First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Cañada Flintridge, California
Wednesday Meeting Readings
- James 1:17
17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
- Isa. 26:3, 4 (to 1st :)
3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
4Trust ye in the Lord for ever:
- Rom. 6:23 2nd the
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Matt. 2:1-14, 19-21 when
1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11¶ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
- Luke 2:40
40And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
- Luke 8:40
40And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
- Luke 21:1-4
1And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
- Luke 11:9 Ask, 10, 13
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
... 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
- Ps. 34:8 blessed
blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
- Ps. 37:3 (to ;), 5
3Trust in the Lord, and do good;
... 5Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
- Ps. 57:1, 2
1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
2I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
- Ps. 56:3, 4
3What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
4In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
- Prov. 3:5, 6
5¶ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
- Eph. 2:8 by
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
- II Cor. 9:15
15Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
by Mary Baker Eddy
- SH 1:11
- SH 234:3
If we trust matter, we distrust Spirit.
- SH 108:1-4
- SH 487:25-1
The Apostle James said, “Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” 27The understanding that Life is God, Spirit, lengthens our days by strengthening our trust in the deathless reality of Life, its almightiness and immortality.
30 This faith relies upon an understood Principle. This Principle makes whole the diseased, and brings out the 488 488:1enduring and harmonious phases of things.
- SH 135:26
Christianity as Jesus taught it was not 27a creed, nor a system of ceremonies, nor a special gift from a ritualistic Jehovah; but it was the demonstration of divine Love casting out error and healing the sick, 30not merely in the name of Christ, or Truth, but in demon-stration of Truth, as must be the case in the cycles of divine light.
- SH 97:32
- SH 271:11-16
In Latin the word rendered disciple signifies student; 12and the word indicates that the power of healing was not Studious disciplesa supernatural gift to those learners, but the result of their cultivated spiritual understand-15ing of the divine Science, which their Master demonstrated by healing the sick and sinning.
- SH 145:8-17
The struggle for the recovery of invalids goes on, not 9between material methods, but between mortal minds The struggle and victoryand immortal Mind. The victory will be on the patient’s side only as immortal Mind 12 through Christ, Truth, subdues the human belief in disease. It matters not what material method one may adopt, whether faith in drugs, trust in hygiene, or reliance 15on some other minor curative.
Scientific healing has this advantage over other meth-ods, — that in it Truth controls error.
- SH 488:7-11
- SH 23:21
In Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English, faith and the words corresponding thereto have these two defini-Self-reliance and confidencetions, trustfulness and trustworthiness. One 24kind of faith trusts one’s welfare to others. Another kind of faith understands divine Love and how to work out one’s “own salvation, with fear and trem-27bling.” “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!” expresses the helplessness of a blind faith; whereas the injunction, “Believe . . . and thou shalt be saved!” 30demands self-reliant trustworthiness, which includes spir-itual understanding and confides all to God.
- SH 455:8-10
- SH 495:14
When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling 15steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His Steadfast and calm trust likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and 18calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious — as Life eternally is — can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, 21instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence dis-24cord with harmony.
- SH 634:15-17 (np, to 5th .)
As the son of a physician, a graduate in pharmacy, and an ex-druggist, I had a perfect contempt for what I thought Christian Science to be. About six and a half years ago, however, having exhausted all material means at my command, — materia medica, electricity, gym-nastics, cycling, and so on, — and being in a hopeless state, the study of Christian Science was taken up. I had been a sufferer from catarrh and sore throat for over thirty years, and in the last five were added several others, including dyspepsia, and bronchitis, and a loss in flesh of sixty pounds. I was completely healed, and regained health, strength, and flesh through the spiritual under-standing of Christian Science, the result of about six weeks’ study. This good and perfect gift came to me through the careful and prayerful study of Christian Science, as revealed to the world to-day through Science 635 635and Health. The promise of Christ Jesus, “the truth shall make you free,” was fulfilled, and the past six years of health and harmony have been spent in striving to “hold fast that which is good.”
While most grateful for the physical healing, my grati-tude for the mental and spiritual regeneration is beyond expression. When I learned that Jesus’ mission of heal-ing sickness as well as sin did not end with his short stay upon earth, but is practical in all ages, my joy was un-bounded. Having spent thousands in the old way, it seemed wonderful to be healed at such small cost as the price of the “little book” and a few weeks’ study. Every thought of prejudice immediately vanished before the proofs that Christian Science is indeed the elucidation and practical application of Jesus’ teachings, which are demonstrable truth, “The same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” — C. N. C., Memphis, Tenn.
Hymn 538: “O come, all ye faithful”
Hymn 345: “The priceless pearl of gifts” (verse 3)
Hymn 511: “It came upon the midnight clear”