A Christian Science lecture has one main objective, namely, to enhance the hearers' knowledge of God and of man in His image and likeness. As this knowledge is acquired and demonstrated, it purifies and uplifts human consciousness. A much-loved hymn expresses this very clearly (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 195):

Conversely, it is what we do not know of God which causes discord and distrust among individuals and nations. A Christian Science lecture provides opportunity to banish this ignorance and to gain the knowledge which embraces all knowledge—the spiritual knowledge of God and of man in His image and likeness.

The church or society which sponsors a Christian Science lecture is obedient to the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy, which states in Article XXXII, Section 4, "The Mother Church and the branch churches shall call on the Board of Lectureship annually for one or more lectures," and in the same Article, Section 3, "If called for, a member of the Board may lecture for a Society."

In inviting the public to attend a Christian Science lecture, the host, be it church or society, extends Christ Jesus' invitation to his disciples on his third appearance after the resurrection, "Come and dine." An inspiring picture of this morning meal on the shore of the Sea of Galilee is painted in the last chapter of John's Gospel. The disciples were hungry. Their night's fishing had been unsuccessful. It was followed, however, by strenuous efforts to land a catch from nets richly filled as the result of obedience to the Master's command to lower their nets on the right side of the ship.

Having met their physical hunger with a meal of fish and bread, Christ Jesus provided a spiritual feast, the substance of which is as vital to humanity today as it was then. All of us must face the question, "Lovest thou me?" which the Master put to Simon Peter. And when we can honestly reply in the affirmative, we shall go forth rejoicing to obey the Christly command, "Feed my sheep." Today Christian Scientists in many parts of the world lovingly, understandingly, follow the master Christian's example by inviting their fellow men to "come and dine," to partake of a spiritual feast at a Christian Science lecture.

Those who attend a lecture come prepared, in a greater or lesser degree, to benefit by the spiritual feast. Some may know little or nothing about Christian Science; others may be students of long standing. But each one, as he listens, will find his knowledge of God enlarged, deepened, broadened, and strengthened. Something more of God's plan for man will be glimpsed, something more of His all-inclusive love revealed.

A Christian Science lecture does not introduce mere human opinions or man-made theories. On the contrary, it proclaims the spiritual facts of being, which can be and are being proved daily in the lives of those who study and practice Christian Science. The lecture brings clearly into view the glorious status of man in God's image, upright, loving, pure, and perfect. This perfect nature of the real and only man, revealed in the first chapter of Genesis, was irrefutably demonstrated some two thousand years ago by Christ Jesus; hence the import of his command (Matt. 5:48), "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Christian Science does not teach that a sinful, diseased mortal is to be made perfect. The human, erring mortal cannot become perfect, for he is a counterfeit from the beginning, a mere shadow, without substance or reality. Only one man truly exists, the man created by the eternal Father-Mother God, complete and perfect. By giving us a spiritual understanding of man's perfection, Christian Science enables us to lay off imperfection and mortality, that our spiritual and perfect selfhood in God may appear. A Christian Science lecture aids mortals to lift their thought to perceive the spiritual realities of being, to claim their genuine, eternal birthright of health, freedom, and dominion, to see so clearly man's oneness with the one Mind that disease is proved to be no thing, nothing, and unlovely traits of character fall away.

The healing truths that are stated in a Christian Science lecture go forth endued with the love, power, and intelligence of our universal Father-Mother God. Therefore, the inevitable result is that healings follow a lecture. The full extent of this healing work will never be known. The healings may appear to be physical, but in reality they are a manifestation of a change within the human consciousness. How inspiring it is to know that anyone who listens attentively, with a receptive thought, will find that his consciousness has been illumined by a ray of spiritual light, dispelling some of the darkness of ignorance, doubt, and fear. Frequently during a Christian Science lecture some Biblical text, or some quotation from Mrs. Eddy's writings, assumes an entirely new and spiritual meaning, which so fills the human consciousness as to bring about a change in thought that results in a greatly improved physical condition.

Some years ago a man hobbled into the hall where a Christian Science lecture was to be given, and with the help of an alert, loving usher made his way down to a front seat. Then he carefully laid his crutches on the floor and listened most earnestly to every word of the lecture. Afterwards he rose unassisted and walked quietly out of the hall. Rejoicing in his newfound freedom, he had forgotten his crutches. During the lecture he realized clearly that God, Mind, is the source of all true action, health, and strength. He saw that as God's reflection, man has dominion, and that his actions are unhampered by matter and its false laws of discord and disease. This realization, in some degree, of his perfect, spiritual selfhood in God, healed him then and there.

So the Christ-invitation, "Come and dine," extended by the Christian Science churches and societies goes out to people in many lands; and through the lectures human consciousness is awakened to a deeper knowledge of God and of man in His image and likeness. Men are shown how to utilize this knowledge so that they may free themselves and others from sin, disease, and all fear. Thus Truth brings to light God's perfect, spiritual creation, and God is thus glorified.