and comfort to as many as possible. Words are not essential in such desire. Christian Science teaches us that we should recognize and be grateful for the blessings we have already received, and that by doing so we become better qualified to demonstrate God's law of illimitable goodness and love.
Gratitude has cleared the way for many a sufferer to be healed. Gratitude defeats the purpose of mortal mind to make one say, I am sick, I am sorrowful, I am unhappy, I am poor, I am worried, I am friendless, I am lonely. Gratitude takes thought away from self, and leads to the discernment of God as the only I AM, the All-in-all, the ever-loving Father-Mother, each one of whose children is eternally embraced in the divine allness.
The understanding of this simple truth enhances one's desire to express more love, more of the spirit of Christ. The thought of the earnest Christian Scientist goes out in love to all that God creates, for he knows that everything in God's universe reflects the all-loving, divine nature. In so far as his spiritual understanding permits, he demonstrates daily the presence and power of divine Love, knowing that this Love and nothing else is Life.
Let me tell you about a demonstration made by such knowing. A lady with whom I was well acquainted, while shopping one day, was suddenly seized with a heart attack, and fell to the floor. Just at that moment two other ladies who were Christian Scientists came in. They were friends of this woman. They had her taken to their car and driven to her home. When they laid her on the bed they were somewhat frightened because there appeared to be no evidence of life. The lips were colorless and there was neither pulse beat nor heart beat.
One of the ladles called a Christian Science practitioner and explained in a few words what had happened. Christian Science treatment was immediately given. The practitioner worked mentally to dissipate into the nothingness, which it is, the material sense testimony, and to see instead a reflection of divine Love, spiritual, perfect, untouched by mortal mind's belief in death, but always manifesting the Life which is God.
In less than an hour the woman revived. The following day she was attending to her daily duties.
In healing a palsied man, Jesus said to him, "Son, . . . thy sins be forgiven thee." He knew that the disease had been brought on by sinful thinking. As he indicated to his detractors, he could have healed the man just as readily by saying to him, "Arise, and walk." Probably the man was thoroughly repentant of the sins which had been the predisposing cause of the disease, and Jesus may have seen that fear, self-pity, rebelliousness, or perhaps resignation to the condition was keeping him bound. The confidence inspired by Jesus' great spirituality undoubtedly was sufficient to give the man the necessary faith to be healed.
Apparently with Jesus no spoken word nor mental argument was really needed. His thought was always so spiritualized that he could immediately uncover and bring about the self-destruction of the mental error in a patient. Christ Jesus saw the perfect man, God's spiritual idea, instead of a discordant mortal. This was his Christianly scientific method. However, every word and act of Jesus was for a definite and helpful purpose. He knew that sin is forgiven only as it is forsaken. His statement to the palsied man, therefore, was comforting and assuring. Christian Science makes it quite clear that to be free from sin's punishing effects sin must be entirely overcome — forsaken and destroyed. The destruction of sin constitutes its forgiveness.
The early Christian healers gave recognition to Christ Jesus in their work, and pointed out the necessity for doing so. "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," was the declaration of Peter in that age (Acts 4:12).
Today the true way of salvation can be fully understood only through the Science which both elucidates the spiritual meaning of all that Jesus taught and demonstrates its practicality and power. How necessary, then, to accord the Discoverer and Founder and Leader of Christian Science the love, gratitude, and reverence which are her due.
The beauty of Mrs. Eddy's character is evidenced in her poems, some of which teach inspiring lessons in humility, patience, and unwavering trust in God. Listen to this verse from her immortal poem entitled "Mother's Evening Prayer" (Poems, p. 4):
"O make me glad for every scalding tear,
For hope deterred, ingratitude, disdain!
Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear
No ill, — since God is good, and loss is gain."
Doubtless Mrs. Eddy shed many scalding tears in those early days of Christian Science; for deferred hope, ingratitude, and disdain were endured by her beyond human knowledge. But she was made glad through her ability to pray with deep humility her prayer of selfless love, namely, "God bless my enemies; make them Thy friends; give them to know the joy and the peace of love" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 220). For every hate directed at her she did indeed love more, for she kept her thought constantly attuned to divine Love's comforting messages. She feared no ill because she left all for Christ.
In the "sweet secret of the narrow way" of which she also speaks in that poem, Mrs. Eddy found happiness in seeking and finding precious gems of Truth with which to bless mankind, so that the world might be healed of its sorrow and pain, and that the nations might awaken to the truth, that the way, the only way, to real and lasting peace is through Christ's demonstrable Christianity.
More than ever before humanity is demanding that the world be made safe for peaceful living. People in high governmental positions could well heed Paul's practical and wise admonition to "put on the whole armour of God," for, said he, "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).
A mighty host of people today is keeping thus armed through daily study of the Bible and the writings of the God-inspired woman who discovered the Science of the all-conquering Christ. They know that Christ, God's idea, is the man child symbolically spoken of in the Bible (Revelation 12:5), which is destined, with divine Science, "to rule all nations with a rod of iron" — the compelling power of divine Love. We read further that the dragon, that is evil, was ready "to devour her child as soon as it was born" but that it was "caught up unto God, and to his throne" — forever under divine protection. No secret weapon of mortal mind, therefore, can prevent Christian Science from being increasingly understood and demonstrated in its godliness and grandeur; and so, with armor on, and as Paul said, with "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15), consecrated Christian Scientists continue to wage unremitting warfare against sin, sickness, and death, through their understanding of God's allness. This they do as they continue to press onward — ever onward, and upward.
[Delivered Dec. 8, 1946, at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana, under the auspices of Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist, Indianapolis, and published in The Marion County Mail of Indianapolis, Dec. 13, 1946.]