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Story of Progress The time has come when all
mankind is to be introduced to scientific facts pertaining to spiritual
development, just as he is learning more and more of the scientific facts
governing the everyday world in which he lives. In no phase of life are new
truths being created. It is man, himself, who is unfolding in
consciousness so that he is becoming more aware of truths that have always
existed, truths that he may know and use. It is becoming evident that
scientific facts of a spiritual nature are changing the life of mankind as
vitally as have those of steam, electricity, automotive power, and even
atomic power. A body of facts and truths
systematically arranged showing the operation of general laws constitutes a
science. When the body of knowledge is made up of spiritual truths based upon
the changeless truth of the omnipresence, the omnipotence, and
the omniscience of God, then it and its laws constitute a science of
the Divine. The chapters which follow will present the principle and laws
embraced by such a science under the general title, Divine Science. Chapter 1 Revelation There is nothing covered, that shall not
be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be made known. Luke 12:2
Questions to direct your study (Be alert – find the answers)
Truth is eternal and
changeless, but until every mystery of truth is made plain to the mind of man
there must be revelation. Though “eye hath not seen, nor ear hear, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared,” 1
Cor. 2:9 man also has the promise that, “the eyes of the blind shall be
opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” Isa. 35:5 Revelation comes not at
set times and places but to the individual when he is able to receive and
make use of fuller knowledge. The Spirit of Truth will guide man into all
truth. It is an indwelling Spirit of Divine Intelligence which never forsakes
man but forever proclaims, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock:” Rev. 3:20
and “Lo, I am with you always.” Matt 28:20 When man is willing to hear the
voice and open his consciousness to it, it will guide him into divine
understanding and he will see all things in a new light. “Revelation is an
unveiling, but the veil is on the face of man and not on the face of God.”
The veil is a fitting symbol of our ignorance; with every new revelation of
truth the veil grows thinner. “Which veil is done away in Christ.” 2 Cor.
3:14 In the full understanding of truth all ignorance is done away.
Revelation is not the making of new truth, it is the uncovering of the
ever-present Truth as we are able to see and hear. We speak of the discovery
of a new star; we mean it is a new discovery of a star that belongs to the
ages. It is something new to our understanding, but not new to truth.
In the use of electricity today man has not made a new truth; he has but
discovered the use of an eternal truth. The light of electricity that now
brightens our homes might have illumined the Garden of Eden if man had then
known its presence and the laws of its use. Jesus discovered some
truth that Moses had not seen “Clouds and darkness are around about him,” Ps.
97:2 is the Psalmist’s conception of God. With Jeremiah we have been willing
to say, “Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not
pass through.” Lam. 3:44 In a better understanding of God, John declares,
“God is light and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 That was the true
“light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:9 “Take
heed that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” Luke 11:35 Take care
that thou are not in the dark concerning the things of Truth. The Psalmist and Jeremiah
saw the darkness in their own conceptions and thought the “cloud” was around
God. “Thou thoughtest that was altogether such an one as thyself.” Ps. 50:21
As well might we say on a cloudy day, “The sun has wrapped itself in clouds
and darkness.” The clouds that hide the sun from us are around our earth
and arise from the earth. Every sense of “cloud” – every fear, doubt, sorrow
or pain comes from self and not from God; is around us and not near
the Source of light and love. These are new discoveries that come as we open
our eyes to see and our ears to hear that which forever was and is. We cannot see by the light
that lights another; yet we may get a spark that will set our lamp to
burning, but that is all. There is in each soul an illumination – a radiance
from the Inmost Soul, the Source – that is infinite in love and wisdom. When
the consciousness of an individual is opened to this illumination and he
hears, this is revelation. Truth perceived destroys ignorance and frees our
thoughts. Truth never destroys any portion of truth, for the fuller knowledge
includes all the fragments that have been previously perceived. Jesus found men in this
blind condition. He told them of Truth’s presence “within” and “at hand,” but
knowing that time might be needed for the light of these truths to come he
kindly said, “Seek and ye shall find.” Matt. 7:7 We search for a thing as
long as we do not know where it is. Our search for heaven has proved that we
knew not where to find it. For centuries we have prayed, “Thy kingdom come.”
Since the kingdom is “within us” and “at hand,” from whence is it to come? We
must come to a knowledge of its presence with us and must learn that the
presence of the kingdom means the presence of peace and all good. As soon as
we can understand his words and say, “Thy kingdom is come,” we cease our
search and live in the joy of knowing that pure presence. “Ye shall find”
means that some day we shall know and possess what we sought and then seeking
shall end. The promise is not that we
shall be something we are not and so be freed, but that we shall learn the
truth of what we are, the truth that is changeless. “As it was in the
beginning it is now and ever shall be.” It is a matter then of seeing and of
knowing what we did not know before. Let us not postpone the day of
revelation, neither let us relegate it to the past. Whatever our forefathers
perceived, we may see, and surely we should after these years of
opportunities be able to receive the deeper, broader, higher vision. A child in the process of
education passes from grade to grade in school. In the higher grades he does
not think or speak as he did in the lower grades. We say that a child
receives his education but the word educate, comes from the Latin,
e-ducere, which means to lead out, to develop the faculties and powers
by means of teaching, instruction or schooling. This indicates that the
faculties and powers are already inherent within the child and are to be
brought out and put into use. Even as a child grows so does the race, and
within each member is implanted “a right seed,” for God’s Spirit indwells man
and God reveals to man by His Spirit the things He hath prepared for him. All
development is from the perfect seed implanted in the beginning. Thought
unfold from knowledge into fuller and fuller understanding of its own
possibilities and powers. As any seed contains the
forms and potentialities of the complete plant before growth begins, so
knowledge is the essence of man’s nature before his development in knowledge
is started. The process of revelation of truths new to man comes from within
rather than from without. The essence of all that is to be gained is forever
within man’s consciousness. Divine Science reveals everything
as good in its rightful place, hence it has no prejudice against past
teachings and beliefs. But it also claims “now is the accepted time;” now is
the time of fulfillment because man’s understanding has expanded into the
“ripe corn in the ear.” IT IS CONSCIOUSNESS NOT IN TIME, IN MIND NOT IN
PLACE, THAT PERFECTION IS REALIZED. When we understand that
the infinite goodness of life is here now, we in the midst of it and it in
the midst of us, we shall know how to let this great truth possess us, bringing
realization of harmony to ourselves and others. May the light which was so
clearly revealed to the founders of Divine Science be a spark to awaken the
consciousness of the earnest student as he studies this logical presentation
of a simple basic truth upon which the whole teaching rests – GOD IS
EVERYWHERE. Questions for Review and Discussion
Divine Science Its Principle and Practice
Copyright ã1957 by Divine Science Church and College Denver, Colorado Made
available here by the ministry of Rev.
Lawrence C. Terry, M.Msc., D.Min. P. O. Box
68324 Indianapolis,
IN 46268-0324 |
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