"According to his eating"

LAURA BOWLBY MASSEY

One of the greatest blessings gained from the study of Christian Science is the light it throws on the Scriptures, a light which is much needed and greatly to be desired. The Bible is a sealed book to many because of the fact that to mortal sense its teachings and admonishments, when accepted literally, appear to be unsuited to modern living. This glorious book is therefore discarded as being of little aid in the working out of daily problems.

Christian Science teaches that there is a spiritual as well as a literal meaning to the Bible. This is found to be very true when one begins to study it with the understanding that spiritual discernment is a gift of God. Soon the joyous unfoldment begins, and one discovers many beautiful histories and parables which are most practical in their application to human experience, especially to progress in Christian Science.

In the book of Exodus, for instance, we have the history of the children of Israel in their journey out of Egypt and from bondage to Pharaoh. Viewed in the light of spiritual interpretation, it prefigures our journey out of the bondage of material sense. Through study of this narrative we can find the spiritual explanation of everyday occurrences. One reads, for example, of the hunger of the wanderers and of their being fed with manna which fell from heaven. In this demonstration Moses, through his vision of sustaining Truth, was able so completely to understand God's law in the meeting of human need that he could command the Israelites to "gather of it [the manna] every man according to his eating," with the result that "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack."

On page 33 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," referring to the Passover which Jesus ate with his disciples on the night before his crucifixion, Mrs. Eddy says: "His followers, sorrowful and silent, anticipating the hour of their Master's betrayal, partook of the heavenly manna, which of old had fed in the wilderness the persecuted followers of Truth. Their bread indeed came down from heaven. It was the great truth of spiritual being, healing the sick and casting out error."

Having learned from the foregoing explanation that "heavenly manna" is "the great truth of spiritual being," one can see why Moses bade his followers "gather of it every man according to his eating;" for only as one eats—assimilates and practices—this truth, does it sustain and govern him. And the extent of the gathering may be only what one is able to practice. When the doubting Israelites gathered more manna than they could use, they found that it decayed.

In the chapter of Science and Health called"Recapitulation," in answer to the question (p. 495), "How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science?" our Leader writes, "Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit." This shows that not only must we partake of and digest the letter, but we must gain its spirit. No amount of the letter will nourish the heart, unless it is lived and practiced, and thereby developed. "He that gathered little had no lack." A single sentence of Science and Health or of Mrs. Eddy's other writings, if understood and practiced, will result in spiritual growth.

Christ Jesus stressed the necessity of gaining spiritual understanding and of demonstrating it. In his actions toward the barren fig tree, as recorded by Matthew, Jesus gave an object lesson to his disciples, showing that the letter alone can never demonstrate eternal life and truth, but that the fruit, or demonstration, is necessary to merit the commendation of divine Love. Our revered Leader particularly stresses this thought in the following lines of wisdom (Science and Health, p. 323): "In order to apprehend more, we must put into practice what we already know. We must recollect that Truth is demonstrable when understood, and that good is not understood until demonstrated. If 'faithful over a few things,' we shall be made rulers over many; but the one unused talent decays and is lost."

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

The Second Commandment

June 8, 1929

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit