Part 41 (2/2)

ability to lead on Christian Science, will not be shocked when she puts her foot on the head of the serpent, as it biteth at the heel.

Intemperance begets a belief of disordered brains, membranes, stomach, and nerves; and this belief serves [20]

to uncover and kill this lurking serpent, intemperance, that hides itself under the false pretense of human need, innocent enjoyment, and a medical prescription. The belief in venereal diseases tears the black mask from the shameless brow of licentiousness, torments its victim, and [25]

thus may save him from his destroyer.

Charity has the courage of conviction; it may suffer long, but has neither the cowardice nor the foolhardiness to cover iniquity. Charity is Love; and Love opens the eyes of the blind, rebukes error, and casts it out. [30]

Charity never flees before error, lest it should suffer from an encounter. Love your enemies, or you will not

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lose them; and if you love them, you will help to reform [1]

them.

Christ points the way of salvation. His mode is not cowardly, uncharitable, nor unwise, but it teaches mor- tals to handle serpents and cast out evil. Our own vision [5]

must be clear to open the eyes of others, else the blind will lead the blind and both shall fall. The sickly charity that supplies criminals with bouquets has been dealt with summarily by the good judgment of people in the old Bay State. Inhuman medical bills, cla.s.s legisla- [10]

tion, and Salem witchcraft, are not indigenous to her soil.

”Out of the depths have I delivered thee.” The drowning man just rescued from the merciless wave is unconscious of suffering. Why, then, do you break his [15]

peace and cause him to suffer in coming to life? Because you wish to save him from death. Then, if a criminal is at peace, is he not to be pitied and brought back to life? Or, are you afraid to do this lest he suffer, trample on your pearls of thought, and turn on you and rend you? [20]

Cowardice is selfishness. When one protects himself at his neighbor's cost, let him remember, ”Whosoever will save his life shall lose it.” He risks nothing who obeys the law of G.o.d, and shall find the Life that cannot be lost. [25]

Our Master said, ”Ye shall drink indeed of my cup.”

Jesus stormed sin in its citadels and kept peace with G.o.d. He drank this cup giving thanks, and he said to his followers, ”Drink ye all of it,”-drink it all, and let all drink of it. He lived the spirit of his prayer,-”Thy [30]

kingdom come.” Shall we repeat our Lord's Prayer when the heart denies it, refuses to bear the cross and

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to fulfil the conditions of our pet.i.tion? Human policy [1]

is a fool that saith in his heart, ”No G.o.d”-a caressing Judas that betrays you, and commits suicide. This G.o.d- less policy never knows what happiness is, and how it is obtained. [5]

Jesus did his work, and left his glorious career for our example. On the sh.o.r.e of Gennesaret he tersely re- minded his students of their worldly policy. They had suffered, and seen their error. This experience caused them to remember the reiterated warning of their Mas- [10]

ter and cast their nets on the right side. When they were fit to be blest, they received the blessing. The ultimatum of their human sense of ways and means ought to silence ours. One step away from the direct line of divine Science cost them-what? A speedy re- [15]

turn under the reign of difficulties, darkness, and unre- quited toil.

The currents of human nature rush in against the right course; health, happiness, and life flow not into one of their channels. The law of Love saith, ”Not my will, [20]

but Thine, be done,” and Christian Science proves that human will is lost in the divine; and Love, the white Christ, is the remunerator.

If, consciously or unconsciously, one is at work in a wrong direction, who will step forward and open his [25]

eyes to see this error? He who _is_ a Christian Scientist, who has cast the beam out of his own eye, speaks plainly to the offender and tries to show his errors to him before letting another know it.

Pitying friends took down from the cross the fainting [30]

form of Jesus, and buried it out of their sight. His dis- ciples, who had not yet drunk of his cup, lost sight of

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