sins of the world, "crucified the Lord of glory," and
"put him to an open shame."
Holding a quickened sense of false environment, and suffering from
mentality in opposition to Truth, are significant of that state of mind
which the actual understanding of Christian Science first eliminates and
then destroys.
In the divine order of Science every follower of Christ shares his cup of
sorrows. He also suffereth in the flesh, and from the mentality which
opposes the law of Spirit; but the divine law is supreme, for it freeth him
from the law of sin and death.
Prophets and apostles suffered from the thoughts of others. Their conscious
being was not fully exempt from physicality and the sense of sin.
Until he awakes from his delusion, he suffers least from sin who is a
hardened sinner. The hypocrite's affections must first be made to fret in
their chains; and the pangs of hell must lay hold of him ere he can change
from flesh to Spirit, become acquainted with that Love which is without
dissimulation and endureth all things. Such mental conditions as
ingratitude, lust, malice, hate, constitute the miasma of earth. More
obnoxious than Chinese stenchpots are these dispositions which offend the
spiritual sense.
Anatomically considered, the design of the material senses is to warn
mortals of the approach of danger by the pain they feel and occasion; but
as this sense disappears it foresees the impending doom and foretells the
pain. Man's refuge is in spirituality, "under the shadow of the Almighty."
The cross is the central emblem of human history. Without it there is
neither temptation nor glory. When Jesus turned and said, "Who hath touched
me?" he must have felt the influence of the woman's thought; for it is
written that he felt that "virtue had gone out of him." His pure
consciousness was discriminating, and rendered this infallible verdict; but
he neither held her error by affinity nor by infirmity, for it was detected
and dismissed.
This gospel of suffering brought life and bliss. This is earth's Bethel in
stone,--its pillow, supporting the ladder which reaches heaven.
Suffering was the confirmation of Paul's faith. Through "a thorn in the
flesh" he learned that spiritual grace was sufficient for him.
Peter rejoiced that he was found worthy to suffer for Christ; because to
suffer with him is to reign with him.
Sorrow is the harbinger of joy. Mortal throes of anguish forward the birth
of immortal being; bu
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