Chapter II - Atonement And Eucharist
The last breakfast
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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the sinner. They, who know not purity and affection by
the sinner. They, who know not purity and affection by
experience, can never find bliss in the blessed company of
Truth and Love simply through translation
into another sphere. Divine Science reveals
the necessity of sufficient suffering, either before or after
death, to quench the love of sin. To remit the penalty
due for sin, would be for Truth to pardon error. Escape
from punishment is not in accordance with God's govern-
ment, since justice is the handmaid of mercy.
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Jesus endured the shame, that he might pour his
Jesus endured the shame, that he might pour his
dear-bought bounty into barren lives. What was his
earthly reward? He was forsaken by all save John,
the beloved disciple, and a few women who bowed in
silent woe beneath the shadow of his cross. The earthly
price of spirituality in a material age and the great moral
distance between Christianity and sensualism preclude
Christian Science from finding favor with the worldly-
minded.
Righteous retribution
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A selfish and limited mind may be unjust, but the un-
A selfish and limited mind may be unjust, but the un-
limited and divine Mind is the immortal law of justice as
well as of mercy. It is quite as impossible for
sinners to receive their full punishment this
side of the grave as for this world to bestow on the right-
eous their full reward. It is useless to suppose that the
wicked can gloat over their offences to the last moment
and then be suddenly pardoned and pushed into heaven,
or that the hand of Love is satisfied with giving us only
toil, sacrifice, cross-bearing, multiplied trials, and mock-
ery of our motives in return for our efforts at well doing.
Vicarious suffering
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Religious history repeats itself in the suf-
Religious history repeats itself in the suf-
fering of the just for the unjust. Can God
therefore overlook the law of righteousness which de-