Whenever the disciples gathered around Jesus to hear him speak, that place became a classroom. It is not in the least unusual that it was most often out of doors. Standing on a roof overlooking the Mosque of Abraham in Hebron, Palestine, the writer saw a small group of students gather near the Mosque. The teacher joined them, and they went together to a near-by hillside, seated themselves under some olive trees, and the teaching began. Such a scene was witnessed many times during a winter's stay in Palestine.

This is the first of a series of five articles on the Beatitudes, which are appearing monthly in the Sentinel.

When we consider the Beatitudes, initial portion of the great Sermon on the Mount, we seldom visualize completely the background of disciples, teacher, and occasion. In beginning this series of articles on the Beatitudes, let us pause for a moment and do this; let us feel that we are fellow students with the disciples of the great Teacher.

A babe was born in Bethlehem, heralded by angels, worshiped by Wisemen, protected from the wrath of Herod through an angel messenger. As he grew up in Nazareth, he learned the trade of his worthy foster father, and doubtless lived the life of an average boy of that time. Only once in the recorded story of his boyhood do we have a hint of the promise uttered at his birth, and this was on his first visit to Jerusalem. Luke's vivid account pictures him in the temple, listening to the doctors of the law and "asking them questions."

Another boy, John, later known as "the Baptist," was also growing to manhood, and we come upon him rather suddenly preaching the coming of the Christ with admirable vigor—truly, as he said, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness." He recognized Jesus at once, hailing him as "the Lamb of God." As if to verify John's word and reward his courage, came the voice of God Himself concerning the Messiah, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The public mission had begun.

As his dwelling place, Jesus chose Capernaum, a busy, thriving fishing center on the northern shores of Galilee. He chose his disciples, for the most part fishermen, to whom he addressed the stirring promise, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." He showed them the meaning of this promise by teaching, preaching, healing, as he went throughout all Galilee. His fame spread. Cases thought to be severe or incurable were brought to him and were healed.

Then "he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him." His words "fishers of men" had been fully illustrated. The disciples had seen the power of the Christ made manifest. But no longer were they to be merely observers. They were being trained to take part in this great work. "And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven."

"The poor in spirit"! There they were, typified in the multitudes before them, waiting to be healed, fed, comforted, reborn. Some in the throng were merely curious, some were skeptical, some would obviously resist any call to more spiritual living, though in deep need. But among them were the "poor in spirit" to whom Jesus referred—those who realized their need and were eagerly longing to receive what the Christ had to give, ready to give up whatever they possessed of material beliefs in exchange for his "yoke" of protection and leadership. How truly our Master called them blessed! He could have said, as we can say today,

The requirement of the first beatitude is reiterated in Jesus' vital conversation with the rich young man, recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

"Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" He was apparently very eager.

Jesus asked him if he knew the Commandments. With complete honesty, he replied that he had observed them all from his youth. "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

The young man was rich in the letter of the old covenant. His need was to balance the scale, to give up his dependence on the letter of the law, to cease reliance on material riches, to enrich the measure of his spiritual thinking, and give his entire thought to things of Spirit. This he was not ready to do, and he "went away grieved."

In contrast we see, as recorded in Luke, the publican of Jericho. Zacchæus may have had little to recommend him except his curiosity to see Jesus, and the crowd called him a "sinner." But he was immediately responsive to the Master's recognition of him. His hospitality was genuine, and he received the blessing; for he gave voluntarily that which the young man was unable to part with: "Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor." And he restored fourfold that which he had wrongfully taken. He realized his need and gave into the side of the balance which had before been empty. "This day is salvation come to this house," was Jesus' immediate response. The beatitude is illustrated in experience.

"Salvation," "treasure in heaven," "the kingdom of heaven"—what do these terms mean in actual experience?

A Christian Scientist was recently relating to another Scientist, her husband, the story of dear ones caught in enemy territory with apparently no means of escape and in great danger. They prayed very earnestly, as Jesus taught his disciples, and as we are taught to pray in Christian Science. In the morning the nineteenth verse of the seventy-seventh Psalm caught their attention: "Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known." They went immediately to the waterfront and found a vessel there, the presence of which had not been announced. It was as if passage had been booked for them and the way paid: they returned in safety to their home shores. As the wife ceased her recital of this joyous proof, the husband responded, with gratitude but no surprise, "That's the way things are in heaven."

In the Christian Science textbook,"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we read (p. 518), "The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another's good." The great message of the first beatitude embraces in the gospel of Love not only the multitude waiting then to be healed, but waiting hearts of every age who find heaven, the harmony of being, here and now.