These words, which begin the poem "Christ and Christmas," written by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, accompany a picture showing a brilliant star, the light from which is penetrating dense, surrounding darkness. The title of the picture is "Star of Bethlehem."

The star of Bethlehem guided the watchful Wisemen to the manger of Jesus. They joyously realized that this child was the promised Messiah, who was divinely ordained to reveal the nature of God and of man's relationship to Him. Jesus later declared himself to be the Son of God, and he also knew that divine sonship is the true status of all men.

In the Glossary to "Christ and Christmas," Mrs. Eddy records the Scriptural texts which were the basis of the verses. The Scriptural text for the verse quoted above is, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" (Rev. 22:16). The morning star precedes the coming of day. The darkness of mortality was forever penetrated by the Christ, Truth, which Jesus embodied and proved so magnificently in his life, and by the healings which his understanding of God enabled him to bring about for others.

Jesus knew God to be the one perfect creator of man, who is His image and likeness, perfect, spiritual, eternal. Jesus proved over and over that this perfect selfhood, or identity, of each son of God can be seen and demonstrated here and now. The illusion of another kind of man, a mortal man subject to sin, disease, and death, is destined to be dispelled with the understanding and acceptance of man's present and eternal sonship with God. Jesus' demonstration of the Christ was indeed like a morning star, signaling the inevitable appearance of the day of the practical, provable spiritual understanding of God and man.

In Old Testament times a number of spiritually alert individuals—Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and others—had had glimpses of the Christ, the morning star, and had proved what the understanding of God and of man's relationship to Him can accomplish. Jesus brought the Christ into brilliant focus in his life and his teachings. However, in the following centuries, the revelation of the Christ gradually became dim, and mankind largely lost sight of the practical, healing application of the true concept of God in human experience. The final revelation of Christ's Christianity was to be restated in the teachings of Christian Science, symbolized by the daystar.

Peter wrote prophetically of this forthcoming daystar, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (II Pet. 1: 19).Mrs. Eddy, in the Message to The Mother Church for 1902, writes (pp.1, 2), "While Christian Science, engaging the attention of philosopher and sage, is circling the globe, only the earnest, honest investigator sees through the mist of mortal strife this daystar, and whither it guides."

Earnest, honest investigators, as they become better acquainted with the eternally available light of the Christ, Truth, are seeing the daystar of Christian Science dispelling the darkness of mortal thinking. At the Christmas season it is especially appropriate and important for the individual Christian Scientist to lift his mental gaze to the eternal light of the revealed Truth as symbolized by the star of Bethlehem, heralding the birth of Jesus; by the morning star, typifying the Christ; and by the daystar representing Christian Science. Materiality and the pressure of mortal events would so dim the light of the star at Christmastime that it seems almost lost in personality and mortality. But as one lifts his thought to the eternal quiet and wonder and peace of the recognition of the Christ, he himself is healed and comforted in this blessed season, and he helps to forward the glorious appearing of revealed Truth.

In a short article entitled "Christmas," Mrs. Eddy says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 320), "The star of Bethlehem is the star of Boston, high in the zenith of Truth's domain, that looketh down on the long night of human beliefs, to pierce the darkness and melt into dawn." And she continues on the next page, "The wise men follow this guiding star; the watchful shepherd chants his welcome over the cradle of a great truth, and saith, 'Unto us a child is born,' whose birth is less of a miracle than eighteen centuries ago; and 'his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace.'"