"Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls; who when he found one pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it."

What is the pearl of great price to-day? Is it not the scientific Christianity that heals the sick and sinful beliefs of mortals through the spiritual understanding of God and man,—the Christianity which rejects all finite premises, and accepts the divine Mind as the only Cause and basis of every real effect? Surely every parable of Jesus indicates that on this basis alone can scientific Christianity be attained. He also declared and demonstrated that this pearl had within it all the elements of substantial wealth. The true, the real, the spiritual church may be said to embrace the ideas of infinite Mind in action, manifesting life, love, health, holiness, harmony,—divine beauty and sweetness. As human consciousness, through the invincible activity of scientific Christianity, recognizes even in a degree this divine energy, thought opens to the bountiful fruition of this Christ-awakened sense of church. Through the scientific demonstration of health and holiness, thought is ever ascending the mountain slope for higher gleams of deific light and Love. As this quickened and quickening thought begins to build in human consciousness a type of divine health and purity, so likewise it begins to build in this consciousness a type of the true church, whose members may represent in ever-advancing degree the mental healing of our great Master, who was the highest earthly type of the spiritual idea.

Recognizing at this hour the divine wisdom which has guided our Leader, we also recognize and gratefully accept her counsel that, in this day of its infancy among us, the Cause of Christian Science needs church edifices, wherein the healing gospel of Truth may be preached to the poor in spirit, — the meek and ready hearts of our fellowmen. Spiritual healing, church building, and church maintenance are inseparable links in the chain of scientific Christian work to-day, as our Leader has shown us, both by example and percept. It is therefore highly important for us to see that all these means of grace are of vital signigicance to us at the present stage of our spiritual growth, and that if we fail to take the steps which they demand we are likely to lose some valuable lessons without which our future progress will be uncertain and unsatisfactory. It is often observed that when a person opposes one of these means of progress he will ere long oppose all.

To be lukewarm in respect to one invariably leads the way to lukewarmness respecting all. The law of the unity of truth is often counterfeited in the so-called law of the unity of error. We, therefore, of this fold and faith go forth in the might and majesty of Truth to undertake, willingly and gladly, our Master's work in these varied avenues of activity.

To-day scientific thought beholds the crumbling walls of all forms of theology that are built on material foundations. The atomic theory of creation, including man, which Christian scholars and ministers have in recent years so largely and generally sanctioned, is apparently severing the lifearteries of religious thought and action, and for some it is robbing the Scriptures of their blessed light of truth and making them but the wordy history of tottering error. The bugle call of Christian Science bids us go forth, in the panoply of Love, to redeem needy humanity from perishing beliefs which are permeated with materialism and vain human philosophy. Fellow-workers in the vineyard of God, let us awake to the demands of the hour and march in the armor of that Truth that heals and saves, bearing each other's burdens, and showing to the world a light which it may safely and joyfully follow. This is the opportune time. Our work is as grand as it is great. Let us continue to remember that the truth of Christian Science which is at work to-day moulding and chiseling human character, is the grandest manifestation of being. It is the soil of hope, the root of true love, the cement of families, and the only safe and permanent bond of social and national union. It is the Rock of Ages, the pillar of progress, and the beacon light to high and holy activities of mind and heart. It calms the turbulent waters of human ambition, stills the tempest of revenge, arrests the hand of greed, stops the headlong cataract of material pomp, and spreads the mantle of loving charity over the sinful acts of the returning prodigal. It breaks the chains of oppression and sets the captive free. It fills and refills the empty hand of want, and adorns the splendor of wealth with the munificence of kindly and benevolent giving. It returns the wandering and wayward and lifts and relifts the sorrowing and heavy laden.

Whatever would dim this blessed light is the arch-enemy of the race, even though it come in the name of scholarship and science. Human learning may rock the earth to and fro, in the vain attempt to sully this healing and saving truth, yet in the years to come men will listen for its advancing tread, as it draws near to make all men free. In this light of scientific Christian faith we come to understand the Pauline declaration that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God," that every human fabric reared on the foundation of material belief and human philosophy is naught but darkness as compared with that wisdom whose basis is the one eternal divine Mind.

From this infinite Life-fountain only streams of living waters can flow into the heart of humanity. Love's dew drops, falling here and there on humble thought, refreshing the earth with gladsome cheer and hope give gleams of matchless beauty and glory. This divine understanding goes to the bed of pain and with the silent whisperings of Love's message it stills the turbulence of hate and fear and enthrones the harmony of gentleness and peace. It raises the fallen, comforts the broken-hearted, and dries the tears of grief. At the midnight watch it rekindles the ebbing embers of earthly light with the immortal sparks of divinity, and at the last it closes forever the open gate of death through the abounding presence and power of Life. The promise that the comforter should come to abide with us forever is fulfilled, the dawn of an eternal day is at hand.

What a treasure is ours, and the best of all is that its attainment is within the reach of all who are willing to follow the way which is pointed out by the spiritual sense of Scripture as revealed in our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."