In an Address at the National Convention in Chicago held June 13, 1888 Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “The National Christian Scientists Association has brought us together to minister and to be ministered unto; mutually to aid one another in finding ways and means for helping the whole human family; to quicken and extend the interest already felt in a higher mode of medicine; to watch with eager joy the individual growth of Christian Scientists, and the progress of our common Cause.... We come to strengthen and perpetuate our organizations and institutions; and to find strength in union, - strength to build up, through God’s right hand, that pure and undefiled religion whose Science demonstrates God and the perfectibility of man. This purpose is immense, and it must begin with individual growth, a ‘consummation devoutly to be wished’ (Misc. 98).
So, the progress of our common Cause depends upon us today to minister and be ministered unto, to mutually aid each other and the whole human family, to build up, to grow, to strengthen. And Mrs. Eddy is clear that this begins with the individual - with you and with me.
Long ago there was another individual whose duties these were. And he fulfilled his duties triumphantly. This individual was the Master Christian, Christ Jesus. It’s profitable for us to learn all we can about his teachings and his actions. It’s profitable because through his life we learn how to be. We learn how to do. It’s beneficial for us to expand our spiritual sense to understand deeply what he taught his disciples.
In writing about Christ Jesus, Mrs. Eddy says, “Three years he went about doing good. He had for thirty years been preparing to heal and teach divinely; but his three-years mission was a marvel of glory: its chaplet, a grave to mortal sense dishonored - from which sprang a sublime and everlasting victory” (Misc. 163)!
It is noteworthy that from mortal sense dishonored, springs victory. Victory over what? Victory over matter. Christ Jesus’ victory didn’t spring from matter, but from his spiritual understanding of the nothingness of matter. Thus it’s fitting that the crown of thorns (materiality), which was placed upon his head to humiliate him, was, through great sacrifice and humility, exchanged for a crown of garland (spirituality).
It’s fitting for us, too, today, to exchange the crown of thorns that matter would place upon our heads. It’s fitting for us to exchange it for the crown of Spirit, God. From this exchange springs a sublime and everlasting victory - your victory - my victory - over matter.
Mrs. Eddy writes more about Christ Jesus when she says, “He healed and taught by the wayside, in humble homes: to arrant hypocrite and to dull disciples he explained the Word of God, which has since ripened into interpretation through Science” (Misc. 163). What is this interpretation? And what is the system by which this interpretation has ripened?
Mrs. Eddy answers when she writes, “By this system (Christian Science),.. man has a changed recognition of his relation to God. He is no longer obliged to sin, be sick, and die to reach heaven, but is required and empowered to conquer sin, sickness, and death; thus, as image and likeness, to reflect Him who destroys death and hell. By this reflection, man becomes the partaker of that Mind whence sprang the universe” (Misc. 235).
The interpretation is in the language of Spirit. It’s the spiritual interpretation of God and man’s relationship. And the system (Christian Science) is designed to awaken the disciple to God’s Word. It proves man is no longer obliged to sin, be sick, and die. It affirms that man is required and empowered to conquer sin, sickness, and death. Then because of this relationship you and I are obliged to sin, be sick, and die. But rather, we are required to conquer such illusions. And more, we are empowered to conquer them. We are empowered because we are God’s reflection - His image and likeness. And what are we when you do these things? We are the partaker of Mind - the very Mind whence springs the universe. We are the partaker of Spirit - the very Spirit whence springs creation. We are the partaker of God whom emanated the kingdom of heaven.
Thus our very being, our very existence springs from Spirit. And we wear the chaplet of spirituality as we overcome the fables of matter and exchange them for the facts of Spirit. In fulfilling this obligation, man is empowered to rise above matter. He is empowered not only to see his freedom but obtain it. And this man is you as God's image and likeness.
There’s a park that is home to hundreds of prairie dogs. This particular colony is isolated from commercial growth so the city leaders have allowed them to remain on a large portion of land. They live underground and create a series of unseen tunnels that infiltrate the whole area. They’re cute and they come up out of their holes to eat, play, and get some sunshine. But if there’s any sudden movement they dash back to their holes and tunnels for safety.
This colony remains isolated because of a brick wall that surrounds the land they live on. It goes underground for several feet. This way the prairie dogs won’t dig their way to freedom by extending their tunnels under the wall.
However, this wall only rises above ground about 1½ feet. So, picture if you will, a couple of acres of land, surrounded by a brick wall several feet deep and 1½ feet high, filled with burrowing rodents. Now picture these prairie dogs on the hind feet looking over the wall to freedom - but unable to free themselves! For you see, the only way a prairie dog knows how to set itself free is by digging in the ground, creating tunnels. They can see freedom, unlimited by walls, and unspotted by curious people, but they do not conceive of the idea of jumping or climbing the wall - even though their front feet are resting on top of it.
This presents a valuable and vivid lesson. It illustrates freedom is ever-present. It shows that no matter how deep the mortal thought-tunnels may dive, or how entrapped one may feel, freedom from matter and its concomitants is at hand when one thinks rightly. It points out that, with right thinking, liberty from materiality is not only accessible, but practical.
Christ Jesus, the beloved Master, knew this. He knew freedom is as close as one’s thought - because thought always determines experience. He knew that constraints in matter, no matter how they’re presented, can’t confine God’s idea, man. They can’t confine thought that is aligned with God. Christ Jesus taught, “The kingdom of God is at hand” (Matt. 3-2), and “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).
This you, where the kingdom of God is within, is your consciousness - your divine Mind. It’s this divine Mind that you reflect. It’s this divine Mind that guides you and leads you away from the clamor of materialism. And it does this because you are man - God’s highest idea - created in His perfection, right here, right now. Thus your salvation is at hand. Indeed ‘you are God’s beloved son, in whom He is well pleased.’
