0.0 – Christian Science Publication Contents

 1	             TRUE PHILOSOPHY AND COMMUNION 

  	    It is related of Justin Martyr that, hearing of a Pythag-
 3	orean professor of ethics, he expressed the wish to be-
  	come one of his disciples. "Very well," the teacher
  	replied; "but have you studied music, astronomy, and
 6	geometry, and do you think it possible for you to under-
  	stand aught of that which leads to bliss, without hav-
  	ing mastered the sciences that disengage the soul from
 9	objects of sense, so rendering it a fit habitation for
  	the intelligences?" On Justin's confessing that he had
  	not studied those branches, he was dismissed by the
12	professor. 
  	    Alas for such a material science of life! Of what
  	avail would geometry be to a poor sinner struggling with
15	temptation, or to a man with the smallpox? 
  	    Ancient and modern philosophies are spoiled by lack
  	of Science. They would place Soul wholly inside of body,
18	intelligence in matter; and from error of premise would
  	seek a correct conclusion. Such philosophy can never
  	demonstrate the Science of Life, — the Science which
21	Paul understood when he spoke of willingness "to be
  	absent from the body, and present with the Lord." Such
  	philosophy is far from the rules of the mighty Nazarene
24	Prophet. His words, living in our hearts, were these:
  	"Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as
  	a little child, shall in no wise enter therein." Not through
27	astronomy did he point out the way to heaven and ...the
  	reign of harmony. 
  	    We need the spirit of St. Paul, when he stood on Mars'
30	hill at Athens, bringing Christianity for the first time
 
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 1	into Europe. The Spirit bestows spiritual gifts, God's
  	presence and providence. St. Paul stood where Socrates
 3	had stood four hundred years before, defending himself
  	against the charge of atheism; in the place where De-
  	mosthenes had pleaded for freedom in immortal strains
 6	of eloquence. 
  	    We need the spirit of the pious Polycarp, who, when
  	the proconsul said to him, "I will set the beasts upon
 9	you, unless you yield your religion," replied: "Let them
  	come; I cannot change from good to bad." Then they
  	bound him to the stake, set fire to the fagots, and his
12	pure and strong faith rose higher through the baptism
  	of flame. 
  	    Methinks the infidel was blind who said, "Christianity
15	is fit only for women and weak men;" but even infidels
  	may disagree. Bonaparte declared, "Ever since the
  	reign of Christianity began the loftiest intellects have had
18	a practical faith in God." Daniel Webster said, "My
  	heart has always assured and reassured me that Chris-
  	tianity must be a divine reality." 
21	    To turn the popular indignation against an advanced
  	form of religion, the pagan slanderers affirmed that
  	Christians took their infants to a place of worship in
24	order to offer them in sacrifice, — a baptism not of
  	water but of blood, thus distorting or misapprehending
  	the purpose of Christian sacraments. Christians met
27	in midnight feasts in the early days, and talked of the
  	crucified Saviour; thence arose the rumor that it was
  	a part of Christian worship to kill and eat a human
30	being. 
  	    Really, Christianity turned men away from the thought
  	of fleshly sacrifice, and directed them to spiritual attain-
 
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 1	ments. Life, not death, was and is the very centre of
  	its faith. Christian Science carries this thought even
 3	higher, and insists on the demonstration of moral and
  	spiritual healing as eminent proof that God is understood
  	and illustrated. 
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