Chapter II - Atonement And Eucharist
Final purpose
36:1
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.
36:10
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
36:19
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
36:30
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-
37:1
stroys the belief called sin? Does not Science show that
stroys the belief called sin? Does not Science show that
sin brings suffering as much to-day as yesterday? They
who sin must suffer. "With what measure ye mete, it
shall be measured to you again."
Martyrs inevitable
37:5
History is full of records of suffering. "The blood of
History is full of records of suffering. "The blood of
the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Mortals try in
vain to slay Truth with the steel or the stake,
but error falls only before the sword of Spirit.
Martyrs are the human links which connect one stage with
another in the history of religion. They are earth's lumi-
naries, which serve to cleanse and rarefy the atmosphere of
material sense and to permeate humanity with purer ideals.
Consciousness of right-doing brings its own reward; but
not amid the smoke of battle is merit seen and appreciated
by lookers-on.
Complete emulation
37:16
When will Jesus' professed followers learn to emulate
When will Jesus' professed followers learn to emulate
him in all his ways and to imitate his mighty works?
Those who procured the martyrdom of that
righteous man would gladly have turned his
sacred career into a mutilated doctrinal platform. May
the Christians of to-day take up the more practical im-
port of that career! It is possible, – yea, it is the duty
and privilege of every child, man, and woman, – to follow
in some degree the example of the Master by the demon-
stration of Truth and Life, of health and holiness. Chris-
tians claim to be his followers, but do they follow him in
the way that he commanded? Hear these imperative com-
mands: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect!" "Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature!" "Heal the
sick!"
Jesus' teaching belittled
37:32
Why has this Christian demand so little inspiration
Why has this Christian demand so little inspiration