Subject — Matter

28.     He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

23.     Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24.     But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

17.     Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

18.     That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

19.     Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

20.     Keep that which is committed to thy trust.

1.     Exodus 20 : 1, 3

1     And God spake all these words, saying,

3     Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2.     Jeremiah 17 : 5-10

5     Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

6     For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7     Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

8     For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

9     The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

10     I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

3.     Ecclesiastes 1 : 12, 13 (to :)

12     I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13     And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven:

4.     Ecclesiastes 2 : 1 (to :), 4-6, 8, 11, 12 (to :), 13, 26 (to 1st .)

1     I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure:

4     I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5     I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6     I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

8     I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

11     Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

12     And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly:

13     Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

26     For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God.

5.     Ecclesiastes 3 : 12-14

12     I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13     And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14     I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

6.     Matthew 4 : 23 (to Jesus)

23     And Jesus…

7.     Matthew 5 : 1 (seeing), 2

1     …seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2     And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

8.     Matthew 6 : 19-25, 33

19     Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20     But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21     For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22     The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23     But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24     No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25     Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

33     But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

9.     I Timothy 6 : 6 (godliness)-13 (to 1st ,), 14

6     …godliness with contentment is great gain.

7     For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8     And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9     But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10     For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11     But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12     Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

13     I give thee charge in the sight of God, …

14     That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1.     111 : 24 (Christian)-25

…Christian Science meets a yearning of the human race for spirituality.

2.     268 : 6-18

Belief in a material basis, from which may be deduced all rationality, is slowly yielding to the idea of a metaphysical basis, looking away from matter to Mind as the cause of every effect. Materialistic hypotheses challenge metaphysics to meet in final combat. In this revolutionary period, like the shepherd-boy with his sling, woman goes forth to battle with Goliath.

In this final struggle for supremacy, semi-metaphysical systems afford no substantial aid to scientific metaphysics, for their arguments are based on the false testimony of the material senses as well as on the facts of Mind.

3.     269 : 3-5, 13-25 (to 2nd .), 29-13

From first to last the supposed coexistence of Mind and matter and the mingling of good and evil have resulted from the philosophy of the serpent.

The categories of metaphysics rest on one basis, the divine Mind. Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul.

These ideas are perfectly real and tangible to spiritual consciousness, and they have this advantage over the objects and thoughts of material sense, — they are good and eternal.

The testimony of the material senses is neither absolute nor divine. I therefore plant myself unreservedly on the teachings of Jesus, of his apostles, of the prophets, and on the testimony of the Science of Mind. Other foundations there are none.

The theories I combat are these: (1) that all is matter; (2) that matter originates in Mind, and is as real as Mind, possessing intelligence and life. The first theory, that matter is everything, is quite as reasonable as the second, that Mind and matter coexist and cooperate. One only of the following statements can be true: (1) that everything is matter; (2) that everything is Mind.

Which one is it?

Matter and Mind are opposites. One is contrary to the other in its very nature and essence; hence both cannot be real. If one is real, the other must be unreal. Only by understanding that there is but one power, — not two powers, matter and Mind, — are scientific and logical conclusions reached. Few deny the hypothesis that intelligence, apart from man and matter, governs the universe; and it is generally admitted that this intelligence is the eternal Mind or divine Principle, Love.

4.     91 : 16-21

Absorbed in material selfhood we discern and reflect but faintly the substance of Life or Mind. The denial of material selfhood aids the discernment of man's spiritual and eternal individuality, and destroys the erroneous knowledge gained from matter or through what are termed the material senses.

5.     213 : 11-15

Every step towards goodness is a departure from materiality, and is a tendency towards God, Spirit. Material theories partially paralyze this attraction towards infinite and eternal good by an opposite attraction towards the finite, temporary, and discordant.

6.     326 : 9 (man cannot)-11

…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.

7.     593 : 6 only

PURSE. Laying up treasures in matter; error.

8.     241 : 5-12

Sensual treasures are laid up "where moth and rust doth corrupt." Mortality is their doom. Sin breaks in upon them, and carries off their fleeting joys. The sensualist's affections are as imaginary, whimsical, and unreal as his pleasures. Falsehood, envy, hypocrisy, malice, hate, revenge, and so forth, steal away the treasures of Truth. Stripped of its coverings, what a mocking spectacle is sin!

9.     239 : 5-10, 18-22, 25-32

Take away wealth, fame, and social organizations, which weigh not one jot in the balance of God, and we get clearer views of Principle. Break up cliques, level wealth with honesty, let worth be judged according to wisdom, and we get better views of humanity.

If divine Love is becoming nearer, dearer, and more real to us, matter is then submitting to Spirit. The objects we pursue and the spirit we manifest reveal our standpoint, and show what we are winning.

If action proceeds from the divine Mind, action is harmonious. If it comes from erring mortal mind, it is discordant and ends in sin, sickness, death. Those two opposite sources never mingle in fount or stream. The perfect Mind sends forth perfection, for God is Mind. Imperfect mortal mind sends forth its own resemblances, of which the wise man said, "All is vanity."

10.     272 : 19-25

It is the spiritualization of thought and Christianization of daily life, in contrast with the results of the ghastly farce of material existence; it is chastity and purity, in contrast with the downward tendencies and earthward gravitation of sensualism and impurity, which really attest the divine origin and operation of Christian Science.

11.     265 : 31-5

The pains of sense are salutary, if they wrench away false pleasurable beliefs and transplant the affections from sense to Soul, where the creations of God are good, "rejoicing the heart." Such is the sword of Science, with which Truth decapitates error, materiality giving place to man's higher individuality and destiny.

12.     60 : 29-3

Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul. Higher enjoyments alone can satisfy the cravings of immortal man. We cannot circumscribe happiness within the limits of personal sense. The senses confer no real enjoyment.

13.     451 : 14-18

Man walks in the direction towards which he looks, and where his treasure is, there will his heart be also. If our hopes and affections are spiritual, they come from above, not from beneath, and they bear as of old the fruits of the Spirit.

14.     96 : 12-18

This material world is even now becoming the arena for conflicting forces. On one side there will be discord and dismay; on the other side there will be Science and peace. The breaking up of material beliefs may seem to be famine and pestilence, want and woe, sin, sickness, and death, which assume new phases until their nothingness appears.

15.     97 : 17-20

The more material the belief, the more obvious its error, until divine Spirit, supreme in its domain, dominates all matter, and man is found in the likeness of Spirit, his original being.