Article December 29, 1923 Issue

"The audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer"

MADGE BELL

There is sometimes a tendency to regard words which form part of what might be called the routine portion of a Christian Science church service in a merely formal way. For this reason it may be well to ask ourselves what such words as "the audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer" (Manual, p. 120) mean to us, since they form part of every Christian Science church service. Generally speaking, we take them to mean that this prayer shall be recited by the congregation in unison; but there is much more than that attached to such "audible repetition," if we would reap the desired benefit from our use of this prayer. We need to consider what its original and spiritual significance is to us, or what it should be. The definition of "ears," given on page 585 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, as "not organs of the so-called corporeal senses, but spiritual understanding," was recently studied in connection with the familiar words quoted above, and brought much enlightenment to the student.

Since we can repeat only what we have heard or learned, and as in Christian Science to hear is to understand spiritually, it was seen that the real repetition consisted of a statement of certain facts which Truth had unfolded through spiritual understanding. But the study leads us beyond this, for it shows us that our statements must be "audible"; that is, they must be such that those present can understand the truth which we are voicing. Thus, as an essential part of our church services, we have the privilege and opportunity of declaring our knowledge of the truth as it is embodied in the Lord's Prayer.

Mrs. Eddy says of this prayer that it "covers all human needs" (Science and Health, p. 16); she also says, on the same page, that "only as we rise above all material sensuousness and sin, can we reach the heaven-born aspiration and spiritual consciousness, which is indicated in the Lord's Prayer and which instantaneously heals the sick." Thus, this prayer acknowledges the fatherhood of God, man as the son of God, the present power of good to overcome and protect us from all evil and to meet all our daily needs, and divine Love's unchanging sovereignty and glory manifested here, now, and forever. It tells all mankind of one infinite divine Principle and of His law working throughout the universe; and if we have demonstrated, even in part, our knowledge of Truth, then it follows that our "audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer" will result in the healing of sin and sickness in ourselves and in those who come to our meetings for help.

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