Chapter II
The Soul's Enquiries of Man.
— Intelligence where art thou? Canst thou see as God outside of matter? art thou feeling that substance is intelligence, and wheresoe'er As Written: wheresoere thou art there is thy body also? and is the question settled "Where shall the young child be born?"– where shall Truth be found? The Soul is Truth, therefore it is immortal, and never found in mortality.
— Hast thou no other Gods before meEx 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. – the Principle of man? or, hast thou "Lords many and Gods many"I Cor 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) . Hast thou idols in matter? Ask not to be permitted them; for I, Wisdom will destroy them all– take them all away from thee "Thou shall have no other Gods before me”"Ex 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. .
— Doest thou unto others, as ye would that they would do unto you?Matt 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. or, art thou selfish, seeking to hold advantage against others? forgetting that the scales must be balanced by Wisdom, and thy neighbor'sAs Written:neighbors need weigh equally with thine own; therefore beware, that selfishness that belongs not to Soul, but is the belief of man in matter— waver not the balance of Wisdom and why? Because forgetfulness of self takes you into the principle, that is Universal Benevolence and Love. And this is your reward for here you overcome all in harmony and depend not upon ought aught As Written: ought of matter for happiness, while you hold matter entirely at your control
— Do you hope to find and are you thinking you find, pleasure in sense? Then destroy this illusion as fast as possible. Seeking happiness in matter, is error because matter has no intelligence
— Do you love your neighbor because he loves you? (The man of error can do this) or do you love him because he promotes your interest or success in any way? (The man of error does this) but thou shouldstAs Written:should'st love him because he is poor and needy, forsaken of man and perhaps presecuted for righteousness sakeMatt 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Matt 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. ; or because you see upon him the signet of wisdom, calling him toward God and away from matter man. Let your attractions toward all come from the soul and not from the body.
— Are ties of kindred according to the flesh stronger than your kindred in Truth, – Wisdom and Science? Truth saith: If you love Father As Written: Farther Mother Sister or Brother more than me (that is outside of these matter attractions) "ye are not worthy of Truth"Matt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. and if ashamed of me before menMark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. I will not reveal
— Has thy neighbor found the thee As Written: the in jeopardy– found thee in error and helped the thee As Written: the out? Think not to reward that love by feeding or clothing their body alone, while to the ties of flesh you give the food of love – Wisdom knows no ties of flesh; but the demands of Wisdom are for love, the food and raiment of the Soul.
— Do you ask of todayAs Written:to day: "What have I done that's As Written: thats worth the doing"? and, "What have I learned that is immortal? Where am I seeking to lay up my treasures?Matt 6:19 ¶Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: Is it in a belief of wealth As Written: welth that must perish, or in the true riches of wisdom? Would I cheat deceive or wrong As Written: rong another to get gain? then should I lose As Written: loose infinitely more than earth has to give
— Dost thou know that in the body thou canst not judge righteouslyAs Written:righteresly? You weigh every act there in the scale of selfishness; but outside of matter the soul sees the woes and wants of all and "pities as a farther pities his children"Ps 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. . All feel the need of sympathy, of kind words and heart's As Written: hearts interest for them, as well as yourself; and they feel the want of these who have them not, sevenfold more than those who have them? Therefore be charitable for the greatest gift is love.
— Are you in prosperity, then forget not thy friends in adversity and be not vain of thy attainments; for God gave them, and man received them to prove his faithfulness in meekness, and not to make him vain,. The meek inherit the earthMatt 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. because Wisdom is not proud, and controls pride and all error. Respect the Soul and let the Soul sustain this self-respect As Written: selfrespect of Man.
— Dost thou choose in Wisdom thy associates? So let it be; for they draw thee As Written: the toward God outside of matter, and unto wisdom, love & truth, or, they draw thee As Written: the toward the body into lust and error.
— Do you practice justice toward all? never to listen to slander willingly, if the accused be not present for defenseAs Written:defence. for then art thou a partaker in wrong or error and less wise than the State Tribunal.
— Do you speak the truth and live the truth up to our your highest understanding of what is right and think not to deceive? for nothing is hid from wisdom that shall not be revealedMatt 10:26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. Luke 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. and Wisdom rewards and punishes; therefore at some time you will be rewarded according to a just judgmentAs Written:judgement, then will the soul whisper to man "If you suffer from error your reward is in getting out of it; but if you suffer from truth you will be rewarded with truth, and this will help you to rise above the world and give you peace that the world knoweth not ofJohn 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. . If when you are persecuted As Written: presecuted for truth you are so drawn into the atmosphere of your persecutors As Written: presecutors as to feel – yourself their feelings of hate and malice, then are you in danger, but if when they curse, you can blessMatt 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. Rom 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. , then have you overcome your enemies and gained a great conquest over matter and error; and for every one of these chemicalsEditorial Note: This is a reference to “chemicalization,” a term Mary Baker Eddy used to refer to a temporary stirring up of symptoms or process of “fermentation” as errors of various types are being destroyed. that the world of error makes, so much have you gained toward the outside where you desire to be and only are.
— If thou hast ought against thy neighbor (ie one who is near thy plane of wisdom) go and tell him of it and if he repent, forgive himMatt 18:15 ¶Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Luke 17:3 ¶Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. Never cherish error that you can destroy by any act of your own. ★
— Cast not the pearl Truth, before the man burried in matterMatt 7:6 ¶Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. to an extent that he cannot see your pearl, Let your peace return to youMatt 10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. Luke 10:6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. in this case; but if he be worthy let your peace As Written: pease fall upon him.
— Do you suffer in error? and do you suffer where error is? This you must do until all be put under your feet. If you are at ease amid error, then you cannot feel when it "biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Addar"Prov 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. Prov 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Error disturbs As Written: disterbs harmony, while error is undisterbedAs Written:undisterbed, unless truth turns As Written: turnes and rebukes it.
To live the above will take you farther into ScienceEditorial Note: Christian Science than all else can do.
★ When you see error do you pass it by because it is hard to labor in this vineyard saith the unwise StewardAs Written:Stewart? or, do you turn and rebuke it? one is worldly policy; the other is wisdom: trust you must know when to speak as well as what to say
Peabody MassachusettsAs Written:Mass