14 And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the faint hearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all. 15 See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but always follow after that which is good, one toward another, and toward all. 16 Rejoice alway; 17 Pray without ceasing; 18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of Gcd in Christ Jesus to you-ward. 19 Quench not the Spirit; 20 Despise not prophesyings: 21 22 23 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good; And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly: and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. GOLDEN TEXT - See that none render unto any one evil for evil; but alway follow after that which is good. I. Thess. 5:15. In this lesson Paul gives a general treatment, covering the six points of Science, in the whole epistle. First, the greeting, which is the recognition of the Principle in all things; second, the thanksgiving, which is the acknowledgment that all things are ours; third, the logic of the doctrine, which is an affirmation of understanding; fourth, the practical application, which is the expression of the law; fifth, the identification of the power in us; and, sixth, a closing affirmation of the Omnipresent Good. It requires patience and perseverance to master all the thoughts that make up the various planes of consciousness in each of us. There are the "unruly " They thoughts that have not yet learned the law of order. They are like a lot of raw recruits in an army. have to be drilled with firmness and patience. Then there are the "feeble-minded" thoughts, those that believe inability and inefficiency. They are always jumping up in our throats and causing us to say "I can't" and "I don't know." The only real comfort we can extend to them is to take away their feebleness and put efficiency in its place. This is easily done by the steady affirmation in thought and word, “I can, I will, I know, and I can do all things through the power of God in me." We support the weak" thoughts by putting a foundation of strength under them. The little weak thoughts that whine as they recite their puny ills are the most subtle, because they appeal to our sympathies. They seem so real at times that we fall into their sly little traps, and instead of being patient only, we become more than patient, we become resigned to the inertia that creeps over us so gently. Here is where we must rise in Spirit and affirm the might and power of the I AM, which is the image and likeness of the Omnipresent God. If you believe in the reality of evil, it will cause you to be restless and unhappy. Your mind and body will reflect the contentious reactions which result from the belief that evil has power. When you know the truth that the good has all the real power, then you will no longer allow these thoughts to keep up their battles in your corsciousness. Say often to yourself: The belief in the reality of evil no longer has place in my mind or body. There are no conflicting emotions in my subconsciousness resulting from this beHef in the duality of forces. I know that God is Good, and that Good is the only power in man and the universe. My world is henceforth ruled by the harmonies of the Infinite Good." "Pray without ceasing." The intellectual man says this is oriental exaggeration; that prayers should Be at stated times, and that it is an absurd proposition to "pray without ceasing." But there are activities of the Spirit which the intellectual man may not have scerned, and among them is this inner flame that constantly recognizes the presence and power of God, and a certain concentration of the mind within the devotee quickens the brain centers in the organism until they constantly quiver with the vibrations of the Man makes the world about him after the pattern of his own mind. He has no other pattern. So we say that the Greek meaning of the word, Ephesus, desire, represented that faculty in the mind, and was used by Gospel writers to symbolize certain movements that go on when the Truth is spoken there. In its physical aspect Ephesus is the stomach. In its mental, it is that ganglion center at the pit of the stomach which controls and directs all the organs pertaining to digestion and assimilation. Philosophers like Darwin and Spencer say that desire is the root of all body building. They claim that desire draws together the few protoplasmic cells that make the stomach of the most primitive life forms. The giraffe desires to nip the tender shoots that grow high up on the trees, and he adds cell by cell to his neck until he reaches them. The deer desires to flee from its enemies, and the desire builds muscles of swiftness. The fish desired to get out into the air above the water, and eventually became a bird. Thus science proves the law of thought in building the body. Desire is but another name for thought. The desire is the center from which goes forth the impetus that makes the form. The cells that build the form are moved upon by ideas; hence the character of the form is determined by the prevailing ideas back of it. Ephesus was given up to idolatry, superstitution and general materialism. So we find in unregenerate man that this center is given up to physical and mortal ideas, and must be raised to the spiritual through the impregnating power of the Word. Hence Paul spent three years preaching the Gospel in Ephesus. The word of Truth cast out evil spirits and healed the sick at Ephesus, and this was imitated by strolling Jew exorcists. They used the same formulas that Paul did, but they had not been converted, or men tally purified, and the evil spirits turned upon them and overpowered them so that they fled. - We find people who want to be healed without repentance — they want to be freed from the penalty of error but do not wish to do right. These ask for word formulas, magic, and they create a demand for the exorcists, that imitate the Truth, but are not in the understanding of that change of heart and thought which must accompany all true healing. Sceva, the Jew, means an established instrument, and refers to the fixed state of mind which prevails in the physical consciousness. The seven sons are the seven centers of thought and action in the body. When we find that through the mere use of words and formulas there is no permanent casting out of the evil that besets us, fear falls upon us and the name of the Lord Jesus is magnified. "And many that had believed came and confessed and showed their deeds." Randall, a Bible authority says, "Confessing, being used absolutely, denotes giving thanks to God for this manifestation of his goodness and power; and showing, declaring, announcing, denotes a report of what they had seen, not a confession of what they had done.” The burning of the books of those who practised "'curious arts," means the total denial of all formulas and aids that are not based in the understanding of Truth. Nothing will yield you a richer reward of gladness and a greater wealth of joy than faithfully to cultivate and auspiciously to develop the happier, warmer, sunnier side of your nature, that you may be a blessing to yourself, and, more than this, a benediction to all with whom you come in contact.-Schuyler Colfax "Golden opportunities may have been missed, but others are forever offering themselves." THE FAMILY HARMONY IN THE HOME Edited by MYRTLE FILLMORE MAKING THE BEST OF EVERY. THING That is what she called it, when I asked her why it was everything went so smoothly in her house, and she always seemed to be in good spirits and never flurried or "put out." A very expressive little smile came into her face as she glanced up from her sewing and replied, "The secret of it is so simple, I doubt if you will think it worth your while to listen to it." "But should I not?" I eagerly answered, "since everybody is praising the knack Mrs. May must have to do all she does and have time for others. It was only yesterday, after I'd given Benny a good, sound scolding for his heedlessness he turned a sorrowful face to me and said, rebukingly, 'If you'se only like Mrs. May, mama, you wouldn't be so hard on us boys. She never fusses at Johnnie, and always kind 'o makes it easy for us. We don't mean no harm, we just like to be a-doin', that's all.' I resisted the temptation to box his ears, and on thinking his words over, decided maybe there was a better way to get at things, and so I am here to learn." She looked up inquiringly, and as if satisfied with my motives, laid down her work and said: "Well, my dear, you are taking the first essential step in wanting to do the right thing, and the next is, making the best of everything. Now, that's all there |