First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Cañada Flintridge, California
Wednesday Meeting Readings
- Prov. 1:7
7¶ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
- Matt. 6:19, 20, 33
19¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Matt. 7:12 (to :), 15, 16 (to .), 24, 25
12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:
15¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits.
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.
- Gen. 3:1-5
1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
- II Sam. 16:15, 23
15¶ And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
- II Sam. 17:1, 2, 7, 15, 16, 23 (to 8th ,)
1Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
2And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
... 7And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
15¶ Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.
16Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
23¶ And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died,
- Job 2:3, 7-10 (to 2nd ?), 11 (to ;), 11-13 for
3And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
7¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9¶ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?
11¶ Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; ... for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
- Job 4:1, 3-9
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
... 3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
5But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
9By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
- Job 8:1, 4-7, 11-13, 20
1Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
... 4If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
5If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
... 11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:
... 20Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:
- Job 16:1, 2
1Then Job answered and said,
2I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
- Job 19:25, 26
25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
- I Kings 12:3 2nd And, 4, 6-10 (to 6th ,), 11 now, 16 (to ?), 19
And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
4Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
6¶ And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
9And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
10And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them,
... now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
16¶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David?
... 19So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
- Prov. 8:14
14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
by Mary Baker Eddy
- SH 447:2-5
- SH 92:11-16
In old Scriptural pictures we see a serpent coiled around 12the tree of knowledge and speaking to Adam and Eve. Knowledge of good and evilThis represents the serpent in the act of commending to our first parents the knowl-15edge of good and evil, a knowledge gained from matter, or evil, instead of from Spirit.
- SH 424:12
In medical practice objections would be raised if one doctor should administer a drug to counteract the work-Opposing mentalitying of a remedy prescribed by another doctor. 15It is equally important in metaphysical prac-tice that the minds which surround your patient should not act against your influence by continually expressing 18such opinions as may alarm or discourage, — either by giving antagonistic advice or through unspoken thoughts resting on your patient. While it is certain that the 21divine Mind can remove any obstacle, still you need the ear of your auditor. It is not more difficult to make your-self heard mentally while others are thinking about your 24patients or conversing with them, if you understand Christian Science — the oneness and the allness of divine Love; but it is well to be alone with God and the sick 27when treating disease.
- SH 149:17
A physician of the old school remarked with great 18gravity: “We know that mind affects the body some-Old-school physicianwhat, and advise our patients to be hopeful and cheerful and to take as little medicine as 21possible; but mind can never cure organic difficulties.” The logic is lame, and facts contradict it. The author has cured what is termed organic disease as readily as she 24has cured purely functional disease, and with no power but the divine Mind.
- SH 394:5
By conceding power to discord, a large majority of 6doctors depress mental energy, which is the only real Recuperation mentalrecuperative power. Knowledge that we can accomplish the good we hope for, stimu-9lates the system to act in the direction which Mind points out. The admission that any bodily condition is beyond the control of Mind disarms man, prevents him from 12helping himself, and enthrones matter through error. To those struggling with sickness, such admissions are dis-couraging, — as much so as would be the advice to a man 15who is down in the world, that he should not try to rise above his difficulties.
- SH 443:1
When the discoverer of Christian Science is con-sulted by her followers as to the propriety, advan-3Study of medicinetage, and consistency of systematic medical study, she tries to show them that under ordi-nary circumstances a resort to faith in corporeal means 6tends to deter those, who make such a compromise, from entire confidence in omnipotent Mind as really possessing all power. While a course of medical study is at times 9severely condemned by some Scientists, she feels, as she always has felt, that all are privileged to work out their own salvation according to their light, and that our motto 12should be the Master’s counsel, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
- SH 25:13-16, 22-31
Jesus taught the way of Life by demonstration, that we may understand how this divine Principle heals 15Effective triumphthe sick, casts out error, and triumphs over death.
Though demonstrating his control over sin and disease, the great Teacher by no means relieved others from giving 24the requisite proofs of their own piety. He worked for their guidance, that they might demonstrate this power as he did and understand its divine Principle. Implicit faith 27in the Teacher and all the emotional love we can bestow on him, will never alone make us imitators of him. We must go and do likewise, else we are not improving the 30great blessings which our Master worked and suffered to bestow upon us.
- SH 168:6-8
- SH 402:20-28
We say that one human mind can influence another and 21in this way affect the body, but we rarely remember that The evil of mesmerismwe govern our own bodies. The error, mes-merism — or hypnotism, to use the recent term 24— illustrates the fact just stated. The operator would make his subjects believe that they cannot act voluntarily and handle themselves as they should do. If they yield 27to this influence, it is because their belief is not better instructed by spiritual understanding.
- SH 455:28
This strong point in Christian Science is not to be overlooked, — that the same fountain cannot send forth 30Integrity assuredboth sweet waters and bitter. The higher your attainment in the Science of mental healing and teaching, the more impossible it will be-456456:1come for you intentionally to influence mankind adverse to its highest hope and achievement.
- SH 266:20
- SH 320:24-3
The one important interpretation of Scripture is the spiritual. For example, the text, “In my flesh shall I Job, on the resurrection see God,” gives a profound idea of the di-27vine power to heal the ills of the flesh, and encourages mortals to hope in Him who healeth all our diseases; whereas this passage is continually quoted 30as if Job intended to declare that even if disease and worms destroyed his body, yet in the latter days he should stand in celestial perfection before Elohim, still clad 321 321:1in material flesh, — an interpretation which is just the op-posite of the true, as may be seen by studying the book 3of Job.
- SH 3:27-5
If we are ungrateful for Life, Truth, and Love, and yet return thanks to God for all blessings, we are in-sincere and incur the sharp censure our Master pro-30nounces on hypocrites. In such a case, the only acceptable prayer is to put the finger on the lips and remember our blessings. While the heart is far from 4 4:1divine Truth and Love, we cannot conceal the ingrati-tude of barren lives.
3 What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, Efficacious petitionslove, and good deeds.
- SH 262:17-23
Job said: “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the 18ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee.” Mortals will echo The true senseJob’s thought, when the supposed pain and pleasure of matter cease to predominate. They 21will then drop the false estimate of life and happiness, of joy and sorrow, and attain the bliss of loving unselfishly, working patiently, and conquering all that is unlike God.
Hymn 457: “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning"
Hymn 85: “God of Truth, eternal good, Lift our hearts to revelation"
Hymn 216: “O he who trusts in God's protection”
