Easter

Editor

This year, according to the accepted computation, Easter Sunday occurs on the fifteenth of this month, and it will be so observed.

So far as the mere material observance of Easter is concerned, Christian Scientists attach no importance to it.

As a commemoration, however, of the great fact of Jesus' resurrection, in its historical aspect, they hold the occasion in high esteem.

Whatever tends to draw mankind's attention to the Resurrection in its spiritual intent has the deep and profound reverence of Christian Scientists. As we have lately said, Christian Scientists regard the resurrection of Jesus as a foreshadowing of the resurrection of all mankind from the tomb of human discord, woe, sorrow, sin, sickness, and death. Mortals who, to their own sense, live apart from God are thus entombed, even though they know it not. To live apart from God, in the Scientific sense, means much more than in the ordinary sense. To be apart from God because of a conscious desire to commit the grosser forms of sin, is one thing. To be apart from God because we erroneously believe that there is or can be life, intelligence, good, or reality separate from Him, is another thing, though each shuts us away from spiritual perception, and, in its respective degree, prevents our receiving and enjoying the privileges, joys, and benefits accruing from a right apprehension of Him.

It is this view Spirit and matter that differentiates the teaching of the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy from popular religious teaching and preaching. The text-book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" declares that God is Spirit, that Spirit is all-powerful, all-present, and all-wise. This declaration is based on the biblical teaching of God's allness as a Being of Spirit, not of matter; and surely such a doctrine is soundly premised.

If God is Spirit, as such He is, and must be, spiritually manifested. He cannot show forth that which He is not. Science and Health repeatedly says that Spirit cannot create its opposite, matter; and if matter were life, substance, and intelligence in and of itself, or separate from God—Spirit—it certainly would be God's—Spirit's—opposite.

The true resurrection, then, is the rising above the false conception of matter, with all its laws and trammels, into a correct conception of Spirit and Spirit's law; for the former leads to sin, sickness, and death, while the latter leads to health, peace, and Life.

Did not Jesus' resurrection prove this? He overcame matter, and thereby proved its powerlessness and unreality, when he burst asunder the apparently solid and substantial encasements of his sepulchre, freed his body therefrom, and went whithersoever he pleased. He overcame matter in refusing to permit his would-be murderers to destroy his life. In his many re-appearances to his disciples he overcame the laws of matter and demonstrated beyond question their inability to control him. He finally overcame the sum-total of matter's claims in his ascension.

If it be true, then, that his resurrection prefigures the resurrection of those who follow him, what a mighty lesson is there before us all.

Well may we deeply ponder this lesson, not only during Eastertide, but at all times.

If we more earnestly than ever study the deep meaning of the teaching of our text-book on the subject of the resurrection, and the Bible teachings from this higher standpoint, our Eastertide will not have come to us in vain.

"In the sacred sanctuary of Truth are voices of solemn import, but we heed them not. It is only when the supposed pleasures and pains of sense pass away in our lives, that we find unquestionable signs of the burial of error and the resurrection to spiritual Life" (Science and Health, p. 128).

May we listen to and heed these voices of solemn import, and so break the trammels of our sepulchre, roll away the stone, and come forth from the trammels of sin and death unto the understanding of Life eternal.

Thus may we celebrate our Easter.

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