First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Cañada Flintridge
Wednesday Meeting Readings
- Gen. 2:10, 13
10And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
... 13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
- II Chron. 32:27-30
27¶ And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;
28Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.
29Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.
30This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
- Prov. 31:10, 11, 13, 16, 19, 20, 24-28, 31
10¶ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
... 13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
... 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
... 19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
... 24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
... 31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
- Jer. 18:1-6
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
2Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
- Matt 22:15-22
15¶ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?
18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
22When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
- Matt. 12:9-13
9And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10¶ And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
- Luke 12:15-21
15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
- Act 8:14-25
14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
25And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
- Ps 37:3-8, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24
3Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
... 16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
... 18The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
... 21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
... 23The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
by Mary Baker Eddy
- SH 587:3-4
- SH 63:12-20
12 Civil law establishes very unfair differences between the rights of the two sexes. Christian Science furnishes no The rights of womanprecedent for such injustice, and civilization 15mitigates it in some measure. Still, it is a marvel why usage should accord woman less rights than does either Christian Science or civilization.
18 Our laws are not impartial, to say the least, in their discrimination as to the person, property, and parental Unfair discriminationclaims of the two sexes.
- SH 127:4
- SH 128:4
The term Science, properly understood, refers only to the laws of God and to His government of the universe, 6Practical Scienceinclusive of man. From this it follows that business men and cultured scholars have found that Christian Science enhances their endurance and 9mental powers, enlarges their perception of character, gives them acuteness and comprehensiveness and an ability to exceed their ordinary capacity. The human 12mind, imbued with this spiritual understanding, becomes more elastic, is capable of greater endurance, escapes somewhat from itself, and requires less repose. A knowl-15edge of the Science of being develops the latent abilities and possibilities of man. It extends the atmosphere of thought, giving mortals access to broader and higher 18realms. It raises the thinker into his native air of insight and perspicacity.
- SH 53:8
The reputation of Jesus was the very opposite of his 9character. Why? Because the divine Principle and Reputation and characterpractice of Jesus were misunderstood. He was at work in divine Science. His words 12and works were unknown to the world because above and contrary to the world’s religious sense. Mortals be-lieved in God as humanly mighty, rather than as divine, 15infinite Love.
- SH 51:19-8
His consummate example was for the salvation of us all, but only through doing the works which he did and 21Example for our salvationtaught others to do. His purpose in healing was not alone to restore health, but to demon-strate his divine Principle. He was inspired by God, by 24Truth and Love, in all that he said and did. The motives of his persecutors were pride, envy, cruelty, and vengeance, inflicted on the physical Jesus, but aimed at the divine Prin-27ciple, Love, which rebuked their sensuality.
Jesus was unselfish. His spirituality separated him from sensuousness, and caused the selfish materialist 30to hate him; but it was this spirituality which enabled Jesus to heal the sick, cast out evil, and raise the dead.
5252:1 From early boyhood he was about his “Father’s busi-ness.” His pursuits lay far apart from theirs. His mas-3Master’s businesster was Spirit; their master was matter. He served God; they served mammon. His affec-tions were pure; theirs were carnal. His senses drank in 6the spiritual evidence of health, holiness, and life; their senses testified oppositely, and absorbed the material evi-dence of sin, sickness, and death.
- SH 423:24-26
- SH 384:3-12
3 We should relieve our minds from the depressing thought that we have transgressed a material law and must of Corporeal penaltiesnecessity pay the penalty. Let us reassure 6ourselves with the law of Love. God never punishes man for doing right, for honest labor, or for deeds of kindness, though they expose him to fatigue, 9cold, heat, contagion. If man seems to incur the penalty through matter, this is but a belief of mortal mind, not an enactment of wisdom, and man has only to enter his 12protest against this belief in order to annul it.
- SH 387:4
3Who dares to say that actual Mind heals brain-diseaseMind can be overworked? When we reach 6our limits of mental endurance, we conclude that intellectual labor has been carried sufficiently far; but when we realize that immortal Mind is ever active, 9and that spiritual energies can neither wear out nor can so-called material law trespass upon God-given powers and resources, we are able to rest in Truth, refreshed by 12the assurances of immortality, opposed to mortality.
- SH 445:29-4
27Recalling Jeffer-30son’s words about slavery, “I tremble, when I remember that God is just,” the author trembles whenever she sees a man, for the petty consideration of money, 446 446:1teaching his slight knowledge of Mind-power, — per-haps communicating his own bad morals, and in this way 3dealing pitilessly with a community unprepared for self-defence.
- SH 449:7-11, 19-28
The wrong done another reacts most heavily against one’s self. Right adjusts the balance sooner or later. 9Right adjusts the balanceThink it “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” than for you to benefit yourself by injuring others.
The baneful effect of evil associates is less seen than felt. The inoculation of evil human thoughts ought to 21Inoculation of thoughtbe understood and guarded against. The first impression, made on a mind which is attracted or repelled according to personal merit or de-24merit, is a good detective of individual character. Cer-tain minds meet only to separate through simultaneous repulsion. They are enemies without the preliminary 27offence. The impure are at peace with the impure. Only virtue is a rebuke to vice.
- SH 450:1-11, 12-19
450:1 There is a large class of thinkers whose bigotry and conceit twist every fact to suit themselves. Their creed 3Three classes of neophytesteaches belief in a mysterious, supernatural God, and in a natural, all-powerful devil. An -other class, still more unfortunate, are so depraved that 6they appear to be innocent. They utter a falsehood, while looking you blandly in the face, and they never fail to stab their benefactor in the back. A third class 9of thinkers build with solid masonry. They are sincere, generous, noble, and are therefore open to the approach and recognition of Truth. ... They do not incline long-ingly to error, whine over the demands of Truth, nor play the traitor for place and power.
15 Some people yield slowly to the touch of Truth. Few yield without a struggle, and many are reluctant to ac-Touchstone of Scienceknowledge that they have yielded; but un-18less this admission is made, evil will boast itself above good.
- SH 19:29
Jesus urged the commandment, “Thou shalt have no 30Jesus’ sinless careerother gods before me,” which may be ren-dered: Thou shalt have no belief of Life as mortal; thou shalt not know evil, for there is one Life, — 20 20:1even God, good. He rendered “unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are 3God’s.” He at last paid no homage to forms of doctrine or to theories of man, but acted and spake as he was moved, not by spirits but by Spirit.
From the Christian Science Hymnal
Hymn 51: “Eternal Mind the Potter is, And thought th' eternal clay”
Hymn 247: “. . . Wait on the everlasting God, And He will walk with you”
Hymn 150: “In mercy, in goodness, how great is our King”
