Part 9 (1/2)
Permanent obligation
59:27 The nuptial vow should never be annulled, so long as its moral obligations are kept intact; but the frequency of divorce shows that the sacredness of this re- 59:30 lations.h.i.+p is losing its influence, and that fatal mistakes are undermining its foundations. Separation never should take place, and it never would, if both 60:1 husband and wife were genuine Christian Scientists.
Science inevitably lifts one's being higher in the scale of 60:3 harmony and happiness.
Permanent affection
Kindred tastes, motives, and aspirations are necessary to the formation of a happy and permanent companion- 60:6 s.h.i.+p. The beautiful in character is also the good, welding indissolubly the links of affec- tion. A mother's affection cannot be weaned from her 60:9 child, because the mother-love includes purity and con- stancy, both of which are immortal. Therefore maternal affection lives on under whatever difficulties.
60:12 From the logic of events we learn that selfishness and impurity alone are fleeting, and that wisdom will ultimately put asunder what she hath not joined 60:15 together.
Centre for affections
Marriage should improve the human species, becoming a barrier against vice, a protection to woman, strength to 60:18 man, and a centre for the affections. This, however, in a majority of cases, is not its present tendency, and why? Because the education of 60:21 the higher nature is neglected, and other considerations, - pa.s.sion, frivolous amus.e.m.e.nts, personal adornment, display, and pride, - occupy thought.
Spiritual concord
60:24 An ill-attuned ear calls discord harmony, not appreciat- ing concord. So physical sense, not discerning the true happiness of being, places it on a false basis.
60:27 Science will correct the discord, and teach us life's sweeter harmonies.
Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, 60:30 and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul. Higher enjoyments alone can satisfy the cravings of immortal 61:1 man. We cannot circ.u.mscribe happiness within the limits of personal sense. The senses confer no real 61:3 enjoyment.
Ascendency of good
The good in human affections must have ascendency over the evil and the spiritual over the animal, or happi- 61:6 ness will never be won. The attainment of this celestial condition would improve our progeny, diminish crime, and give higher aims to ambi- 61:9 tion. Every valley of sin must be exalted, and every mountain of selfishness be brought low, that the highway of our G.o.d may be prepared in Science. The offspring 61:12 of heavenly-minded parents inherit more intellect, better balanced minds, and sounder const.i.tutions.
Propensities inherited
If some fortuitous circ.u.mstance places promising chil- 61:15 dren in the arms of gross parents, often these beautiful children early droop and die, like tropical flowers born amid Alpine snows. If perchance 61:18 they live to become parents in their turn, they may re- produce in their own helpless little ones the grosser traits of their ancestors. What hope of happiness, what n.o.ble 61:21 ambition, can inspire the child who inherits propensities that must either be overcome or reduce him to a loath- some wreck?
61:24 Is not the propagation of the human species a greater responsibility, a more solemn charge, than the culture of your garden or the raising of stock to increase your flocks 61:27 and herds? Nothing unworthy of perpetuity should be transmitted to children.
The formation of mortals must greatly improve to 61:30 advance mankind. The scientific _morale_ of marriage is spiritual unity. If the propagation of a higher human species is requisite to reach this goal, then its material con- 62:1 ditions can only be permitted for the purpose of gener- ating. The foetus must be kept mentally pure and the 62:3 period of gestation have the sanct.i.ty of virginity.
The entire education of children should be such as to form habits of obedience to the moral and spiritual law, 62:6 with which the child can meet and master the belief in so- called physical laws, a belief which breeds disease.
Inheritance heeded
If parents create in their babes a desire for incessant 62:9 amus.e.m.e.nt, to be always fed, rocked, tossed, or talked to, those parents should not, in after years, complain of their children's fretfulness or fri- 62:12 volity, which the parents themselves have occasioned.
Taking less ”thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink”; less thought ”for your body what 62:15 ye shall put on,” will do much more for the health of the rising generation than you dream. Children should be allowed to remain children in knowledge, and should 62:18 become men and women only through growth in the understanding of man's higher nature.
The Mind creative
We must not attribute more and more intelligence 62:21 to matter, but less and less, if we would be wise and healthy. The divine Mind, which forms the bud and blossom, will care for the human 62:24 body, even as it clothes the lily; but let no mortal inter- fere with G.o.d's government by thrusting in the laws of erring, human concepts.
Superior law of Soul
62:27 The higher nature of man is not governed by the lower; if it were, the order of wisdom would be reversed.
Our false views of life hide eternal harmony, 62:30 and produce the ills of which we complain.
Because mortals believe in material laws and reject the Science of Mind, this does not make materiality first and 63:1 the superior law of Soul last. You would never think that flannel was better for warding off pulmonary disease 63:3 than the controlling Mind, if you understood the Science of being.