Chapter II - Atonement And Eucharist
Incisive questions
34:1
truly to drink his cup, take his cross, and leave all for
truly to drink his cup, take his cross, and leave all for
the Christ-principle? Then why ascribe this inspira-
tion to a dead rite, instead of showing, by casting out
error and making the body "holy, acceptable unto God,"
that Truth has come to the understanding? If Christ,
Truth, has come to us in demonstration, no other com-
memoration is requisite, for demonstration is Immanuel,
or God with us; and if a friend be with us, why need we
memorials of that friend?
Millennial glory
34:10
If all who ever partook of the sacrament had really
If all who ever partook of the sacrament had really
commemorated the sufferings of Jesus and drunk of
his cup, they would have revolutionized the
world. If all who seek his commemoration
through material symbols will take up the cross, heal
the sick, cast out evils, and preach Christ, or Truth,
to the poor, – the receptive thought, – they will bring
in the millennium.
Fellowship with Christ
34:18
Through all the disciples experienced, they became more
Through all the disciples experienced, they became more
spiritual and understood better what the Master had
taught. His resurrection was also their resur-
rection. It helped them to raise themselves and
others from spiritual dulness and blind belief in God into
the perception of infinite possibilities. They needed this
quickening, for soon their dear Master would rise again
in the spiritual realm of reality, and ascend far above
their apprehension. As the reward for his faithfulness,
he would disappear to material sense in that change which
has since been called the ascension.
The last breakfast
34:29
What a contrast between our Lord's last supper and
What a contrast between our Lord's last supper and
his last spiritual breakfast with his disciples
in the bright morning hours at the joyful
meeting on the shore of the Galilean Sea! His gloom
35:1
had passed into glory, and His disciples' grief into repent-
had passed into glory, and His disciples' grief into repent-
ance, – hearts chastened and pride rebuked. Convinced
of the fruitlessness of their toil in the dark and wakened
by their Master's voice, they changed their methods, turned
away from material things, and cast their net on the right
side. Discerning Christ, Truth, anew on the shore of
time, they were enabled to rise somewhat from mortal
sensuousness, or the burial of mind in matter, into new-
ness of life as Spirit.
35:10
This spiritual meeting with our Lord in the dawn of a
This spiritual meeting with our Lord in the dawn of a
new light is the morning meal which Christian Scientists
commemorate. They bow before Christ, Truth, to re-
ceive more of his reappearing and silently to commune
with the divine Principle, Love. They celebrate their
Lord's victory over death, his probation in the flesh
after death, its exemplification of human probation, and
his spiritual and final ascension above matter, or the flesh,
when he rose out of material sight.
Spiritual Eucharist
35:19
Our baptism is a purification from all error. Our
Our baptism is a purification from all error. Our
church is built on the divine Principle, Love. We can
unite with this church only as we are new‑
born of Spirit, as we reach the Life which
is Truth and the Truth which is Life by bringing forth
the fruits of Love, – casting out error and healing the
sick. Our Eucharist is spiritual communion with the one
God. Our bread, "which cometh down from heaven,"
is Truth. Our cup is the cross. Our wine the inspira-
tion of Love, the draught our Master drank and com-
mended to his followers.
Final purpose
35:30
The design of Love is to reform the sinner. If the
The design of Love is to reform the sinner. If the
sinner's punishment here has been insufficient to re-
form him, the good man's heaven would be a hell to