First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Cañada Flintridge
Wednesday Meeting Readings
Section I
17faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8And there was great joy in that city.
9But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
12But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
28¶Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
57¶And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
24¶Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
22be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
5watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
by Mary Baker Eddy
12Rabbinical lore said: "He that taketh one doctrine,
firm in faith, has the Holy Ghost dwelling in him."
Doctrines
and faith This preaching receives a strong rebuke in
15the Scripture, "Faith without works is dead."
Faith, if it be mere belief, is as a pendulum swinging be‐
tween nothing and something, having no fixity. Faith,
18advanced to spiritual understanding, is the evidence gained
from Spirit, which rebukes sin of every kind and estab‐
lishes the claims of God.
Question. — How can I progress most rapidly in the
understanding of Christian Science?
27Answer. — Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe
the spirit. Adhere to the divine Principle of Chris‐
Rudiments
and growth tian Science and follow the behests of God,
30abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and
Love.
In Christian Science mere opinion is valueless. Proof
12is essential to a due estimate of this subject. Sneers at
Supported
by facts the application of the word Science to Chris‐
tianity cannot prevent that from being scien‐
15tific which is based on divine Principle, demonstrated ac‐
cording to a divine given rule, and subjected to proof.
Metaphysics is above physics, and
12matter does not enter into metaphysical prem‐
ises or conclusions. The categories of metaphysics rest
on one basis, the divine Mind. Metaphysics resolves
15things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense
for the ideas of Soul.
These ideas are perfectly real and tangible to spiritual
18consciousness, and they have this advantage over the ob‐
jects and thoughts of material sense, — they are good and
eternal.
21The testimony of the material senses is neither abso‐
lute nor divine. I therefore plant myself unreservedly
Biblical
foundations on the teachings of Jesus, of his apostles, of
24the prophets, and on the testimony of the
Science of Mind. Other foundations there are none.
All other systems — systems based wholly or partly on
27knowledge gained through the material senses — are reeds
shaken by the wind, not houses built on the rock.
The divine demand, "Be ye therefore perfect," is sci‐
254:1entific, and the human footsteps leading to perfection are
indispensable. Individuals are consistent who, watching
Patience
and final
perfection 3and praying, can "run, and not be weary; . . .
walk, and not faint," who gain good rapidly
and hold their position, or attain slowly and
6yield not to discouragement.
During the sensual ages, absolute Christian Science
may not be achieved prior to the change called death,
18for we have not the power to demonstrate what we do
not understand. But the human self must be evangel‐
ized. This task God demands us to accept lovingly
21to-day, and to abandon so fast as practical the material,
and to work out the spiritual which determines the out‐
ward and actual.
In order to apprehend more, we must put into prac‐
tice what we already know. We must recollect that
Need and
supply 15Truth is demonstrable when understood, and
that good is not understood until demonstrated.
If "faithful over a few things," we shall be made rulers
18over many; but the one unused talent decays and is lost.
A Christian Scientist and an opponent are like two
Two different
artists 30artists. One says: "I have spiritual ideals,
indestructible and glorious. When others see
them as I do, in their true light and loveliness, — and
360:1know that these ideals are real and eternal because drawn
from Truth, — they will find that nothing is lost, and all
3is won, by a right estimate of what is real."
The other artist replies: "You wrong my experience.
I have no mind-ideals except those which are both mental
6and material. It is true that materiality renders these
ideals imperfect and destructible; yet I would not ex‐
change mine for thine, for mine give me such personal
9pleasure, and they are not so shockingly transcendental.
They require less self-abnegation, and keep Soul well out
of sight. Moreover, I have no notion of losing my old
12doctrines or human opinions."
Dear reader, which mind-picture or externalized thought
shall be real to you, — the material or the spiritual?
Choose ye
to-day 15Both you cannot have. You are bringing out
your own ideal. This ideal is either temporal
or eternal. Either Spirit or matter is your model. If you
18try to have two models, then you practically have none.
Like a pendulum in a clock, you will be thrown back and
forth, striking the ribs of matter and swinging between the
21real and the unreal.
Although this volume contains the complete Science of
15Mind-healing, never believe that you can absorb the whole
Perusal and
practice meaning of the Science by a simple perusal
of this book. The book needs to be studied,
18and the demonstration of the rules of scientific healing
will plant you firmly on the spiritual groundwork of
Christian Science. This proof lifts you high above the
21perishing fossils of theories already antiquated, and en‐
ables you to grasp the spiritual facts of being hitherto
unattained and seemingly dim.
233:1 Every day makes its demands upon us for
higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power.
Profession
and proof 3These proofs consist solely in the destruction
of sin, sickness, and death by the power of
Spirit, as Jesus destroyed them. This is an element of
6progress, and progress is the law of God, whose law de‐
mands of us only what we can certainly fulfil.
In the midst of imperfection, perfection is seen and
9acknowledged only by degrees. The ages must slowly
Perfection
gained
slowly work up to perfection. How long it must be
before we arrive at the demonstration of scien‐
12tific being, no man knoweth, — not even "the
Son but the Father;" but the false claim of error con‐
tinues its delusions until the goal of goodness is assidu‐
15ously earned and won.
9If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striv‐
ing to enter in. He constantly turns away from ma‐
terial sense, and looks towards the imperishable things
12of Spirit. If honest, he will be in earnest from the
start, and gain a little each day in the right direction,
till at last he finishes his course with joy.
Hymn 273: "Partners of a glorious hope"
Hymn 246: "O Thou who spreadest the heaven like a tent"
Hymn 59: "Fight the good fight with all thy might"
