Excerpts from Collectanea

Page 27

Notes from the Class of 1889

I give you nothing new; there is nothing new under the sun. It is only the application of an eternal Truth in a new and practical way. I cannot answer all your questions for I cannot answer all my own. There is an eternity for us to learn in, if we patiently wait. If you cannot understand my terms, wait and see what they mean. Do not misconstrue them by your old interpretations. Come, empty of all preconceived opinions, creeds, prejudices, doctrines or ‘isms,’ to receive the Truth, and with charity of open minds receive the Truth I give you; then test the reality of your own by it. Except one is empty, he cannot be filled.

No one ever learned a truth by argument, for any falsity can be established by the reasoning of the natural mind. Spiritual Truth is only spiritually discerned. I give you but the key to knowledge. You can only unlock by living it in your own life; otherwise it will be only theory. There is no salvation in theory.

I will never say a word I have not proven. If I theorize, I will tell you so. I can only show the way I have gone. I am only an Ambassador, a voice, to lead you into your own kingdom where God, the Truth, alone illumines every one according to his own degree. The system of Truth I am teaching when reduced is simply, the bringing the Christ to you, or the Way, the Truth, and the Life to your whole being.

I wish as an act of justice that you hold sacredly in your memory that I assume no good or power of myself, that to God alone I ascribe all love, wisdom and power, the All-in-all, the all good; that I am absolutely nothing, a mere instrument in God’s hands to be used as He will. This is the only position for any one of us to be in.

Pages 40-41

When you are in perplexity or doubt about some important question that must be decided, keep your mind still; cease thinking and wait, that the still, small voice may speak. No words may come to you; nevertheless you will have asked your question. Wait — when the moment arrives, the decision you will have.

Cultivate the habit of trust by daily repeating “I am led by the spirit of infinite wisdom. I consecrate my will, my judgment, my desire, and all my faculty to the direction of the all-wise One. I shall hear. I shall know. I shall do right.”

When you have an earnest desire of the heart and there seems no way of having it fulfilled, cease thinking of the obstacles, of the impossibilities and declare with an earnest and definite faith: “In my Father’s sight there are no closed doors, no obstacles, there are no impossibilities. There is no malignant animal magnetism to prevent me from reflecting light. There is no self-mesmerism to hide me from the truth, or to hide the truth from me. There is no hypnotism, no mental malpractice to harm me, for divine Love surrounds me. Truth enfolds me. Intelligence, power, substance are the sources of my being. The only native power is God. The only universe is Life, Truth, Love. There is no channel, personal or impersonal, by or through which animal magnetism either malicious, willful, sympathetic, or ignorant, conscious or unconscious, can approach Christian Science, its Discoverer or their patients.”

It is a shield to mentally remind yourself daily that God is the only Law-maker for man, morally, spiritually and physically.

Page 39

Every pure thought falling silently and gently into human consciousness does its part in cleansing the whole world, just as every falling snowflake does its silent share in transforming the noisomeness of the grimy earth into a soft white blanket of purity. We must remember that the smallest truth is mightier than the greatest lie the world has ever known. The one is as enduring as eternity; the other is as transient as a shadow. Take from a lie its power to deceive and it becomes nothing, for its very being depends upon its ability to mislead. A lie must have two willing accessories — one who is willing to be deceived; one who is willing to deceive — the victimized and the victim; if either is wanting, the lie can do nothing.

Pages 34-35

I would ask that all Christians unite in prayer for the cessation of sin — the oppression of the weak — the accession of power at the sacrifice of individual rights; and especially that divine Love shield the innocent from the wrath of the guilty, and cause it to praise Love.

July 24, 1900

Day

It is unnecessary to go anywhere or change anything to find the glories of God. We need only open our eyes to spiritual reality, to the omnipresence of God, good, which is always available to us.

For every material sacrifice there is a spiritual blessing. Right desire is the deepest form of prayer.

I tell you truth when I say there is only one source of all good — God. The conscious recognition and acceptance of this fact acknowledged by every activity of the mind, not two or three times a day — but every few moments all day long — no matter what the outer self is doing, and this maintained, will enable anyone to express his perfect freedom and dominion over all things human.

Today is my day. And my world is but a reflection of my own mental attitude. I have the power within myself to reverse any destructive thought entering my mental household. I could not lovingly entertain unwelcome visitors, therefore I shall not willingly entertain unwelcome thoughts.

Each day I shall weed from my mind all thoughts of doubt, fear, malice, hatred, revenge, petty criticism or superstition of any nature whatsoever, and shall begin today believing tremendously in the power of a constructive mental attitude.

This is the day that the Lord has made. In it I will rejoice and be glad. No man taketh my joy from me. Just for today I will know that I am God’s child under His protection and that no plague can come nigh my dwelling. Just for today I will know that God is good, and that God is Love, and that He knoweth them that trust Him. Just for today I will know that I have strength to meet and conquer every claim of error, and that under the guidance of divine Principle I will be led to throw open the door for the entrance of Truth, and know through that same door error is cast forth. Then with a sweet sense of God’s nearness, I will know that yesterday has gone, and left no bitterness, and that today is big with blessings, that tomorrow belongs to God; and to realize this today eliminates all worry and pain and trouble, and brings us peace and happiness.

Pages 30-31

Fear

Do not fear your sense of fear. It is nothing. We are as safe as omnipotent God. God’s idea absolutely cannot fear; he knows there is just one Mind. Is he going to use that Mind to fear with? Is he living in God and still afraid? Is there anything outside of or beyond God? Is there anything inside God to fear? God made all and proclaimed it good.

Fear is godless, mindless, powerless, not included in consciousness. Fear cannot act on mortal mind, body, understanding, does not manifest self either as subjective or objective; not mine or anybody’s, and if I seem to fear, it is not my fear or anxiety and doesn’t make any difference. God isn’t afraid. My treatment isn’t afraid. A Christian Science treatment dissipates all the supposititious presence, power, law of fear. Fear is a fake belief within a fake belief, without cause, effect, or continuity. There is no personality. There is no mortal mind to embody itself and call that embodiment by my name, and hold over it the laws of limitation. God is Mind. I have the sense of that Mind. I have no mortal mind to look for pain or pleasure, health or sickness, strength or weakness, life or death.

A Prayer

No good thoughts are ever lost; all good is eternal and ever present. We do know the Science of being, and nothing can disqualify us for demonstrating it. When we turn for power from matter to Spirit, we can move mountains, surmount obstacles, achieve every success, and overcome fear and sin. The claiming of our rightful heritage as God’s children is the true mental culture and spiritual education. In the reality of being is all we want or need, or can possibly have or wish for. It includes more than we can discern in the measure of happiness and the completion of every wish or prayer that is wholesome or right for us to have. I must know that the definition of man in Science and Health applies to me. I am that spiritual man, I am God’s image and likeness, reflecting a full, perfect image of Life, Mind, action, etc., not under material laws or limitations. God’s law is life-giving and life-sustaining eternally. Doing good and thinking good sustains life. Love is the very nearest thing to us all the time. It is the nature of God to bless and care for us all the time. We can always bring God to us instantly by declaring He is with us. We never reach out for Him in vain. God has ordained for us all good, and He will remove our sins from us as far as the east is from the west, when we want to give them up. Hold steadfastly the thought of yourself as good only, as spiritual only. The belief that there is two of me is where all the trouble comes from. Every treatment must include the understanding that it is the Mind of God; it cannot return void, and it cannot be reversed by any so-called law of malpractice or human belief. Error says we are sick or discouraged; we don’t say it. It is error talking about itself. If we admit it, we have accepted a lie.

Truth says, I have perfect eyes, perfect heart, perfect limbs, etc.; all there is to me is like God, like perfection. We should discard mortal mind judgment and pray for the Christ Mind. It is our human will or judgment that argues we can’t do so and so. There is no reason why we may not always demonstrate truth, and be well and happy.