Article August 12, 1911 Issue

"THINGS NEW AND OLD."

JUDGE CLIFFORD P. SMITH.

At the end of a wonderful series of parables on the kingdom of heaven, the Master said, "Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." What did he mean? The kingdom of heaven is not a place in the universe set apart for the reception of the better class of people after death. Mrs. Eddy tells us that it is "a divine state of Mind;" that a man is in this condition of consciousness when "the divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness" (Science and Health, pp. 291, 536). The kingdom of heaven is within man because man is the expression of the infinite Mind whose individuality is divine good.

The so-called human mind is the belief in a kingdom of both good and evil; it is the belief in more than one Mind or source of thought; it is a divided consciousness. In Science such a condition of thought is impossible, since good only is real, as Mind or thought, and the seeming elements of evil in consciousness are unreal. The supposititious consciousness of both good and evil is, however, that which needs to be saved from its error. The unceasing action of the saving Principle, divine Love, has therefore revealed Christian Science to the human consciousness, unfolding to men the true concept of Mind and man and the mental practice by which salvation from the illusion of error has become possible. The student of Christian Science learns that God is the Mind of man and the only true Mind, and he endeavors to let this Mind supply his consciousness and exclude the belief in any other source of thought. Such a student is being instructed into the kingdom of heaven, and he has a treasure out of which he may bring forth things old and new.

Christian Science does not present itself merely as knowledge to be gained; rather is it the law of Life, to be understood and made one's invariable rule of thought. This involves both study and practice, and the latter is no less important than the former. Indeed Mrs. Eddy has said that "the Science of Mind-healing is best understood in practical demonstration" (Rudimental Divine Science, p. 6). It is therefore most important that the student become adept in the use of his newly gained spiritual knowledge, so that he may in all circumstances utilize the power of Truth against error and thus maintain a true consciousness. By so doing he will gain more and more of the kingdom of heaven for himself and for others. Did not Christ Jesus say, "If I with the finger of God out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you"?

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