Service for Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012


Theme: Listen

 Hymn 136 
 Violet Hay

 I love Thy way of freedom, Lord,
   To serve Thee is my choice,
 In Thy clear light of Truth I rise
   And, listening for Thy voice,
 I hear Thy promise old and new,
   That bids all fear to cease:
 My presence still shall go with thee
   And I will give thee peace.

 Though storm or discord cross my path
   Thy power is still my stay,
 Though human will and woe would check
   My upward‑soaring way;
 All unafraid I wait, the while
   Thy angels bring release,
 For still Thy presence is with me,
   And Thou dost give me peace.

 I climb, with joy, the heights of Mind,
   To soar o'er time and space;
 I yet shall know as I am known
   And see Thee face to face.
 Till time and space and fear are naught
   My quest shall never cease,
 Thy presence ever goes with me
   And Thou dost give me peace.

Readings from the Bible

Psalms 34:11‑18
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.  What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.  The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.  The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.  The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.  The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalms 103:1‑22
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.  The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.  The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.  Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.  Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.  Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

Proverbs 8:32‑35
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.  Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.  Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

Isaiah 28:23
#Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

Isaiah 34:1
Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.

Isaiah 46:9,10,12,13
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

#Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness: it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

Isaiah 49:1 (to 2nd ;),8‑13
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far;
Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.  They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.  They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.  And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.  Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.  #Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Isaiah 51:1‑8
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.  Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.  For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.  #Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.  My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.  #Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.  For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Readings from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.


8:28‑24
  We should examine ourselves and learn what is the affection and purpose of the heart, for in this way only can we learn what we honestly are.  If a friend informs us of a fault, do we listen patiently to the rebuke and credit what is said?  Do we not rather give thanks that we are "not as other men"?  During many years the author has been most grateful for merited rebuke.  The wrong lies in unmerited censure,‑‑in the falsehood which does no one any good.   The test of all prayer lies in the answer to these questions: Do we love our neighbor better because of this asking?  Do we pursue the old selfishness, satisfied with having prayed for something better, though we give no evidence of the sincerity of our requests by living consistently with our prayer?  If selfishness has given place to kindness, we shall regard our neighbor unselfishly, and bless them that curse us; but we shall never meet this great duty simply by asking that it may be done.  There is a cross to be taken up before we can enjoy the fruition of our hope and faith. 
  Dost thou "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind"?  This command includes much, even the surrender of all merely material sensation, affection, and worship.  This is the El Dorado of Christianity.  It involves the Science of Life, and recognizes only the divine control of Spirit, in which Soul is our master, and material sense and human will have no place. 

232:26
  In the sacred sanctuary of Truth are voices of solemn import, but we heed them not.  It is only when the so‑called pleasures and pains of sense pass away in our lives, that we find unquestionable signs of the burial of error and the resurrection to spiritual life. 

236:28‑22
  Jesus loved little children because of their freedom from wrong and their receptiveness of right.  While age is halting between two opinions or battling with false beliefs, youth makes easy and rapid strides towards Truth. 
  A little girl, who had occasionally listened to my explanations, badly wounded her finger.  She seemed not to notice it.  On being questioned about it she answered ingenuously, "There is no sensation in matter."  Bounding off with laughing eyes, she presently added, "Mamma, my finger is not a bit sore."
  It might have been months or years before her parents would have laid aside their drugs, or reached the mental height their little daughter so naturally attained.  The more stubborn beliefs and theories of parents often choke the good seed in the minds of themselves and their offspring.  Superstition, like "the fowls of the air," snatches away the good seed before it has sprouted. 
  Children should be taught the Truth‑cure, Christian Science, among their first lessons, and kept from discussing or entertaining theories or thoughts about sickness.  To prevent the experience of error and its sufferings, keep out of the minds of your children either sinful or diseased thoughts.  The latter should be excluded on the same principle as the former.  This makes Christian Science early available. 

299:7
  My angels are exalted thoughts, appearing at the door of some sepulchre, in which human belief has buried its fondest earthly hopes.  With white fingers they point upward to a new and glorified trust, to higher ideals of life and its joys.  Angels are God's representatives.  These upward‑soaring beings never lead towards self, sin, or materiality, but guide to the divine Principle of all good, whither every real individuality, image, or likeness of God, gathers.  By giving earnest heed to these spiritual guides they tarry with us, and we entertain "angels unawares."

321:6‑2
  The Hebrew Lawgiver, slow of speech, despaired of making the people understand what should be revealed to him.  When, led by wisdom to cast down his rod, he saw it become a serpent, Moses fled before it; but wisdom bade him come back and handle the serpent, and then Moses' fear departed.  In this incident was seen the actuality of Science.  Matter was shown to be a belief only.  The serpent, evil, under wisdom's bidding, was destroyed through understanding divine Science, and this proof was a staff upon which to lean.  The illusion of Moses lost its power to alarm him, when he discovered that what he apparently saw was really but a phase of mortal belief. 
  It was scientifically demonstrated that leprosy was a creation of mortal mind and not a condition of matter, when Moses first put his hand into his bosom and drew it forth white as snow with the dread disease, and presently restored his hand to its natural condition by the same simple process.  God had lessened Moses' fear by this proof in divine Science, and the inward voice became to him the voice of God, which said: "It shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign."  And so it was in the coming centuries, when the Science of being was demonstrated by Jesus, who showed his students the power of Mind by changing water into wine, and taught them how to handle serpents unharmed, to heal the sick and cast out evils in proof of the supremacy of Mind. 

326:3‑22
  If we wish to follow Christ, Truth, it must be in the way of God's appointing.  Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." He, who would reach the source and find the divine remedy for every ill, must not try to climb the hill of Science by some other road.  All nature teaches God's love to man, but man cannot love God supremely and set his whole affections on spiritual things, while loving the material or trusting in it more than in the spiritual. 
  We must forsake the foundation of material systems, however time‑honored, if we would gain the Christ as our only Saviour.  Not partially, but fully, the great healer of mortal mind is the healer of the body. 
  The purpose and motive to live aright can be gained now.  This point won, you have started as you should.  You have begun at the numeration‑table of Christian Science, and nothing but wrong intention can hinder your advancement.  Working and praying with true motives, your Father will open the way.  "Who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth?"

359:18
  True Christianity is to be honored wherever found, but when shall we arrive at the goal which that word implies?  From Puritan parents, the discoverer of Christian Science early received her religious education.  In childhood, she often listened with joy to these words, falling from the lips of her saintly mother, "God is able to raise you up from sickness;" and she pondered the meaning of that Scripture she so often quotes: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

409:27
  We have no right to say that life depends on matter now, but will not depend on it after death.  We cannot spend our days here in ignorance of the Science of Life, and expect to find beyond the grave a reward for this ignorance.  Death will not make us harmonious and immortal as a recompense for ignorance.  If here we give no heed to Christian Science, which is spiritual and eternal, we shall not be ready for spiritual Life hereafter. 

462:9
  If the student goes away to practise Truth's teachings only in part, dividing his interests between God and mammon and substituting his own views for Truth, he will inevitably reap the error he sows.  Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian Science must abide strictly by its rules, heed every statement, and advance from the rudiments laid down.  There is nothing difficult nor toilsome in this task, when the way is pointed out; but self‑denial, sincerity, Christianity, and persistence alone win the prize, as they usually do in every department of life. 

570:14‑21 np
  Millions of unprejudiced minds‑‑simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert‑‑are waiting and watching for rest and drink.  Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences.  What if the old dragon should send forth a new flood to drown the Christ‑idea?  He can neither drown your voice with its roar, nor again sink the world into the deep waters of chaos and old night.  In this age the earth will help the woman; the spiritual idea will be understood.  Those ready for the blessing you impart will give thanks.  The waters will be pacified, and Christ will command the wave. 
  When God heals the sick or the sinning, they should know the great benefit which Mind has wrought.  They should also know the great delusion of mortal mind, when it makes them sick or sinful.  Many are willing to open the eyes of the people to the power of good resident in divine Mind, but they are not so willing to point out the evil in human thought, and expose evil's hidden mental ways of accomplishing iniquity. 
  Why this backwardness, since exposure is necessary to ensure the avoidance of the evil?  Because people like you better when you tell them their virtues than when you tell them their vices.  It re‑quires the spirit of our blessed Master to tell a man his faults, and so risk human displeasure for the sake of doing right and benefiting our race.  Who is telling mankind of the foe in ambush?  Is the informer one who sees the foe?  If so, listen and be wise.  Escape from evil, and designate those as unfaithful stewards who have seen the danger and yet have given no warning. 
  At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good.  Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil.  Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you.  The cement of a higher humanity will unite all interests in the one divinity. 

Silent prayer followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s Prayer.


 Hymn 304
 "Feed My Sheep" – Mary Baker Eddy

 Shepherd, show me how to go
   O'er the hillside steep,
 How to gather, how to sow,‑‑
   How to feed Thy sheep;
 I will listen for Thy voice,
   Lest my footsteps stray;
 I will follow and rejoice
   All the rugged way.

 Thou wilt bind the stubborn will,
   Wound the callous breast,
 Make self‑righteousness be still,
   Break earth's stupid rest.
 Strangers on a barren shore,
   Lab'ring long and lone,
 We would enter by the door,
   And Thou know'st Thine own;

 So, when day grows dark and cold,
   Tear or triumph harms,
 Lead Thy lambkins to the fold,
   Take them in Thine arms;
 Feed the hungry, heal the heart,
   Till the morning's beam;
 White as wool, ere they depart,
   Shepherd, wash them clean.

Sharing of experiences, testimonies and remarks by members of the congregation.


 Hymn 237 
 Fay Linn

 O may we be still and seek Him,
   Seek with consecration whole,
 Listening thus to hear the message,
   Far from sense and hid in Soul.

 He hath promised we shall find Him,
   Love divine its promise keeps;
 God is watching with the watchful,
   God is Life that never sleeps.

 If we pray to Him in secret,
   Lift to Him the heart's desire,
 We shall find our earthly longings
   All made pure by Love's pure fire.

 Then upon the precious metal
   God's own image will appear,
 Faithfully to Him reflected,
   One with Him forever near.




                                                                                                                                                

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