Article October 29, 1932 Issue

Seedtime and Harvest Continue

FRED YOULD

CHRIST JESUS met and mastered every form of evil and limitation. Notably was this fact made apparent in his proving lack to be unreal, and spiritual supply to be an ever continuing manifestation of divine Mind, unrestricted in quantity. Early in his earthly ministry, it is recorded, the Master "fasted forty days and forty nights," and "was afterward an hungred." Freedom from fleshly beliefs, such as fear, lack, hatred, sin, resentment, and ingratitude was indigenous to his mentality. Nevertheless, an exalted state of consciousness such as his was not immune from the temptations of evil, though it proved impervious to them. It is recorded that the "devil," error, tempted Jesus on this wise: "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Instantly Jesus rejected the subtle suggestion that man's sonship with God needed to be verified in such a material manner. His rejection took form in a statement which he quoted from the Scriptures: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The stones which Satan would have Jesus change into bread may metaphorically represent the erroneous belief that supply is material in origin, and that man's tangible assets are found only in worldly things and possessions. Such arguments of error Jesus promptly rejected, ever mindful that Love, acting through spiritual law, continually furnishes everything really needful to human existence, such as health, happiness, and harmony.

The student of Christian Science finds inspiration in the fact that Mary Baker Eddy's teachings harmonize perfectly with the teachings of the Way-shower. She unfailingly points to God as the exhaustless source of all good. On page 96 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is a statement by Mrs. Eddy which gives hope, comfort, and expectancy to those who unreservedly turn to God for aid in times of seeming mental and financial distress: "Love will finally mark the hour of harmony, and spiritualization will follow, for Love is Spirit. Before error is wholly destroyed, there will be interruptions of the general material routine. Earth will become dreary and desolate, but summer and winter, seedtime and harvest (though in changed forms), will continue unto the end,—until the final spiritualization of all things." These words may be as a spring of water to a disappointed and weary one in the mental desert, where worldly possessions have been found to be fleeting and unreliable.

As through spiritualization of thought the student of Christian Science learns to discern the spiritual origin and nature of real substance, the true sense of supply, health, and happiness naturally begins to be manifested. To him these desirable qualities are more clearly recognized as not the products of so-called matter, or the human mind, but as conditions of changeless divine good, or ideas emanating from di vine Mind. The "word" proceeding "out of the mouth of God" is seen in the thoughts or ideas of God continually passing from Mind to man and meeting abundantly mankind's every need. The question may arise, How do spiritual ideas, or God's thoughts, include an ability or power to meet human needs? The answer is simple: God's ideas, pure and perfect, reflected in individual consciousness, admit of no element of evil as having presence, power, or law. No sense of discord, limitation, or restriction is apparent or actual to the mind filled with Truth and Love. Realizing this the Psalmist sang, "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!"

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