CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY LOVE DEMONSTRATES IMMORTALITY AUGUSTA E. STETSON, C. S. D. "The truth had been lived among men; but until they saw that it enabled their Master to triumph over the grave, his own disciples could not admit such an event to be possible" (Science and Health, page 24) . "Our Lord and Master presented himself to his dis- ciples after his resurrection from the grave, as the self- same Jesus whom they had loved before the tragedy on Calvary." "Nothing but a display of matter could make exist- ence real to Thomas. For him to believe in matter was no task, but for him to conceive of the substantial- ity of Spirit — to know that nothing can efface Mind and immortality, in which Spirit reigns — was more difficult" (Science and Health, pages 317, 318). "The power and prerogative of Truth are to destroy all disease and to raise the dead — even the self-same Lazarus. The spiritual body, the incorporeal idea, came with the ascension. "Jesus demonstrated the divine Principle of Chris- tian Science when he presented his material body ab- solved from death and the grave" (Miscellany, page 218). "He that overcometh [destroys the belief of intelli- gence and substance in matter] shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son" (Rev- elation 21 :7). "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (I. John 3:14). "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (I. John 2:28). Copyright, 1915, by AUGUSTA E. 8TET80N, O. S. D. LOVE DEMONSTRATES IMMORTALITY IN the Christian Science Sentinel of March 13th, ap- peared an article written by the Christian Science Publication Committee, of Rochester, N. Y., which was taken from the Rochester (New York) Times. The publication of this article is an endorsement by the edi- tors of the Christian Science periodicals. It seems incredible that any one with a knowledge of Mrs. Eddy's teaching could make the therein con- tained statements and receive the influence and support of the editors of the Christian Science Sentinel. To send this "stone" into the Field of Christian Scientists who are crying out for "bread" — spiritual un- derstanding — reminds us of the words of the Master in Matthew 7:9, "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" Christian Scientists throughout the world, together with thousands of truth seekers, are crying for bread, "the bread . . . which cometh down from heaven" — harmony — and God will feed them with spiritual substance — truth and love. We quote the following from the article above re- ferred to in the Christian Science Sentinel: "Moreover, as to the inferential assertion that Mrs. Eddy expected to remain on this plane of existence, it surely should be sufficient to settle once and for all the absurd charge that she believed her mortal body to be undying, to point out that she made a will." No real Christian Scientist would ever make a charge that Mrs. Eddy believed in the reality of a "mor- tal body," or that she believed she had a "mortal body." Mrs. Eddy taught the nothingness of a so-called mortal mind and its false phenomena and the allness of infinite, eternal Mind and its infinite spiritual ideas, as inde- structible as their Principle — God. She built on a "wholly spiritual foundation" (Miscellany, p. 357). Throughout Science and Health and her other writ- ings she declares that "man is not material; he is spir- itual." She denounces the false claim of a mortal mind and a mortal body, which are one, and says of evil or so- called mortal mind that "It is neither person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion of material sense" (Science and Health, p. 71). Mrs. Eddy under- stood her spiritual individuality to be her divine self- hood and denied all material phenomena as nothingness. This she taught her class students, and this scientific fact genuine Christian Scientists understand and strive to demonstrate. Through her writings she continues to teach that there is no fleshly mind to express itself in a belief or an illusion, since God and His idea is all. Demonstrators of unadulterated Christian Science regard themselves as having existed always as spiritual ideas, emanating from infinite Spirit. When sufficiently advanced to begin to build "on a wholly spiritual foundation" (Miscellany, p. 357), they become demonstrably conscious of their oneness with God as His ideas, members of the body of Christ, and never admit, as real or substantial, a so- called mortal thought and its manifestation or body. How could such a reversal of Mrs. Eddy's teachings ever have beai made and why should the Christian Science periodicals give space to such a statement? It is understood by all true Christian Scientists that Mrs. Eddy did not pass through the experience called death, as do they who believe in this false claim. She followed the teachings of the Master, and, like him, will finally, through the power of spiritual illumination, dis- pel the cloud of personal sense, as light dispels darkness, and will be revealed as impersonal idea to all who have not been "separated" from her spiritual leadership. "He [Christ] came unto his own, and his own received him not [did not perceive his spiritual sonship and guid- ance]. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that be- lieve on his name" (John 1 :11,12). Mrs. Eddy was, and is, God's messenger in this hour, as Jesus was in his age. That which was pos- sible for the masculine representative of God to demon- strate, is possible for, and will be demonstrated by the feminine representative of God — Mary Baker Eddy. What does resurrection signify? In Christian Sci- ence it implies spiritualization of thought, a gradual ris- ing, day by day, above material sense through demon- stration of truth and love — a higher spiritual realization of our sonship with God, where spiritual sense unfolds the spiritual facts of being, and reveals man as forever having existed in the eternal Mind, as God's idea. Christian Scientists obey Mrs. Eddy's injunction and, as fast as possible, divest thought of all belief of a mortal mind and a mortal body. They lose a material sense which objectifies itself in what is called a sinful, sick, and dying man and universe, and gain a spiritual consciousness, which dissolves the mist of belief, and a gradual cessation of sin and death follows. That any Christian Scientist could so reverse Mrs. Eddy's teaching as to make a "charge that she believed her mortal body to be undying," is unthinkable. No such charge would ever have been made by a Christian Scientist. Only the most materially minded would have so misapprehended Mrs. Eddy's teachings. From the beginning of the discovery of Christian Science, to the moment when she rose beyond the ma- terial vision of her followers, she declared, "God is my life." This spiritual consciousness was, is, and forever will be impersonal spiritual idea, and Christian Sci- entists understand that God and His ideas are (is) all, "Emmanuel, God [and His idea] with us." Mrs. Eddy tells us there is no "appearing, disap- pearing, and reappearing" of God's infinite ideas. Spir- itual understanding is revealing God's universe and the spiritual ideas (from the infinitesimal to the infinite) which compose the spiritual universe including man. This is the only verity of being. All who are able to read the "signs of the times" anticipate the reappearing of Christ and the disappearing of human concepts and their embodiments. The European war is an object les- son. The handwriting on the wall, which the twentieth century Daniels readily read, is the confirmation of Mrs. Eddy's words, "We do not blot out the material race of Adam, but leave all sin to God's fiat — self-extinc- tion, and to the final manifestation of the real spiritual man and universe" (Message for 1901, p. 5). Christian Scientist, how readest thou! Art thou looking through the lens of material sense and reversing the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, who declares that, "The facts of divine Science should be ad- mitted, — although the evidence as to these facts is not supported by evil, by matter, or by mate- rial sense, — because the evidence that God and man coexist is fully sustained hj spiritual sense. Man is, and forever has been, God's re- flection" (Science and Health, p. 471). Let every Christian Scientist awake in this resur- rection hour and resist any reversal of the spiritual teaching which Mrs. Eddy has established and which her faithful followers are demonstrating. The fact that Mrs. Eddy "made a will" proves that she knew the "hour" would approach when she would 8 rise, in spiritual unfoldment, as the Master rose, beyond the material vision of her people, and would continue her demonstration of spiritual progress, as Jesus, dur- ing and after his crucifixion, continued his proof of "do- minion" over the last enemy, so-called death. Mrs. Eddy knew that she must fulfil the law of Love and in the fulness of time prove her teaching that, "There is no such thing as mortality, nor are there properly any mortal beings, because being is immortal, like Deity, — or, rather, being and Deity are inseparable" {Science and Health, p. 554). Giod's ever-presence includes the ever-presence of His infinite ideas. Mrs. Eddy will be revealed as spir- itual idea to spiritual sense and will redeem her church, which will be unveiled to her spiritual sight, as the "structure of Truth and Love" — the Church Triumph- ant — which exists forever in Mind. Definition of "Church. The structure of Truth and Love ; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle" (Science and Health, p. 583). Her resurrection and revelation of the real and eternal will be also the resurrection of all who spirit- ually follow her and demonstrate her teaching that, "Life is real, and death is the illusion" (Science and Health, p. 428). Mrs. Eddy's will evidenced her spiritual perception that in her divine development, the transitory phenomena of the things of material sense, which hide spiritual phenomena, must be left by her. Therefore she "made a will," and reposed a solemn responsibility in those whom she left in charge of material organization. "There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard [Figurative definition of vineyard: 'a place for spiritual culture or labor; especially, the church*], and hedged it round about [Definition of hedge: 'To sur- round as for defense'*], and digged a wine- press in it [Definition of Wine, Inspiration; understanding,' S. & H., p. 598], and built a tower [Definition of tower: 'A place of se- curity; citadel], and [the householder] let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country : "And when the time of the fruit [harvest] drew near, he sent his servants to the husband- men, that they might receive the fruits of it. "And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned an- other. "Again, he sent other servants more than the first : and they did unto them likewise. "But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying. They will reverence my son. "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves. This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his in- heritance. "And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. * The Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary. 10 "When the lord therefore of the vineyard Cometh, what will he do unto those husband- men? "They say unto him, He will miserably de- stroy those wicked men, and will let out his vinej'^ard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. "Jesus saith unto them. Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone [spiritual idea] which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the comer: this is the Lord's do- ing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?" (Matt. 21 :33-42.) At the time Mrs. Eddy passed beyond the material vision of her followers, all who had progressed suffi- ciently in divine metaphysics to accept the spiritual fact of her teachings that "man is not material; he is spir- itual," continued to declare that God is ever-present and is manifest in the ideal man. Mrs. Eddy's divine self- hood, as God's idea, never died, but continues to reflect the everpresent divine Principle, Life and Love. From Science and Health, page 573, we quote the following : "Holy Writ sustains the fact in Science, that the heavens and earth to one human con- sciousness, that consciousness which God be- stows, are spiritual, while to another, the unil- lumined human mind, the vision is material." Mrs. Eddy having been inspired by God to write the above, she certainly had the "consciousness which God bestows," to perceive the one creation or body of 11 God — Christ — and herself a spiritual and immortal mem- ber of His Christ. The writer of the article also says : "Furthermore, no Christian Scientist with any knowledge of the metaphysical facts, and surely none who adheres to the teachings of Mrs. Eddy herself, believes or pretends to be- lieve in her resurrection on this planet," The definition of "planet" is "one of the opaque bodies of the solar system that revolves around the sun."* Christian Scientists repudiate opaque beliefs of life and intelligence in matter, the material states and stages of human sense. At the time that Mrs. Eddy rose beyond this plane of illusion she was not dwelling in material sense but in spiritual understanding of her oneness with eternal Life. Christian Scientists who adhere to the teachings of Mrs. Eddy know that there is no return to states and stages of material belief which have been destroyed. Mrs. Eddy says, "there is never a retrograde step, never a return to positions outgrown" (Science and Health, p. 74). Therefore no Christian Scientist "believes or pretends to believe'' that any one who has emerged from the belief in a so-called material man or material planet can return to it. It behooves the Christian Scientist to gain the spiritual sense of God, man, and the universe through which to behold the spiritual * The Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary. 12 individuality of their Leader and of the spiritual ideas which compose the spiritual and only universe. Re- ferring to the planetary system we quote Mrs. Eddy's words : "Material substances or mundane forma- tions, astronomical calculations, and all the par- aphernalia of speculative theories, based on the hypothesis of material law or life and intelli- gence resident in matter, will ultimately vanish, swallowed up in the infinite calculus of Spirit" (Science and Health, p. 209) . Resurrection from belief in a material man and ma- terial universe is expressed by Mrs. Eddy in the follow- ing words : "The admission to one's self that man is Grod's own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea. This conviction shuts the door on death, and opens it wide towards immortality" (Science and Health, p. 90). Let Christian Scientists admit and demonstrate this teaching of the resurrection. Mrs. Eddy says on page 508 of Science and Health: "The third stage in the order of Christian Science is an important one to the human thought, letting in the light of spiritual imder- standing. This period corresponds to the resur- rection, when Spirit is discerned to be the Life of all, and the deathless Life, or Mind, depend- ent on no material organization. Our Master reappeared to his students, — to their apprehen- sion he rose from the grave, — on the third day of his ascending thought, and so presented to them the certain sense of eternal Life." 13 And again, "The second appearing of Jesus is, un- questionably, the spiritual advent of the advancing idea of God" (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 70). The scientific ultimate of this God idea must be, will be, forever individual, incorporeal, and infinite, even the reflection, image, and likeness of the infinite God. "Another command of the Christ, his prime command, was that his followers should 'raise the dead.' He lifted his own body from the sepulchre. In him. Truth called the phys- ical man from the tomb to health, and the so- called dead forthwith emerged into a higher manifestation of Life" (Retrospection and In- trospection, p. 88). Jesus left this comforting promise to his followers, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; be- cause I go unto my Father" (John 14:12). Thus we learn that resurrection means a constant demonstration of a higher manifestation of Life. This resurrection, or raising (revealing) those who were sup- posed to have died ". . . implies such an elevation of the un- derstanding as will enable thought to appre- hend the living beauty of Love, its practicality, its divine energies, its health-giving and life- bestowing qualities, — ^yea, its power to demon- strate immortality. This end Jesus achieved, both by example and precept" (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 88). 14 This end Mrs. Eddy will also achieve, viz., a dem- onstration of immortality, as she and her faithful stu- dents fulfil the law of Love. " 'When Christ, who is our life, shall ap- pear [be manifested], then shall ye also appear [be manifested] with him in glory.' When spir- itual being is understood in all its perfection, continuity, and might, then shall man be found in God's image. The absolute meaning of the apostolic words is this: Then shall man be found, in His likeness, perfect as the Father, indestructible in Life, 'hid with Christ in God,' — with Truth in divine Love, where human sense hath not seen man" (Science and Health, p. 325). All Christian Scientists, who have a knowledge of metaphysical facts and adhere to the teachings of Mrs. Eddy, that man is immortal and that there is no mortal mind nor matter manifestation in the Mind of Christ, which they are determined to attain, scientifically know that Mrs. Eddy never died, and understand that the cloud, or material concept, which hides their Leader's divine individuality, identity, or spiritual presence will gradually dissolve and will reveal not only their beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, in the image and likeness of Love and Truth but all of God's ideas who people the spiritual universe. The only universe, the only people whom Christian Scientists admit as real are the spiritual and these will be revealed. Jesus spake truly when he said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away : but my words shall not pass away" 15 (Mark 13:31). He further said, "There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known" (Matt. 10: 26). Referring again to the statement that "no Chris- tian Scientist . . . believes or pretends to believe" in the reappearance of Mrs. Eddy "on this planet" in- dicates a gross ignorance of ever-present impersonal, spiritual ideas — the only reality — God and His uni- verse. Christian Scientists do not "pretend to know" they know, understand that spiritualization of thought will reveal every idea in the spiritual universe includ- ing their Leader, Mary Baker Eddy. Materialists cannot accept this scientific fact of ever present God and His ever-present ideas and the nothingness of all material phenomena. Of this condition of belief, that man is mortal, Mrs. Eddy says : "The so-called appearing, disappearing, and reappearing of ever-presence, in whom is no variableness or shadow of turning, is the false human sense of that light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not (Unity of Good, p. 63). This astounding uncovering of mortal belief, in which dull disciples have continued to remain, is ex- pressed by Mrs. Eddy in the following words, "Mortals are unacquainted with the reality of existence, because matter and mortality do not reflect the facts of Spirit" (Science and Health, p. 215). All who retain material sense doubt that any one can rise from the belief of life 16 in matter to the spiritual consciousness and demonstra- tion, which is their spiritual identity and which will re- veal the perfect Principle and perfect man as the only facts of existence. Paul said, "Of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question" (Acts 23 :6) . We quote from, Helps to the Study of the Bible, the following : "When, after our Lord's death, it became clear that the cardinal doctrine of the new Christian sect was His 'resurrection from the dead' the opposition of the Sadducees became more pronounced." "And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, "Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead" (Acts 4:1, 2). Mrs. Eddy says: "When Jesus spoke of reproducing his body, — knowing, as he did, that Mind was the build- er, — . . . they thought that he meant their material temple instead of his body. . . . This materialism lost sight of the true Jesus" (Science and Health, p. 314). Christian Scientists must beware, lest through mat- eralism they lose sight of the true Mary. "Jesus proved them wrong by his resurrection" (Science and Health, p. 314). Mary Baker Eddy will prove to be "wrong" all who reverse her teaching and who deny the possi- 17 bility of her demonstration of her ever-presence as spiritual, impersonal idea. Read the marginal notes on page 314, of Science and Health, "The bodily resurrection." Mrs. Eddy does not mean the resurrection of the body of mortal belief, which is nothingness, but the revelation of spiritual identity or man in God's image and likeness. Also note, "Opposition of materialists." The article in the Christian Science Sentinel also refers to page 74 of the Christian Science textbook, viz. ; "that one's 'return to a material condition, after having once left it, would be as impossible as would be the res- toration to its original condition of the acorn, already absorbed into a sprout which has risen above the soil.' " Mrs. Eddy was explaining the fallacy of the belief in spiritualism, whose promulgators believe in life in mat- ter, and God as the creator of mortality. Spiritualists teach the theory of the return of one who has passed through the transitional stage called death and inter- communion with those who remain on this plane of ma- terial belief. This is merely a belief of coming and going, appearing and disappearing of human concepts. Mrs. Eddy knew and taught that there was no reality in mortal mind or its externalized phenomena. She taught also that : ". . . progress is the law of God." "Truth destroys mortality, and brings to light immortaUty. Mortal belief (the material sense of life) and immortal Truth (the spiritual 18 sense) are the tares and the wheat, which are not united by progress, but separated." {Science and Health, p. 233 and p. 72). God is all and man is the manifestation of eternal Life. Understanding that man never started from a "material condition," how can one return to a "material condition"? Absolute Christian Science or a "wholly spiritual foundation" is all upon which we can safely build in these last days of the battle between Christ and the dragon — Truth and error. Mrs. Eddy started with the premise, "Principle and its idea is one, and this one is God, omnipotent, om- niscient, and omnipresent Being" (Science and Health, p. 465). Again in our textbook, page 258, she says, "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever develop- ing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis." Does the writer herein mentioned wish to emphasize and circulate the belief that Mrs. Eddy, the great Dis- coverer, Founder, Leader, and demonstrator of Christ's teaching up to a point of higher exaltation beyond the vision of her followers, was in a "material condition"? Whoever accepts and retains this material concept of spiritual facts will not be able, while in this belief, to demonstiate health, holiness, and immortality. The article reveals a wide gulf between the mate- rialists and those who discern the facts of scientific be- ing. The spiritual individuality of Mrs. Eddy, or of any one, will not be appreciable to the materially minded but "unto them that look for him [the manifestation of 19 Godj shall he [the spiritual idea] appear the second time without sin [the fleshly mind] unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:28). Spiritual sense reveals spiritual realities. Material sense objectifies its own illusions — sin, sickness, and death. Let us conclude with our Leader's assertion that she lives and moves among us awaiting recognition by" all who attain spiritual illumination: "My beloved Edward A. Kimball, whose clear, correct teaching of Christian Science has been and is an inspiration to the whole field, is here now as veritably as when he visited me a year ago. If we would awaken to this recogni- tion, we should see him here and realize that he never died ; thus demonstrating the fundamental truth of Christian Science" (Miscellany, p. 297). "If you or I should appear to die, we should not be dead." — Mary Baker Eddy (Science and Health, page 164). GAYIAMOUNT®" PAM PHLET BINDER -^- 1 Syracuse, N.Y. ^S; Stockton, ColiF. Cornell University Library arV15551 Love demonstrates immortality / 3 1924 031 321 783 olin.anx