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When a lesson citation is from the the Christian Science textbook, as a scientist, I need to consider in my mind what cardinal point the respective textbook chapter is designed to address, and in what 'river' of development the chapter is located. This sets up a part of the background against which the citation unfolds. (see example). In the above example two additional sets of four concepts have been associated to the four levels of the cardinal points, as defined in the Glossary of the Christian Science textbook. One of these sets are: Heaven, Kingdom of Heaven, Earth, and Hell. The
second set is: Day, Morning, Evening, and Night. I also need to associate the visual image with the lesson citation, that Mary Baker Eddy has created for the matrix position that corresponds with the textbook chapter that the citation is from. This visual image is contained in the painting from Christ and Christmas, for this matrix position, supported by its associated verse. The same process of association also applies to the respective stanza from the Lord's Prayer with Mary Baker Eddy's spiritual sense added. (see example) With this rich spiritual environment established, which acts like a portal to the spiritual dimension that the citation pertains to, I can now profitably enter the 'land' of scientific perception that lesson citation is indented to open up to me. Thus, I 'walk' through the portal and read the citation. Having come through this portal, the citation suddenly becomes profoundly alive as it unfolds in the dimension that Mary Baker Eddy has created for the particular textbook chapter by means of the numerous structures that became related to it through the interface of the city foursquare. (see illustration) Actually, Mary Baker Eddy related all of her major works to the city foursquare. I have found for myself, however, that the structures of the images and verses in Christ and Christmas, and the stanzas of the Lord's Prayer with Mary Baker Eddy's spiritual sense added, together with definitions of the rivers and cardinal points, are altogether richly sufficient to bring the lesson citations to life. I may find it useful in the future to bring other structures into the context of the lesson citations as well, and I probably will, but for now the above are plenty enough to consider and to grow with. The structures that I may consider in the future in the same manner, and probably will, are the structures of the Platform of Christian Science, the Glossary definition of 'Mortal Mind' and vast structure that unfolds from the Glossary (see illustration). I may even add the sections of the Church Manual in the same manner. In order to make it easy for you to evaluate the rich environment that these related structures bring to the Bible lessons, I have created for your convenience a set of 26 Bible lessons (from the year 1898) which have all of the major references added that pertain to the chapter that a textbook citation is from. There are 600 more of these fully prepared lessons available in MS Dos format for the reaming years till 1910. (download) The example of the references shown below apply to the Internet presentation only. In the DOS format the layout is slightly different, although the information is the same, which however, can be edited. The references in the internet presentation have the following format:
The first line, shown in red, presents the textbook chapter that a lesson citation belongs to, followed by the definition for the river in which the chapter is located. The text in the frame below presents the applicable painting title from Mary Baker Eddy's book, Christ and Christmas with the correlative verse shown below the clickable title. If you click on the painting title to will be able to see the painting itself. Please keep in mind which half of the painting is applicable when a painting contains two scenes and has two verses associated with it. In such cases only a part of the painting applies. In the example shown, only the second part applies. (clicking on the painting itself will give you a more detailed image of it) To the left of the verse from Christ and Christmas, in the reference information frame above, a representation of the entire matrix is shown. A plus sign in this mini matrix denotes the matrix position that the textbook chapter belongs to. You need to know this position in order to situate the textbook chapter in relationship to the cardinal points and the rivers. The definition for the cardinal points is not shown in the reference information frame, since it is easily remembered, as shown below (top to bottom) 1. The Word of Life, Truth, and Love.
The last line in the reference information frame presents the applicable stanza from the Lord's Prayer and Mary Baker Eddy's presentation of its spiritual sense, whichever is applicable. (see detailed mapping) I have personally found that the 'portal' created by these references to other associated structures enriches the dimension of the citation and uplifts one's spiritual perception, in many cases profoundly so. Naturally, all the thought processes that go into brining the various aspects into one comprehensive environment of thought, slows down the process of reading the lessons. But so what? Speed is not the point in scientific exploration, isn't it? The point in scientific exploration is to raise questions in consciousness that one needs to find answers for. The point in scientific exploration is to start as a process of dialog, asking questions, finding answers, asking more questions; even questions, like: What does it all mean? The point in this dialog is, that the questions are directed to the Christ in human consciousness. Isn't this process of searching and finding, and rejoicing, also the same process that Mary Baker Eddy utilized in discovering Christian Science in the first place? That's what makes the Christian Science Bible Lessons so rich, because they provide in profound statements what Mary Baker Eddy understood, which she then set up against a background environment of spiritual ideas that she fond important enough to provide for us as an environment in which her statements in the textbook come more richly to fruition. In this context one doesn't just read the lessons. One learns the process of discovery itself. One interfaces with the Christ on a direct basis. Should one be surprised, then, that healings occur? No! It is useful to ask oneself here, why Mary Baker Eddy may have found it important to relate all of her major works to the foursquare matrix of the city foursquare. One may also ask why it is important that this relationship be drawn into focus with the daily Bible Lessons. The self-evident answer is contained in Revelation 21 where the Apostle John perceived the city foursquare as descending from God out of heaven. Isn't Mary Baker Eddy saying to us as she associated all of her works with the city foursquare structure, that we should keep in mind that everything that she has discovered and created has a divine origin, rather than a personal origin? Isn't she saying that Christian Science, and every structure that is associated with it; every Bible lesson and what provides the background for it; incorporates that vital element of healing that rests on one's perception that all of Mary Baker Eddy's achievements come to light as fundamentally a divine emanation, perceived in the mind of one of the foremost scientists of the 19th century, if not the the foremost since the days of Christ Jesus? Unless the healing that incorporates all of this is pursued conscientiously, the reading of the lesson is in danger of becoming merely a philosophical exercise, rather than a scientific exercise for developing ones communication with God, infinite Mind. In their context with the city foursquare, the Christian Science Bible Lessons also establish another profound focus for healing. This focus comes to light in the Apostle John's perception of the end of all evil which he related to the city foursquare. Unless we see the mission of Christian Science in this context, our perception of it is incomplete and the needed healing of humanity, and of ourselves, will not be achieved. That is why it is save to say that Mary Baker Eddy's design of the Christian Science Bible Lessons and their tight interrelationship to the city foursquare, is the single most important element in Christian Science healing. It stands at the center of so much. And yes, individual healing tends to unfold in the flow of it as a necessary consequence of the Christ's global mission that incorporates Mary Baker Eddy's work.
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