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Christian
Science
Bible
Lessons
I
enjoy the Sunday lessons very
much. The Bible is so plain to me
now when studying it with Science
and Health.
Jennie
Keast
The Christian Science
Journal
January, 1901
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"Spiritual
uplift"
Christian
Science taught me to learn the
inner meaning of passages in the
Scriptures, which are so
wholesome and satisfying; the
understanding of them satisfies
the hunger for spiritual
uplift.
Frank
L. Reissner
The Christian Science
Journal
October, 1922
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CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE
BIBLE LESSON
"Happy is the man that
findeth wisdom . . ."
Proverbs
This
week's lesson
subject:
SOUL
"He
that is our God is the God of
salvation."
Psalms
68:20.
Last
week's subject:
SPIRIT
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weekly Christian Science
Bible Lesson by e-mail, please click
here.
The following are format examples only, and
not our current lesson: html,
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text,
large
print,
extra
large print,
or
regular
(citations only).
The History and
Development of the
Christian Science Bible Lessons
From 1879
to 1889, Mrs. Eddy was pastor of the Church of
Christ, Scientist. She delivered sermons during
this period, and was also assisted by students who
served as "assistant pastors." In July, 1888, the
then assistant pastor, Frank E. Mason, CSB, began
to publish in the Christian Science Journal,
Notes on the International Sunday-School
Lessons, written from the Christian Science
standpoint, and entitled Bible Lessons.
At first only two lessons per month were issued. In
the June, 1889 Journal appeared the
International Bible Lessons with a few
references to Science and Health. The lesson in
this issue was divided into four subjects, one for
each of the four Sundays in July.
In the July, 1889
Journal, a notice appeared as follows:
Christian Science Sermons. The Christian
Science Publishing Society is preparing to issue a
series of sermons on topics of Christian Science
for the use of Sunday meetings. These will be
selected with a view to the various conditions of
thought that have to be met among inquirers and
those who have gained some understanding. These,
with The Christian Science Series and the Bible
Leaflets, or Christian Science Bible Lessons, will
meet all the requirements of Sunday meetings where
there is no preacher.
In the August, 1889
Journal, the lessons were resumed under the
title of Christian Science Bible Lessons.
(International Series). F.E. Mason, CSB. In
this series, each weeks lesson had a separate
title. Also, in this August Journal appeared
the following: The demand for the Christian
Science Bible Lessons is such that it has been
found necessary to issue them as a regular serial
(i.e., in reprints from the Journal) . . .
All who hold Sunday services are earnestly
recommended to make a study of these Lessons a
feature of their meetings, and to commence with the
first of the Series . . . These lessons are based
on the same Scripture texts as the International
Series, but there is nothing else in common. They
are Christian Science Bible Lessons, pure and
simple . . . They will be published eventually in a
volume for the use of Bible students. They will
doubtless form one of the standard publications of
the Publishing Society . . .
The first Christian
Science Bible Lessons to be printed separately from
the Journal began December, 1889. The
purpose of this separate printing was to give more
space in the Journal for articles. From this date
onwards the Bible Lessons were not printed in the
Journal.
In January, 1890,
the Bible Lessons were compiled by a committee. The
name F.E. Mason, CSB no longer appeared
on the publication. It contained copious references
to passages in Science and Health with Key to
the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, illustrative
of the Scripture text under
consideration.
With the issue of
February, 1890, the Cross and Crown
emblem appeared on the Bible Lessons
leaflet.
In the
Journal for March, 1890, appeared the
following: April first, the International
Christian Science Bible Lessons will be issued in
the form of a quarterly. Thus the Christian
Science Bible Lessons terminated with the April
issue, and The Christian Science Quarterly,
Volume 1, Number 1, began with the issue of
April-May-June, 1890.
The practice of
reading Bible Lessons at Sunday
services became so general that at a meeting of the
Christian Scientist Association in October, 1891,
the subject came in for long discussion, as
indicated by the Association's records: Much
was said in favor of the Bible Lessons, of how much
they had accomplished in the Sunday services, in
place of sermons . . ."
A
Chronology of the
Christian Science Bible Lessons
1872
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Permanent
foundation established for the Uniform
Series of the International Sunday-school
Bible Lessons, to be used by Protestant
churches.
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1888
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The
Christian Science Journal first
includes Notes on the International
Sunday-school Lessons written from a
Christian Science standpoint, by Frank E.
Mason, CSB, assistant pastor of the Church
of Christ (Scientist), Boston.
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1889
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The
Journal contains an announcement
that the Christian Science Bible Lessons
are in such demand that they will be
issued as a regular serial, and
recommended to be featured in Sunday
services. Mrs. Eddy appoints a committee
of four to prepare the Christian Science
Bible Lessons.
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1890
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Christian
Science Quarterly begins with the
April-June issue. Article appears in the
May Journal describing a successful
experiment using selections from
Science and Health and the Bible in
place of a sermon.
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1891
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For
uniformity among Christian Scientists in
their church services, Mrs. Eddy submits
an Order of Exercise which included
reading from Science and Health and
the Bible as well as a sermon.
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1894
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Mrs. Eddy
ordains the Bible and Science and
Health as pastor for The Mother Church
on December 14th.
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1895
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The Bible
and Science and Health ordained as
dual pastor for all Churches of Christ,
Scientist in the April
Journal.
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1897
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The first
"Explanatory Note" appeared in the
January-March Quarterly.
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1899
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Separate
set of afternoon or evening lessons based
on the International Series was
discontinued.
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Related Articles
The
following articles address the study and the
spiritual value of the Christian Science Bible
Lessons.
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