Part 1 (1/2)

Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896.

by Mary Baker Eddy.

DEDICATION.

To Loyal Christian Scientists In This And Every Land I Lovingly Dedicate These Practical Teachings Indispensable To The Culture And Achievements Which Const.i.tute The Success Of A Student And Demonstrate The Ethics Of Christian Science

Mary Baker Eddy

EPIGRAMS.

Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand, To read it well; that is, to understand.

BEN JONSON: _Epigram_ 1

When I would know thee ... my thought looks Upon thy well made choice of friends and books; Then do I love thee, and behold thy ends In making thy friends books, and thy books friends.

BEN JONSON: _Epigram_ 86

If worlds were formed by matter, And mankind from the dust; Till time shall end more timely, There's nothing here to trust.

Thenceforth to evolution's Geology, we say,- Nothing have we gained therefrom, And nothing have to pray:

My world has sprung from Spirit, In everlasting day; Whereof, I've more to glory, Wherefor, have much to pay.

MARY BAKER EDDY

PREFACE.

[Page ix.]

[Transcriber's Note: The original book includes line numbers throughout the text, for easy reference to the text by page number and line number.

This transcription retains those page and line numbers; the numbers in [square brackets] at the right ends of lines are the original book's line numbers. The paragraphs are not adjusted as is customary for text in e-books, nor are words split by hyphens rejoined, so that the lines shown below have the same words as the lines in the original book.]

A certain apothegm of a Talmudical philosopher [1]

suits my sense of doing good. It reads thus: ”The n.o.blest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity; and the best alms are to show and to enable a man to dispense with alms.” [5]

In the early history of Christian Science, among my thousands of students few were wealthy. Now, Christian Scientists are not indigent; and their comfortable fortunes are acquired by healing mankind morally, physically, spiritually. The easel of time presents pictures-once [10]

fragmentary and faint-now rejuvenated by the touch of G.o.d's right hand. Where joy, sorrow, hope, disap- pointment, sigh, and smile commingled, now hope sits dove-like.

To preserve a long course of years still and uniform, [15]

amid the uniform darkness of storm and cloud and tempest, requires strength from above,-deep draughts from the fount of divine Love. Truly may it be said: There is an old age of the heart, and a youth that never grows old; a Love that is a boy, and a Psyche who is [20]

ever a girl. The fleeting freshness of youth, however, is not the evergreen of Soul; the coloring glory of

[Page x.]

perpetual bloom; the spiritual glow and grandeur of [1]

a consecrated life wherein dwelleth peace, sacred and sincere in trial or in triumph.