How God Speaks to Men E. D. DALE          It is claimed by many religious teachers that the Scriptures are the only revelation of God to humanity; that the divine Mind is expressed only through the book which we call the Bible. This teaching has been and is a stumbling block to many students who are sincere seekers after truth. No one, however, claims that those who determined the canonicity of the Scriptures were in any special way inspired, hence their decisions cannot be held to fix the bounds of inspiration. The central purpose of the Bible is to give men a revelation of God, to help them in the attainment of a knowledge of Him whom, as we are taught in Christian Science, "to know aright is Life eternal" (Science and Health, Pref. p. vii.). Divine provision is made for this admitted need by the continuous unfolding of God's spiritual creation, which those who are spiritually alert are able to comprehend and interpret correctly, though to many "the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."          In the epistles to the Hebrews we read: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." God had spoken not alone through the human Jesus, but through the Christ, the spiritual idea, of whom Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am." Before the canon of Scripture began to be written, God had spoken to men. He spoke to Moses "face to face," on delivering the tablets of stone, and all who read those wonderful commandment with the new understanding gained by the study of the Bible and of Science and Health, will testify that, like the disciples on the way to Emmaus, their hearts have burned within them as they listened to the voice from heaven that talked with them.          God and His Christ are "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Divine Truth is speaking to us now through the "still small voice," but too often our dull ears fail to catch the harmony of the heavenly voice. God speaks to us through His creation. The flowers teach us of His love, the stars instruct us in His wisdom. The message of the hills, the rivers, the sky, should not be meaningless to us. In the blade of grass is revealed the law that governs the universe; the harvest-fields testify to His bounty, and the tree that "bringeth forth his fruit in his season." The psalmist says: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge;" and Job declared that the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, — all the earth, — testify "that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this."          God's word is always open for all to read. It comes as did the heavenly manna to the children of Israel, each day bringing adequate supply for that day's need. That which was needed by the ancients was revealed to them, and that which is necessary for our advancement is revealed to receptive hearts today. The revelation in Christian Science of God as All, — infinite Life, Truth, and Love, — as divine Principle, has come to this age to satisfy our great need of the Christ-healing, and was given to humanity through the inspired thought of Mary Baker Eddy, whose book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," is its own proof that God speaks today to the one who is ready to hear and obey. There are some who seem to gain a greater degree of understanding than do others, but Truth gives to all a new and enlarged understanding of God, and man as God's reflection; and when we awake to the regenerating power of this revelation, we are eager that all whom we love shall share it with us, and we joyfully bear testimony to the wonderful things which we ourselves have seen and heard.          Do we ask how we shall know that it is the voice of God which speaks to us? We are commanded to "try the spirits;" to "prove all things," and to "hold fast that which is good." Jesus said that the sheep follow the shepherd because they "know his voice." We must silence the material senses if we would hear God speak to us, and when we listen for God's voice we shall be divinely helped to understand. ...          Oh, that we might all say, as did the psalmist, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people."   "How God Speaks to Men" by E. D. Dale Christian Science Sentinel, January 15, 1910

 

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