HERE are two phases of creation described in the first of Genesis. First, the ideal; then the mani fest. After creation is described as complete (see first chapter), we read in the second chapter that "there was not a man to till the ground," showing that manifest man had not yet appeared. The creative process given in these two chapters is seen in every action of mind. A house could not be built except it was first in the mind of the builder. Nothing is ever manifest that is not first an idea in mind. So creation was complete in Divine Mind before it came into manifestation. God could not produce anything but perfection, so his Man Idea was perfect. He created a perfect man and pronounced him "good." But man was given free-will, and in the process of bringing the Divine image into expression he was thrown upon his own responsibility in choosing whether he would work out the God pattern or substitute one of his own. Perhaps his losing sight of the Divine image was a gradual process, but it was done anyway, and man became lost in a maze of ignorance of himself and his creator, and used the power of mind to build up a false state of consciousness, termed by Paul "the carnal mind.” As he was hopelessly lost in the darkness of his ignorant thinking, he needed a light to show him the way. back to the Truth of his being. Jesus came as this light, and the Way, and through him the Divine image and likeness is to be restored in man. He reveals it to men, and through the Spirit of Truth they are helped to drop their old ignorant thoughts about themselves and build anew, after the Pattern given in the ་ beginning. This Pattern, the Divine image and likeness in man, is Christ. It is a spiritual Principle, eternal, changeless, absolute. Jesus recognized the Christ Principle in Him, and brought it into manifestation, and so became Jesus Christ. It is His work to lift all men up to the same place He is in. This lifting up is based on the laws of mind, like producing like. The mortal concept of man is erased, and the Christ concept takes its place. Christ is the Word. When this Christ-Man, the Word, is received into mind by faith it begins a transformation and man becomes a new creature through the power of His thought, making connection with the Christ within, instead of the mortal.-Unity. SUGGESTIONS FOR DAILY MEDITATION Monday. I live to-day in the knowledge that all things are now mine. Tuesday. I live in harmony with Divine Law. Wednesday. The indwelling spirit of Truth fills me with abundant life. Thursday. I do not worry, because I have faith in God, and I know that He is now guiding me to do all things well. Friday. I am not afraid of evil, because I know that it is not reality. God is good and God is all. Saturday. I am not bound by personality and environment-I express God's life freely. Sunday. "Nothing exterior shall take command of me"-I am under the law. of Spirit.-Unity. CHILDREN AND FLY-KILLING Ella Wheeler Wilcox, in the Los Angeles Herald, makes protest against teaching children to kill flies. She gives an epitomized account of Prof. Elmer Gates's experiments in brain study, proving that impressions from the outside, with their corresponding reactive inner activities on the part even of animals, build and give character to the brain. If so the child brain is fashioned with a permanent touch by its activities, the greatest care must be taken as to what impressions are made on children's brains and what thoughts awakened. She says: "The child knows the fly is a living thing and that the classic edict which has been sent forth by its elders to "swat the fly" means to kill the insect. "I have seen a boy of 10 seize the wriggling creature which he had but half killed with one blow and hold it before the face of a visitor with a look of sav age glee in his young countenance as he related how many he had killed that day. "Imagine what such thoughts, ambitions and feelings are doing to that young brain; how every thought of killing is shaping and forming the brain cells of destruction and making it an easy matter for the boy to destroy life without a qualm. "It is right and commendable for grown men of reasoning age and scientiic tendencies to make warfare on all unlean insects, reptiles and dangerous aninals. "The earth must be made habitable, omfortable and sanitary for the highest volved expression of the Creator-Man. t was once the home of monstrous easts, snakes and insects. They ruled he earth. the useless or dangerous creatures must go in their turn. "But it is far less a menace to the race to allow some of these creatures to survive than to breed a race of men and women whose brain cells have been de veloped in criminality by the wrong process of thought in early youth. "Children are not ready to cope with the problem of freeing the forest of reptiles and savage beasts or of freeing the marshes from mosquitoes, or of planning. sanitary sewerage for the home. These things must be done by grown men with trained minds. "And it is most dangerous to undertake a simplifying of any one of these undertakings by teaching the children of to-day to kill even insects for praise or prizes." GIVE UNDIVIDED STRENGTH Everybody should be interested in bringing about the time of peace and plenty to all the people of the earth. If one sees nothing better than the plans and methods of some political party he should support that party with his thought and word and vote. If he knows that Spirit is the only remedy for all ills, he should give to Spirit and the spread of spiritual understanding his undivided strength and power and wisdom. Those who know that Spirit is the only healing power do not give pills to cleanse the system of impurities, and by the same logic those in spiritual understanding do not expect to purify the body politic by administering the doses prescribed by the various political parties. If a great plan is being worked out, it would seem the part of wisdom to study it and fall in line with it, and be ready to be partakers in the work of carrying it out, when the "The giant animals have gone, and all time is ripe.-Edna L. Carter in Unity. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37). "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). True religion begins and ends in love to God and man. Love is a test of our Christianity. It is the strongest and most infallible test that could be given. Love is the image of God in the soul. Without love to God and man there never was true religion and never can be. Our love to God is shown by our walking according to His commandments. "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Whoever is filled with love will do all things that are pleasing to God, for love is the very principle of obedience. If we love not our brother it is a proof that the love of God is not in us; and if we have not the love of God in us we cannot love God, for God can be loved only by the influence of His own love. So without this love for our brother any profession that we make is but an empty one. The Bible is a mirror to the soul, and when we examine our hearts in the light of God's Word we can always find out our true condition. In the third chapter of Ist John it says: "We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren." Love is so active in its nature, and so marked in its effect, that none need be in doubt as to whether they possess it or not. Love is not desirous of its own welfare only, but of its brother's also. No one is a Christian who is solicitous for his own happiness alone, and cares not for his brother. Love to God and love to man can never be separated. No man is of God who is not ever ready and will ing to perform any act of kindness toward another. Love does not think evil of another but is ever ready to believe the very best of every person, and will credit no evil against anyone without the most positive proof. When a Christian gives way to unkind words about another, he loses his spiritual balance and grieves the Spirit of God. Not only are we not to do any evil toward our brother, but we are not to harbor any hatred in our hearts. "Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer". that is, he has the same principle in him that was in Cain, and it may lead to the same consequences unless gotten rid of. Love is not grieved or vexed because another is preferred above it. Those who have pure love are willing that others should be preferred above them, and rejoice with them in it. We owe to our borther what we expect from him. To love our brother as ourselves is a positive command. By this rule we should think speak and write concerning everyone. Love in the heart makes it easy to keep love in the life. All Christians have some love, but we all need more, and when we get more we shall need still more. Be loved, let us love one another, and ever be ready to promote each other's welfare. Alfa E. Murray in The War Cry. THE GIFT OF MAKING FRIENDS Blessed are they who have the gift o making friends, for it is one of God best gifts. It involves many things, bu above all the power of going out of one self and appreciating whatever is nobl and loving in another.-Thomas Hughes CHRIST AND THE CATTLE It is a significant fact that our Savior was cradled in a manger, and that Mary, crowded out from the inn or caravansary, found shelter with the beasts of burden and cattle of the field, and brought forth the Prince of Peace in a common stable. It was literally true, as we sing at Christmas-time: "Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining, DEEP THOUGHT IS WHOLESOME THOUGHT The trouble with most of us is that we are not really interested in anything. We have interests, to be sure, but they are diffuse, thin, weak-they do not grip us. That is why comparatively few of us ever think in the true sense of the term. That is why, when we are called upon to do anything in the nature of sustained. mental effort, we are overwhelmed by doubt, fear, worry, and mayhap have Low lies His head with the beasts of the finally to call in the doctor with his sage stall." Nothing in our Savior's life is without its lesson of divine wisdom, and we may study the circumstances of His birth, sure of finding at every point ample reward for our industry. I call attention to "Christ among the Cattle" Why was our Savior cradled in a manger? Why was He, whose advent had been the exalted theme of prophet and psalmist, denied the honor so readily accorded children of a royal line? Excellent reasons have been advanced, and yet one of great importance seems to have been overlooked. Was not Our Savior's advent associated with beasts of the stall to teach us lessons of respect for and kindness toward the animal world? Certain it is that whenever the Christ is born again in the manger of the human heart, the fragrant flowers of mercy and kindness spring up on every side, and I would not give much for the religion of a man who has no sacred regard for brute life. -Frederic Rowland Marvin in Our Dumb Animals. Wisdom is knowing what to do next. Skill is knowing how to do it; and virtue is doing it.-David Starr Jordan. pronouncement: "Poor fellow, he has been thinking too hard." In point of fact, we have not been thinking at all, simply because we have not been interested enough to think. Let us get truly interested in something, no great matter what it is, and thinking about it-definitely, tirelessly, earnestly thinking about it--we shall find ourselves grow both in mental and bodily vigor. SENT HERE TO HELP Whoever you are, wise or foolish, rich or poor, God sent you into His world as He has sent every other human being to help the men and women in it, to make them better and happier. If you don't do that, no matter what your powers may be, you are mere lumber, a worthless bit of the world's furniture. A Stradivarius, if it hangs dusty and dumb upon the wall, is not of as much real value as a kitchen poker which is used.-Rebecca Harding Davis. Wouldst thou enjoy life-a healthy body-a vigorous mind? Labor to bring thy appetite to reason.-Benjamin Franklin. Smart Sayings and Flashes of Fun From Many Sources SUICIDE IN COMFORT "No nation is so fitted to celebrate Thanksgiving as the Irish," said Chauncey Olcott. "Our Irish citizens enter into this feast with a zest we might all emulate. This is due, no doubt, to the high spirits of the Irish and their love of comfort and good cheer. "There's a story illustrative of this Irish trait—a story about the only Irishman who ever attempted to commit suicide. "The man was found struggling furiously in midair. He had fixed one end of a rope about an oak and the other end about his waist. His rescuer found him spinning and kicking and groaning lustily, eight feet above the ground. A "HOT ONE!! Two English women met, at the end of the summer, on top of an English 'bus. One said to the other: "Well, Miss Eustis, did you have an enjoyable holiday?" "No, I didn't," replied Miss Eustis; "I went to Ireland and had a miserable time." "What was the matter?" her friend asked. "Well," was the reply, "I saw nothing in Ireland but rain and Catholics." At which an Irish woman sitting in the seat in front of the two turned around and said: "Excuse me, Mum, but take a bit of advice. The next holiday you get go to hell, Mum, and you'll not be troubled there with rain or Catholics!" GOING TOO FAR Mitchell Kennerley, the New York publisher, had just rejected a novel. The mortified author called to see Mr. Kennerley at his office about it. "I think you are making a grave mistake," the author said. "This book of mine is sensational. And don't you know, sir, that all the best sellers have been sensational of late?" "That may be true," Mr. Kennerley answered coldly, "but surely it is going too far when you so murder the English tongue as to make three or four sensa tions on every page." ONE VICTIM Napper-Jones is so visionary! Nobody takes any stock in his schemes. Snapper (gloomily)-I did.-Judge. |