Service for Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014

Theme: Enough

 Hymn 169 
 John Henry Newman

 Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
       Lead Thou me on;
 The night is dark, and I am far from home,
       Lead Thou me on.
 Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
 The distant scene; one step enough for me.

 I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
       Shouldst lead me on;
 I loved to choose and see my path; but now
       Lead Thou me on.
 I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
 Pride ruled my will:  remember not past years.

 So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
       Will lead me on
 O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
       The night is gone,
 And with the morn those angel faces smile,
 Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

Readings from the Bible.

Genesis 33:1‑11 Jacob
 Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.  And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.  And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.  And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.  And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.  Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.  And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.  And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.  And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.  And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.  Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

Job 37:23
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

Proverbs 2:1‑10
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.  He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.  He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.  Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.  #When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

Joel 2:21‑26
#Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.  Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.  Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.  And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Luke 15:11‑24 A
 A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

II Corinthians 3:4‑11 such
 such trust have we through Christ to God‑ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?  For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.  For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

II Corinthians 9:6‑11
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

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

4:27‑13
  Audible prayer can never do the works of spiritual understanding, which regenerates; but silent prayer, watchfulness, and devout obedience enable us to follow Jesus' example.  Long prayers, superstition, and creeds clip the strong pinions of love, and clothe religion in human forms.  Whatever materializes worship hinders man's spiritual growth and keeps him from demonstrating his power over error. 
  Sorrow for wrong‑doing is but one step towards reform and the very easiest step.  The next and great step required by wisdom is the test of our sincerity, ‑‑namely, reformation.  To this end we are placed under the stress of circumstances.  Temptation bids us repeat the offence, and woe comes in return for what is done.  So it will ever be, till we learn that there is no discount in the law of justice and that we must pay "the uttermost farthing."  The measure ye mete "shall be measured to you again," and it will be full "and running over."

9:25‑16
  Are you willing to leave all for Christ, for Truth, and so be counted among sinners?  No!  Do you really desire to attain this point?  No!  Then why make long prayers about it and ask to be Christians, since you do not care to tread in the footsteps of our dear Master?  If unwilling to follow his example, why pray with the lips that you may be partakers of his nature?  Consistent prayer is the desire to do right.  Prayer means that we desire to walk and will walk in the light so far as we receive it, even though with bleeding footsteps, and that waiting patiently on the Lord, we will leave our real desires to be rewarded by Him. 
  The world must grow to the spiritual understanding of prayer.  If good enough to profit by Jesus' cup of earthly sorrows, God will sustain us under these sorrows.  Until we are thus divinely qualified and are willing to drink his cup, millions of vain repetitions will never pour into prayer the unction of Spirit in demonstration of power and "with signs following." Christian Science reveals a necessity for overcoming the world, the flesh, and evil, and thus destroying all error. 
  Seeking is not sufficient.  It is striving that enables us to enter.  Spiritual attainments open the door to a higher understanding of the divine Life. 

26:1
  While we adore Jesus, and the heart overflows with gratitude for what he did for mortals,‑‑treading alone his loving pathway up to the throne of glory, in speechless agony exploring the way for us,‑‑yet Jesus spares us not one individual experience, if we follow his commands faithfully; and all have the cup of sorrowful effort to drink in proportion to their demonstration of his love, till all are redeemed through divine Love. 

28:22‑6
  Remember, thou Christian martyr, it is enough if thou art found worthy to unloose the sandals of thy Master's feet!  To suppose that persecution for righteousness' sake belongs to the past, and that Christianity to‑day is at peace with the world because it is honored by sects and societies, is to mistake the very nature of religion.  Error repeats itself.  The trials encountered by prophet, disciple, and apostle, "of whom the world was not worthy," await, in some form, every pioneer of truth. 
  There is too much animal courage in society and not sufficient moral courage.  Christians must take up arms against error at home and abroad.  They must grapple with sin in themselves and in others, and continue this warfare until they have finished their course.  If they keep the faith, they will have the crown of rejoicing. 

180:25
  When man is governed by God, the ever‑present Mind who understands all things, man knows that with God all things are possible.  The only way to this living Truth, which heals the sick, is found in the Science of divine Mind as taught and demonstrated by Christ Jesus. 

224:11‑4
  In the record of nineteen centuries, there are sects many but not enough Christianity.  Centuries ago religionists were ready to hail an anthropomorphic God, and array His vicegerent with pomp and splendor; but this was not the manner of truth's appearing.  Of old the cross was truth's central sign, and it is to‑day.  The modern lash is less material than the Roman scourge, but it is equally as cutting.  Cold disdain, stubborn resistance, opposition from church, state laws, and the press, are still the harbingers of truth's full‑orbed appearing. 
  A higher and more practical Christianity, demonstrating justice and meeting the needs of mortals in sickness and in health, stands at the door of this age, knocking for admission.  Will you open or close the door upon this angel visitant, who cometh in the quiet of meekness, as he came of old to the patriarch at noonday? 
  Truth brings the elements of liberty.  On its banner is the Soul‑inspired motto, "Slavery is abolished."  The power of God brings deliverance to the captive.  No power can withstand divine Love.  What is this supposed power, which opposes itself to God?  Whence cometh it?  What is it that binds man with iron shackles to sin, sickness, and death?  Whatever enslaves man is opposed to the divine government.  Truth makes man free. 

354:1‑17
  Are the protests of Christian Science against the notion that there can be material life, substance, or mind "utter falsities and absurdities," as some aver?  Why then do Christians try to obey the Scriptures and war against "the world, the flesh, and the devil"?  Why do they invoke the divine aid to enable them to leave all for Christ, Truth?  Why do they use this phraseology, and yet deny Christian Science, when it teaches precisely this thought?  The words of divine Science find their immortality in deeds, for their Principle heals the sick and spiritualizes humanity. 
  On the other hand, the Christian opponents of Christian Science neither give nor offer any proofs that their Master's religion can heal the sick.  Surely it is not enough to cleave to barren and desultory dogmas, derived from the traditions of the elders who thereunto have set their seals. 

365:15
  If the Scientist reaches his patient through divine Love, the healing work will be accomplished at one visit, and the disease will vanish into its native nothingness like dew before the morning sunshine.  If the Scientist has enough Christly affection to win his own pardon, and such commendation as the Magdalen gained from Jesus, then he is Christian enough to practise scientifically and deal with his patients compassionately; and the result will correspond with the spiritual intent. 

519:25‑15
  God rests in action.  Imparting has not impoverished, can never impoverish, the divine Mind.  No exhaustion follows the action of this Mind, according to the apprehension of divine Science.  The highest and sweetest rest, even from a human standpoint, is in holy work. 
  Unfathomable Mind is expressed.  The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space.  That is enough!  Human language can repeat only an infinitesimal part of what exists.  The absolute ideal, man, is no more seen nor comprehended by mortals, than is his infinite Principle, Love.  Principle and its idea, man, are coexistent and eternal.  The numerals of infinity, called seven days, can never be reckoned according to the calendar of time.  These days will appear as mortality disappears, and they will reveal eternity, newness of Life, in which all sense of error forever disappears and thought accepts the divine infinite calculus. 

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

 Hymn 291 
 John Newton*

 Quiet, Lord, my froward heart,
   Make me gentle, pure, and mild,
 Upright, simple, free from art;
   Make me as a little child,
 From distrust and envy free,
 Pleased with all that pleaseth Thee.

 What Thou shalt today provide
   Let me as a child receive,
 What tomorrow may betide
   Calmly to Thy wisdom leave;
 'Tis enough that Thou wilt care,
 Why should I the burden bear?

 As a little child relies
   On a care beyond its own,
 Being neither strong nor wise,
   Will not take a step alone,
 Let me thus with Thee abide,
 As my Father, Friend, and Guide.

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


 Hymn 123 
 "K" in Rippon's Selection, 1787 – Adapted

 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
 Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.
 What more can He say than to you He hath said,
 To you who to God for your refuge have fled:

 Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
 For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;
 I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to
           stand,
 Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand;

 When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
 My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
 The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

 Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

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