Article October 6, 1917 Issue

The Explanatory Note

CECIL E. BENJAMIN

As the student of Christian Science becomes more receptive to Truth and awakens to the consciousness of the universe of right ideas, much in our revered Leader's writings which had perhaps seemed of little consequence before is found to contain that which is of great import and necessary to our cause. An instance of this kind, revealing a wise provision for the maintenance of "the dignity and defense of our Cause" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 148), recently opened out to the writer through a study of the explanatory note in the Quarterly. To him this note had previously seemed to contain little of consequence, apart from the recital for the benefit of visitors at our services of the fact that Christian Science preaching is impersonal, but now it became clear that in holding this view he had allowed a vital part of the service to pass unrecognized.

It has been repeatedly pointed out in the periodicals that the importance of the Lesson-Sermon can hardly be overestimated, and therefore that we cannot afford to overlook anything which could make for a clearer realization of its truth by all who study and hear it. St. John says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;" and Webster defines this "Word," or Logos, as "the expression or incarnation of the divine reason, especially as the mediator between God and man." Now we are aware that mortal mind through its various agencies would seek by means of specific silent suggestions, which sometimes manifest themselves in the form of drowsiness, coughing, and in other ways, to prevent the Lesson-Sermon, the divine Word, from being understood and thus performing its healing mission, and in our present state of consciousness we find that specific arguments of error must be specifically handled and obliterated.

On page 233 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, "The utterance of truth is designed to rebuke and destroy error," and a careful study of the second paragraph of the explanatory note shows that the Lesson-Sermon contains the truth which gives the rebuke and accomplishes destruction of error. It reads: "The canonical writings, together with the word of our textbook, corroborating and explaining the Bible texts in their spiritual import and application to all ages, past, present, and future—constitute a sermon undivorced from truth, uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized."

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