CHRISTMAS – 6

     Christian Scientists, on this anniversary of the nativity of our Master, we question thee. Has the light of divine Science gone before you a star in the heavens of Soul till it came and stood over where the young child was, to break the solemn night?  Was it a divine hope, springing exultant on triumphant wing, sovereign o’er sin, the victor over sickness yielding glad fruition, a sublime understanding whose upward tendency told you it was a child of heaven born not of the flesh, but of the Spirit clothed with white winged charity and on the door of heaven and face radiant with goodbye (God be with you)?  Mary Baker Eddy

(Carpenter, Gilbert, Essays On Christian Science, p.20)

CHRISTMAS – 5   

     Christian Science, casting out error and healing the sick, teaches that all things are possible to God. Do you believe this and how can you doubt it if you believe the Bible? Like the star of night the gentle presence of Truth comes to us in the darkness, when earth hath half-starved our angel appetites and we are an hungered; and it comes to cheer, to guide and bless — to point to heaven and lead the way.  Mary Baker Eddy

(Carpenter, Gilbert, Essays On Christian Science, p.20)

CHRISTMAS – 4

     Mary’s conception was the counterpart of God’s creation, of a scientific metaphysical creation, without a single material element, whereby to create, as when Spirit first said, “Let there be light and there was light” and “let us make man.” This great metaphysical fact by which we learn that Mind evolves all outline, form and color, that the universe and man are created spiritually, of the increase of His government there shall be no end. When unto us this child is born, the age lays it again in a manger, binds it in swaddling clothes, nurses it in obscurity and decrees its death, and yet we behold now, as of old, the power of Truth in meekness as in might.  Mary Baker Eddy

(Carpenter, Gilbert, Essays On Christian Science, p.19)

CHRISTMAS – 3   

     Almost nineteen centuries ago—Science, symbolized by a star, appeared to Zion’s watchmen in the night of that age, a period darkened by the reign of the debauched Herod, and it guided them to the birth of a more spiritual idea, even to the Virgin Mother’s spiritual thought, and true conception of man’s real being, which thought that wonderful Mother made palpable, presented to others, and to their belief it became flesh and dwelt among us in the form of a babe at first, — and according to their belief her spiritual conception of man brought forth a material man and was a miraculous conception (but it was not) and they called the babe Jesus. The prophet, however, gave this idea of Mary’s a more appropriate term — he called it, Wonderful, a Counsellor, a Prince of Peace.  Mary Baker Eddy

(Carpenter, Gilbert, Essays On Christian Science, p.19)

CHRISTMAS – 2

     The existence of Jesus was identical with Truth, and the Life that is God. He demonstrated Spirit free from matter, and the divine Soul, the substance of man, and body but its accompa­nying shadow, and this eternal substance never in its body or shadow. He knew that even as good and evil are opposites, so are the spiritual and material sense of things opposites.

        The material senses declare matter substance and Spirit shadow, while the spiritual sense of things reverses this statement, and finds the only permanent and eternal side of things, the thoughts that beget them.

        To understand this great fact in metaphysics, it is neces­sary to be born again; born of the Spirit and not of the flesh; and this was the birth referred to in those words of the prophet Isaiah, “For unto us a child is born and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful.”  Mary Baker Eddy

(Carpenter, Gilbert, Essays On Christian Science, p.14)

CHRISTMAS – 1

     And did not that wise seer forecast the destiny of Truth when he said, the government shall be upon its shoulder, it shall be a marvelous instructor, an omnipotent power, an imperishable Principle? But remember, the Hebrew bard in his grand epic re­ferred not to that little bunch of flesh, phosphate and linen lying in a crib — but to the advent of a spiritual idea, the idea of Life evolved from Spirit, man begotten of the Principle of all being; perfect Mind reflecting perfect Mind, and mind never start­ing from or resulting in matter; Soul not cribbing with beasts; Deity never blending with dust; Spirit untouched by evil passions and mortality. Retaining conscious spiritual existence and enti­ty, the mind of Jesus retained its native domain of mind instead of matter. Hence, the control Jesus exercised over material be­liefs, and the error called mortal man.  Mary Baker Eddy

(Carpenter, Gilbert, Essays On Christian Science, p.14)

PRINCIPLE OR PERSON?   

            Do Christian Scientists love God as much as they love mankind? Aye, that’s the question. Let us examine it for ourselves. Thinking of person implies that one is not thinking of Principle, and fifty telegrams per holiday signalize the thinking of person. Are the holidays blest by absorbing one’s time writing or reading congratulations?  I cannot watch and pray while reading telegrams; they only cloud the clear sky, and they give the appearance of personal worship which Christian Science annuls. Did the dear students know how much I love them, and how I need every hour wherein to express this love in labor for them, they would gladly give me the holidays for this work and not task themselves with mistaken means.  But God will reward their kind motives, and guide them every step of the way from human affection to spiritual understanding, from faith to achievement, from light to Love, from sense to Soul.  (Eddy, Mary Baker, The First Church of Christ, Scientist and Miscellany, p.233:28-14)

If God is the only power ( and He is); if God is the only presence (and He is); I am not met by another power and presence to pain, fetter, and befool me.   Mary Baker Eddy

(Oakes, Richard, Course In Divinity and General Collectanea, p.275)