Christian Scientists know that their religion is emphatic in stressing the importance of the incorporeality of God. However, Mrs. Annie M. Knott, C.S.D., a personal student of Mary Baker Eddy, writes editorially: “Humanity has been slowly yielding up the belief in a corporeal God, . . .” (Christian Science Sentinel, Volume XVI, page 371, January 10, 1914). There is a great need for understanding this fact of the slow yield.

          Even though some denominations of Protestant Christendom accept academically the fact that God is “without body, parts, or passions,” human thought is slow to yield to this fact of God’s incorporeality. The good results of doing so were realized, however, in the great advancements which came to the nation of England, — the progress and development in all areas of life, — at the time of the Reformation and with the overwhelming acceptance of the Book — the English Bible. There is no higher level of living than in a nation which has become a church-nation.

THE SLOWER YIELD:

THE INCORPOREALITY OF MAN

          The reason that Christendom is slow to yield to the fact of God’s incorporeality is because it believes man to be corporeal, and made in the image and likeness of God. Mankind cannot truly and completely avow its belief in God’s incorporeality while believing man to be corporeal. If thought is slow to yield to the incorporeality of God, it seems even slower to yield to the acceptance of man’s incorporeality. Yet this is what Christian Science teaches and the time has come to demonstrate this fact.

          Despite the allegory in the second chapter of Genesis where it is narrated that man was made of the dust of the ground, Jesus and Paul condemned this lie and proved its falsity.

JESUS DID NOT ACCEPT THE PERSON (BODY) OF MAN

          With the advent of Jesus of Nazareth a higher thought of man as spiritual and existing outside the flesh was attained. In Matthew we read: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life [body], 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?” (Matt. 6:25) And Luke tells us: “And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person [body] of any, but teachest the way of God truly.” (Luke 20:21)

          Mrs. Eddy writes: “He overcame the world, the flesh [body], and all error, thus proving their nothingness. He wrought a full salvation from sin, sickness and death. We need ‘Christ, and him crucified.’ We must have trials and self-denials, as well as joys and victories, until all error is destroyed.” (S&H 39:4) During his three-year mission Jesus showed his followers that we cannot attain the transfiguration and our salvation until we crucify the flesh, in accord with his example. As Paul says, we must “mortify the deeds of the body.” (Rom. 8:13)

LAZARUS NEVER LIVED IN THE BODY

          Mrs. Eddy writes: “Had Jesus believed that Lazarus had lived . . . in his body, the Master would have stood on the same plane of belief as those who buried the body, and he could not have resuscitated it.” (S&H 75:16) She also writes: “Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man’s dominion over the whole earth.” (S&H 14:25-28) As said Jesus: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” The person (body) of man, which Jesus did not accept, was not of God but entirely separate.

          Mrs. Eddy also states: “It is contrary to Christian Science to suppose that life is either material or organically spiritual.” (S&H 83:21-22)

          According to Mrs. Eddy’s words about Lazarus, every treatment given by Jesus would have to be from the standpoint that no one ever lives in his or her body. He “mortified” the belief in Adam and a man or woman made from the dust of the ground.

THE CROSS OF JESUS

          The cross of Jesus was the sacrificing of the material body. At the time of the Protestant Reformation the manner in which the Holy Communion was administered changed. In the medieval Christian church of southern Europe the celebration of Holy Communion claims that when Christ Jesus broke bread, and gave it to his disciples with the words, “Take, eat, this is my body,” that there occurred a miraculous change by which the bread was altered in substance into the literal body of Christ. They call this occurrence “transubstantiation” which is defined as “the change, by and at the consecration of the elements in the Eucharist, of the whole substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, only the appearance of the bread and wine remaining; also, the doctrine that such a change occurs.” (Webster)

          The Protestant Church of England and northern Europe, on the other hand, at the time of the Reformation discarded the medieval belief and acknowledged and avowed that “the bread broken represented his body so soon to be broken on the cross.” (Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Co., 1926, page 1078)

          Protestant Christianity recognized the breaking of bread to mean that his body was to be broken BY THE CROSS; that is, “to be present with the Lord,” he had “to be

absent from the body”! He was requiring his followers to eat — to partake of — his broken body, his INCORPOREALITY. They had to do this individually for themselves in order to enter his kingdom. No one can enter the kingdom of heaven without the Eucharist and Baptism, the two sacraments of Christ, in their spiritual significance.

          Christ Jesus was the Son of the incorporeal God; not of the Lord God who mythically made man in a fleshly body. We have to break this myth for ourselves.

SOME OF PAUL’S WORDS REGARDING BODY (“FLESH”)

          Paul writes to the Galatians: “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Gal. 5:24)

          To the Romans: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Rom. 6:6)

          Also to the Romans:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye

live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Rom. 8:1-17)

          And also to the Romans Paul writes:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom. 12:1, 2)

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal. 2:20)

WHY RAISE LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD?

          It might be asked why Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead if he did not believe Lazarus had ever lived in the body? In Luke 13 we are given a clear explanation. “The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:31-33)

          Jesus and his followers do not “perish [die] out of Jerusalem,” they are perfected out of it; that is, they rise spiritually out of the belief of life in matter, of “body, parts, or passions.” This is achieved as one “casts out devils” and does “cures” both for himself and for others. We do not reach his kingdom by dying, but by transfiguring, or transforming — changing our thinking from the standpoint of material sense and the corporeality of man to a clear apprehension of our incorporeality as in the first chapter of Genesis. The healing of the sick and the raising of the dead is for this purpose alone,

and not to extend the enjoyment of materiality. It is for the purpose of laying off the body formed of the dust of the ground by the Lord God, and rising to the perception of our true spiritual identity as the incorporeal image and likeness of God.

          Jesus emphasized to his followers that there can be no transfiguration or salvation until each crucifies for himself the flesh, according to the example he gave. Paul does not hesitate to tell us that we must “mortify the deeds of the body.” (Rom. 8:13)

THE UNITED STATES TO BECOME A CHURCH-NATION

          As England accepted the Bible and acknowledged the incorporeality of God and became a church-nation, so the original New England colonies of America were founded by a church and were constituted as a church-nation. Is it not logical to expect that the United States will accept Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, acknowledge the incorporeality of man, and complete its destiny as a church-nation? As this is accomplished, Christendom in America will return to the spiritual teachings and simplicity of life in primitive Christianity; the present quest for material “life enrichment” will be discarded and the church take its place.

EVENTS TO ENCOURAGE CHANGE

          At the time Jesus departed, his disciples had interpreted his teaching to mean that he would return in their lifetime, and following his Second Advent the world would come to an end. It is well to consider what this meant to their way of thinking and their lifestyle. Did this not make them readily responsive to the teaching of God as Spirit, and of man as incorporeal? Not wars or rumors of wars would serve to bring about this mental and spiritual result then, nor has it today. Apparently nothing short of world termination can serve to cause mankind to turn away from corporeality. Jesus evidently knew this.

          Although the teachings of primitive Christianity have been and are being taught in Christian Science, thought does not readily accept them. The threat of atomic war or any other similar catastrophe does not hasten or spur mankind, or Christian Scientists, to seek the God who is infinite Spirit or to seek man’s incorporeality. American Christendom may not quickly or readily yield to the fact of man’s incorporeality, but persuaders are closing in.

THE CLOSING OF HISTORY

          One wonders why Jesus permitted his disciples to believe he would return and the world come to an end during their lifetime. Undoubtedly the attitude of thought imbued with that conviction produces the greatest level of spiritual endeavor and spirituality. It was that attitude of thought which preserved the original spiritual language of his teaching. Had he said he would return in 2000 years it is most likely there would be no New Testament, surely not the one we have today.

          When it became apparent that his return, and the end of the world, were to be delayed, many variant interpretations of his teachings arose in Christendom in the form of denominations. Church historian, Robert Peel, indicates in Years of Authority, that even Christian Science has not been immune to the tendency towards variant interpretations. Despite this fact, Christian Science is a science and can be subject to only one method in its teaching (explanation). As Mrs. Eddy writes: “Those who depart from this method forfeit their claims to belong to its school, . . .” (S&H 112:5-7)

          As the self-destruction of the world becomes more evident to present day Christendom, the various interpretations of the teachings of Christ Jesus will yield to the scientific interpretation found only in Christian Science. Until that time no disaster, no wars or rumors of wars, no earthquake, famine, or pestilence will shake off divergent or variant interpretations of the teachings of Christ Jesus, or Mary Baker Eddy, — only the stark evidence of the coming end of the world. This is the same attitude of thought which inspired the early Christians, that produced our inspired gospels and the letters of Paul.

          It is the original teaching of Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy that will be the saviour of humanity. As John the Baptist asked: “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7)

          Mrs. Eddy tells us that the answer to this is found in the Scriptures and in the teachings of Christian Science. She writes, “The spiritual status is urging its highest demands on mortals, and material history is drawing to a close.” (No and Yes 45:25-27)

          Mrs. Eddy also writes, “. . . the mist of materialism will vanish as we approach spirituality, the realm of reality; cleanse our lives in Christ’s righteousness; bathe in the baptism of Spirit, and awake in His likeness.” (Misc. 30:29)

LUTHER’S BATTLE SONG

          At times of reformation there are conflicting opinions and strong persecutions. We are now in such a time of reform. Dr. Schaff states in Creeds of Christendom: “The heroic spirit of the Reformers in these trying times found its noblest expression in the words and tune of Luther’s immortal battle-song, based on Psalm xlvi.:

‘A tower of strength our God is still,
A mighty shield and weapon;
He’ll help us clear from all the ill
That hath us now o’ertaken. . . .

‘And though they take our life —
Goods, honor, children, wife —
Yet is their profit small;
These things shall vanish all —
The City of God remaineth.’”

Siquis habet aurem, audiat. — Joannis Apocalypsis XIII.9

                                                                    “If any man have an ear, let him hear.”