Sunday, November 23rd, 2025 Roundtable
Recognize Only the Divine Control of Spirit
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Soul And Body
Click here to play the audio as you read:
Morning Prayer
…let us not forget that the Lord reigns, and that this earth shall some time rejoice in His supreme rule, — that the tired watchmen on the walls of Zion, and the true Christian Scientist at the foot of the mount of revelation, shall look up with shouts and thanksgiving, — that God’s law, as in divine Science, shall be finally understood; and the gospel of glad tidings bring “on earth peace, good will toward men.”
from Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy, pages 368 to 369
May our Father-Mother God, who in times past hath spread for us a table in the wilderness and “in the midst of our enemies,” establish us in the most holy faith, plant our feet firmly on Truth, the rock of Christ, the “substance of things hoped for” — and fill us with the life and understanding of God, and good will towards men.
from Christian Science versus Pantheism, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 2
Daily Watch
34 — WATCH that you be consistent in your handling of error, not overlooking an error in yourself, or claiming immunity from it, while you continue to hold it as real in another. In the habit of criticism, it is well to remember that that which does the criticizing is no more real or part of man than what is criticized.
When someone in a family is ill, he suffers with “feel-sickness” in contrast to the others, who suffer with “see-sickness.” When error appears real to you, even though it may be manifested by another, it becomes part of your problem, which is to unsee and to make nothing of error, whenever and wherever it presents itself….
I see myself as God’s own child,
As perfect in His sight.
I see my brother-man as well,
A perfect child of light.
Then to complete my prayer,
I see him seeing me aright —
I see him seeing me seeing him
As perfect in Love’s sight.
Discussion points
“[Nemi Robertson] wrote a letter to Mrs. Eddy at a time when she was exercised in her mind about a patient who showed great resentment toward Mrs. Eddy. Although she had not actually mentioned the patient, the reply from Mrs. Eddy contained the advice: ‘Turn your patient’s thought to God, and let Love show me to him just as I really am!’ The patient was healed.”
The Healer by David Keyston
Luke 18:11
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
The Healing of the Nations by William D. McCrackan
Understanding the control which Love held over all, Daniel felt safe in the lions’ den, and Paul proved the viper to be harmless. All of God’s creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible. A realization of this grand verity was a source of strength to the ancient worthies.
It supports Christian healing, and enables its possessor to emulate the example of Jesus. “And God saw that it was good.”
from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, pages 514 to 515
12. 30 : 26-30
If we have triumphed sufficiently over the errors of material sense to allow Soul to hold the control, we shall loathe sin and rebuke it under every mask. Only in this way can we bless our enemies, though they may not so construe our words.
15. 9 : 17-24
Dost thou “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”? This command includes much, even the surrender of all merely material sensation, affection, and worship. This is the El Dorado of Christianity. It involves the Science of Life, and recognizes only the divine control of Spirit, in which Soul is our master, and material sense and human will have no place.
Soul and Body, excerpt from Leaves of Healing by Peter V. Ross
Golden Text: Romans 12 : 1
“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.”
Mind’s Control Over the Body by William D. McCrackan
9. 530 : 5-12
In divine Science, man is sustained by God, the divine Principle of being. The earth, at God’s command, brings forth food for man’s use. Knowing this, Jesus once said, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,” — presuming not on the prerogative of his creator, but recognizing God, the Father and Mother of all, as able to feed and clothe man as He doth the lilies.
If you spiritually take less thought of what appetite craves or desires, about what you eat or drink, then you will drink water instead of coffee, tea or stimulants, and save much expense in cooking and groceries. Your clothing will abide instead of pass away. Your thought will so replenish yourself with wearing apparel that your clothing will be like the widow’s oil, rather than the fashionable ladies’ wardrobe from Parisian models and much time saved for usefulness instead of being expended on shopping, selecting and fitting garments.
You will desire that place in society and the world which removes you furthest from them. The fate of ambition is its snare, its only rationality is madness. We should yearn and aspire to rise above the world, its sorrows or its favors, with as great earnestness as to triumph over sickness, sin and death, for worldly ambition leads in the paths of these conditions which are forbidden and forsaken in Christian Science.
Mary Baker Eddy, Her Spiritual Precepts by Gilbert Carpenter
The following is an inspiring account from Elizabeth Earl Jones, C.S.B, a teacher of Mrs. Eddy’s day.
“…I remember thinking at the time, what a sin it was to interrupt such sacred communion, and I never did it again. Her eyes looked black and luminous. She wore a purple velvet dress and ermine cape, a small purple and ermine bonnet with a black velvet band under her chin. Her hair was soft, curly and snowy white. She was a rarely beautiful, exquisitely refined, yet forceful woman. She sat erect in her carriage like a lady of the old school. There was a gentle elegance about her and great spirituality. She seemed centuries above even the best of humanity today.
“I do not know how Mrs. Eddy looked at the others, but when she seemed to swoop down from heaven to greet me, she seemed to look clean through me with a sweetly searching, penetrating look, like great search light turned full upon me. I felt glad, however, to be searched by such wonderful love. I did not know there was such love in all the world. It warmed me through and through, and lifted me high above the plane of human consciousness. I had never been on that plane before, and have never been entirely on the old plane since. The crushing load just melted into nothingness and I felt so happy and free and so strongly uplifted. For days I seemed to walk on air. I cannot describe the uplift and exhilaration of that divine Love which dear Mrs. Eddy radiated. Every one and everything I saw seemed be baptized in that divine Love. I can imagine, from this experience, what it must have been to come into the presence of Jesus. There is nothing else like it. It is an experience one can never forget.”
The Healer by David Keyston
3. Matthew 16
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.