HEAVEN

BY
LILLIAN DEWATERS

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
him. 1 Cor. 2:9

“When God is seen with men to dwell,

And all creation makes anew,
What tongue can half the wonders tell?
What eye the dazzling glories view?”

LOVINGLY DEDICATED
TO THE HOSTS OF READERS
 NEAR AND FAR 
WHO HAVE BEEN HELPED ON THEIR WAY
BY
THINKING HEAVENWARD

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From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of 
heaven is at hand.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 4:17.

Jesus did no works of healing prior to his forty days‟ fast in the wilderness.
wilderness .
From that time he began to preach and teach publicly, making known to the
 people that the revelation of eternal life would now be declared to them. He
must have meant: “Repent ye!ye ! Forsake ye the old way of thinking and
and living;
give up your present erroneous ideas of life; for I am here to instruct you and
to teach you the truth about heaven.”

The Master taught that it is necessary for us to put on the seamless robe,  — the
 — the
consciousness that believes in good only, and recognizes God as the only
 power; in proportion as we do this, will all evil become unnatural and unreal to
us; suffering and limitation will cease; and we will enter heaven, which is the
abode of love, peace, and harmony.

Try it for yourself. The only proof that a theory is correct is the result
result
obtained.

Refuse to believe in the reality of all material phenomena, clinging to the

reality and presence of one Mind, good. This is the way to demonstrate
demonstrate in a
 practical manner the presence of heaven.

The greatest good that we can do for anyone is to help destroy for him his
 belief in the reality of matter. “Lo, I [the spir itual
itual reality] am with you alway.”
al way.”

The underlying hypothesis of all the teachings of Jesus is the unreality of 
matter. The dynamic force of every single miracle is the unreality of matter.
matter.
 Nothing but good, the real, possesses duration.

The only absolute phenomena, the only realities of heaven are divine Mind and
its ideas.

Heaven, the perfection of being, can only be entered, entertained, in proportion

as consciousness through the understanding of spiritual realities, separates
itself from every thought which is unlike Go(o)d.

Each must deal directly with

with the
the Father. To each may be given “the hidden
manna,” the “new name written;” but you must “work out [with God] your 
own salvation.”

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 No one can properly force open a rosebud; nor will it give forth wondrous
 bloom without the
th e necessary nourishment. Unfoldment of God comes to each
individual gradually, as he is ready for it,  —  as he reaches out for it and
welcomes it. If you are half-hearted, half
half awake, you will not accomplish
accomplish
much.

Stir up the gift of God, which is in you.  — II

 — II TIMOTHY.
Let every man prove his own work.  — GALATIANS.
 — GALATIANS.

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Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  — MATT.
 —  MATT.
5:3.

Those who are humble in thought find easy access into heaven. “By humility
are riches and life.” — PROVERBS.
— PROVERBS.

Heaven, the spiritual

spiritual kingdom, is a perfection of being to be lived. It is the
world of reality where there is nothing but God and His manifestation.
Suppose this truth about God and heaven is explained to two individuals, both
of whom are in quest of health. The first questions: “How long
l ong will it take me
to be healed of my sickness and to understand God aright?”

“The demands of Spirit are that you give up your present erroneous ways of 
thinking and living.
living. It may take a day, a week, a month,
month, or even longer for youyou
to manifest the
the health which is of heaven; but what ifif it does? Have you not
 been sick in mind and body for months and years? It generally takes time to
gain a working knowledge of music, of art, etc.; and, similarly, it takes time to
gain an understanding of the Science of Life. No human can tell you at at just
what moment your sickness will disappear. When you become become conscious that
life and intelligence are purely spiritual, your body will then utter no
complaints.”

The individual, disappointed that anything is required of him, goes haughtily

on his way, and carries
c arries his sickness with him.

The second, bowed with the weight of trouble and disease, yet, with hungry,
earnest expression, queries: “How long will it take me to regain health; to run
and leap; to be free again?” Upon hearing the demands of Spirit, he exclaims,
with a glad smile, “I am willing to try, —  and to wait.” Whereupon, he finds
that he is instantaneously healed of his physical trouble; or else, within a very
short time he is free. “The natural man receiveth
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of 
God: for they are foolishness to him.” —  I. COR.
COR. We mustmust become as little
little
children in order to grasp spiritual understanding,  —  in order to understand
God and heaven. God is is the sum total of all good. The Bible declares Him as
Life, Truth, Love. God is also ever-present Principle, which destroys the evil
when man stops thinking wrongly and thinks rightly.
rightly. God is always
always with us,
and when we cease to think evil the good becomes manifest.

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 Intellect argues; but the simple, child mind drinks unquestioningly of the deep
things of God. The human thought longs to know God; but how how does it seek?
The most popular method has been the beseeching method. Do we have to
 beseech the sun to shine? No. It always radiates light. We do not have to beg
and implore God for blessings, any more than we have to implore the sun for 
light. No matter what we humans do God God never changes.

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Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise
ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 6: 1.

We should be careful not to put forward our thoughts or deeds for the purpose
of attracting attention.
attention. Let us be inspired only by the glad, earnest
earnest promptings
of a grateful heart. “Cast away personality,
personality, sacrifice it, for what is left is the
essence of life — 
life — Love.
Love.””  — TOLSTOY.
 — TOLSTOY.

The cold, calculating thought which measures and outlines what it should
receive because of what it has given, does not understand aright the law of 
giving and receiving.
receiving. We should give
give and do right
right because we love
love God; not
 because we want something in return. Love is the divine way to heaven.
“With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” — 
MATTHEW. We mete mete what we are, — 
are, — our
our own character is measured back to
us; in exactly the degree that consciousness comprehends divine Love and
expresses it, will one experience Love returning to him.
him. We possess only what
we give. We receive from Love just whatwhat we give out of love. Emerson said:
“That only which we have within can we see without.” Therefore it is not
necessary nor essential that we seek a prominent locality to shine out our 
works of faith. The place to begin our sunshine is in the home.
home. Let us seek 
reformation and regeneration there.

We may consider ourselves fettered by our environment, and be inclined to

 blame certain existing circumstances for our inharmonious condition.
Environment is our opportunity to become strong and to overcome limitation.
Whatever place we occupy,
occupy, that is the
the place for us to be. In that place we
we have
lessons to learn; weaknesses to overcome; ideals to work out.

An individual cannot demonstrate

demonstrate more than he understands of Principle.
Principle. In
 proportion as he honestly, earnestly
ea rnestly and industriously applies
ap plies what he already
knows, will his understanding be increased. Newness of life and regeneration
flows in us, in proportion as it flows from us. Understanding and its use are
metaphysically equivalent. What we receive from the Father we must must give out
to the world, keeping a perfect equilibrium between the inflowing and the
outflowing, the receiving and the giving.

A pool cannot be kept sweet and clean unless there is an outlet as well as an
inlet. It is our business to keep the outlet
outlet open. Unless we are using for the
service of others what God has already given us, or what has already been
unfolded within us, we will find it a long, dreary road to spiritual
understanding. Some one has said: “We should never think, say, say , nor do
anything except with the object of helping another or becoming ourselves
 better men.”
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Our progress depends upon the number of hours out of the twenty-four that we
think rightly. Every man is responsible for his own living. He makes
makes it by his
thought. Every timetime we reverse a wrong thought it becomes easier for us.
Shakespeare said: “And many strokes, though with a little axe, Hew down and
fell the hardest-timbered
hardest-timbered oak.”

 No thought is ever lost, the

the dye of it stains the universe.

“A thought isi s like the smallest seed;

When given a place to grow,
It bursts into a living thing,
Like unto that we sow.
“Whate‟er you do, watch how you think;
Make no mistake in this;
Whate‟er you sow‟, will surely grow,
And yield you woe or bliss.”

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Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,  — 
 but lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven.  — MATT.
MATT. 6:19, 2O.

Right ideas are “treasures in heaven,” worldly beliefs are “treasures upon
earth.”

Poor people are those who are not conscious of the ideas of divine Mind, and
of their relation to
to them. One may have accumulated a fortune of dollars, acres
of land, mines of gold; yet, if he has not secured these things from the one
Father, the only resource, he has not even touched the hem of the garment of 
true riches. The lily
lily in the field
field does not strive
strive for anything. It is content to
to
feel the warmth of the sun; the thrill of the rain; the touch of the wind; and
unfold daily in its simple, fragrant beauty. Oh, if we we could only know and
content ourselves to rejoice that divine Love and the realities of heaven are all-
sufficient for us!

The light of a new day is dawning

dawning upon us. The day of ridiculing mentalmental
healing has passed. The world is waking
waking to the knowledge that the miracles of 
Jesus are based upon universal, spiritual law, — 
law,  — present
present now as much as then.
To-day there are millions of spiritual, mental workers throughout the world
 bringing good, health, joy, and prosperity into their own
own lives and into the lives
of others, by applying the words of the M aster: “And ye shall know the truth
[the facts of Life], and the truth shall make you free [and your knowledge of 
Truth shall free you from all seeming power of evil].” It is the Truth, and our 
consciousness of oneness with it, which purifies, transforms, and redeems us.

If our desires have God in them they must be fulfilled; for this is the secret
spring which yields us prosperity and success. External wealth
wealth comes from
righteousness (right-use-ness) or the use of right ideas. Outer symbols follow
naturally the consciousness of inner wealth.

As he [man] thinketh in his heart so is he.

 — PROVERBS.
 — PROVERBS.

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 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of 
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  — MATT.
MATT.
7:21.

By no means are all who profess to worship God His true disciples; nor by any
means are all these worshipping ones entering heaven. Only those who are
demonstrating their understanding of Life by their healing works,  —  by
removing sickness, sin, and limitations by the Christ-method,  —  are entering
heaven. Eternal life must be earned; and there is a price to pay for it.
Opportunity is now; but our use of opportunity determines our rate of progress.

Let us be about our Father‟s business now; “the

“ the night cometh, when no man
can work.” This means that we may let opportunity slip by too often; and,
when we would behold Truth, because of our continued stay in darkness,
Truth, the light, may seem afar off to us.

When is thethe best time

time for us to learn the truth
truth about ourselves? About God?
About heaven? Now. What is spiritual understanding? It is the revelation of 
Truth to the individual consciousness. We each have to seek within within our own
consciousness this revelation
revelation of the living Christ. Realization cannot be given
us by any human
human being; nor can it be bought with any coin. Each of us must must
“seek and find” the way to eternal life.
life . We prove our knowledge of God, our 
understanding of Life Life by our works. There isis no other method
method of 
of 
determination. Jesus‟ endowment was from “on high.” It is from this same
altitude that the Christ-mind will come to us.

Ultimate salvation from all sin is inevitable. St. Paul says: “Every knee shall
 bow to me [be humbled], and every tongue shall confess [acknowledge] to
God.” — ROMANS.
— ROMANS.

“With all thy getting get understanding.” All that there is to be learned is
within the reach of man.
man. To be open and receptive to new and true ideas is the
attitude of mind necessary, if we desire to grow in understanding and
knowledge. Begin simply.
simply. What you
you do not understand to-day may be clear to
to
you to-morrow. “Within is the foundation of good and it will ever bubble up if 
thou wilt ever dig.” — MARCUS
—  MARCUS AURELIUS.

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Take thought about your thought. Every thought has an an effect. Just consider 
how true it is that the greatest miseries of the world come through wrong
thinking. When right thinking commences, righteousness begins. We must
not attempt
attempt to put new wine into
into old bottles. Many try to do this.
this. It is
is one
thing to get hold of a new idea; it is quite another thing to let go an old idea.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear [open] ... I will come
in.” — REVELATION.
— REVELATION.

God knocks on the door. Man must open it,  —  he must open up his
consciousness, — 
consciousness,  — bebe quickened, in order to receive and retain good. “It is the
spirit that quickeneth; ... the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they
are life.” — JOHN.
JOHN.

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And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching ... and preaching the
gospel of the kingdom [of heaven], and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 9:

The great Teacher united preaching and healing, and this is what we should do.
It is he who teaches by healing and heals by teaching that shall wear the crown.

Religion is the endeavour to understand and practise the law of God. The real
test of religion
religion is: Are its doctrines demonstrable? There is not a passage in in
the Bible which warrants the once popular belief that sickness and death are
the will of God. Just supposing it were true that God sent sickness to certain
individuals. Now, when the physician with his medicine kit arrives at the
 bedside of the patient, isn‟t he a sinner, — an
—  an accomplice with the sick man,
daring to defy God? If the sick one thinks God sent him the sickness, how
dare he even attempt
a ttempt to get rid of it, and still affirm
affir m his allegiance to God?

Doctors and nurses also would be defying God every hour of the day, even
daring to keep good individuals out of heaven.

And the hospital! Would it not be the „home of a defiant, rebellious people,
working in opposition to the will and law of almighty God? “Awake thou that
sleepest.” Let the Christ Truth give thee light (understanding).
(unde rstanding).

Evil, with its false accompaniments of matter, sin, sickness, and death, is but a
false belief, unsustained by God. Physical deformities
deformities are not man, nor any
any
 part of man. The mortal body is but the
th e visible expression of mortal mind.
mind . As
we remove error from thought it ceases to appear in effect.

God is Truth. To believe evil is true is to break the commandment to have

only one God. What is untrue must be unreal; for only that that which is eternal is
true and real. Sin, sickness, and death
death are not eternal; they come
come not from God
and cannot
cannot be true. God made good only. All that is opposed to good is
uncreated, unfounded, hence with no true or lasting existence and subject to
destruction. Jesus destroyed
destroyed sickness, sin, and even death. His thought was
free from the belief in the power and reality of matter.

We have been deceived into believing that we are material beings in a material
world and that we are subject to sickness and death. There is no truth in such a
theory. In truth man
man is now spiritual and perfect in the
the kingdom of heaven.
But we see the perfect creation, heaven, all wrongly because of our wrong
concept. We see “through
“through a glass, darkly.” We see heaven through a “mist,”
“mist,”
 — the
 — the material senses which cannot cognize God.

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Even, at present, we can discern some of heaven; for all the love, the peace, the
harmony, the good, the pure, we see around us, is of God, and must belong to
heaven.

In other words, the kingdom of heaven is yours just to the extent that you get
into it. How far are you in?

The baptism of John symbolized the cleansing and purifying of the mind of all
wrong thoughts
thoughts and beliefs. Jesus submitted to this baptism. It is necessary
that we also let all fear, worry, prejudice, narrowness, be washed away in the
cleansing water of denial; and let the inner kingdom be entered by affirmation
of its reality.

Every one must learn

learn and practise the methods
methods of Christ Jesus. Why not now?

 Nothing is conquered until self is overcome. “Repent ye therefore, and turn

again, that your sins may be blotted out.” — ACTS
ACTS (R. V.).

Who did hinder you

you that ye should not obey the truth?
truth? - GAL.

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As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 10:7.

Jesus recognized that heaven is within reach of all; nay, even here for us to
 behold. Many a one has pictured heaven as the dwelling-place of God and His
angels; and presumed it was beyond the clouds, where the white throne is,
upon which rests the
the book of life.
life. Hymns tell us that loved ones shall meet
meet
“ beyond the river,” where harps are played, and where the str eets
eets dazzle with
gold. Had Jesus believed
believed that heaven is in the skies
skies he would have located it
there.

What is simpler and clearer than the truth that heaven is where
where God is? Can
we think of God
God and heaven separated? Obviously, no. Therefore, since God
God
is everywhere,
everywhere, itit necessarily follows that heaven is
is everywhere.
everywhere. Simply
 because one has not experienced heaven does not deny the fact that heaven is a
 present reality.

Suppose one found himself out in the ocean, dying of thirst. Although water 
surrounded him, believing it it to be salt, he did not partake of it. But he hears a
cry from a distance, “Dip down and drink, —  you are in fresh water!”
Immediately he drinks and lives. Now, what what has changed the man from a
dying to
to a living condition? Merely his thought. His wrong wrong belief yielded to
the voice of truth. It is just like this in regard to heaven and the material world.
People believe the world is material  — and
 —  and so starve, thirst, suffer, die. Now
what is the truth? God and heaven are right here but are hidden to the material
senses. This kingdom for which all mankind is looking, is the world world of reality,
waiting for man‟s recognition and acceptance.
acceptance . It is heaven
heaven that
that we see inin
 proportion as “old things” (thoughts) have passed away.

The material man

man is but a false sense of the real and spiritual
spiritual man. It is only
this false view which needs correction
correction and destruction. Jesus tells us in John
8: - that the natural man is not the true man.

Through daily study of the Bible and spiritual literature, we can dwell mentally
in heaven, though we walk on earth, until this earthy thought-world fades from
our consciousness, like a dream, and we “know even as also” we are “known.”

Whosoever ... shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my
Father which is in
in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men,
men, him will
I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 10: 32, 33.

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We should always be ready to voice the truth; gratefully acknowledge good
whenever and wherever
wherever the opportunity is afforded us. We best confess our 
understanding of Life, by sin forsaken; by sickness destroyed; by limitations
removed. When we are showing to the world that our hearts are humble,
grateful, tolerant; that our desires are pure, holy, and unselfish; and, that
through spiritual realization we preach the gospel, heal the sick, — 
sick,  — then
then are we
confessing God before men.

God confesses us whenever wewe confess God. When we realize that our present
sickness is not of God, that it has no place in us and we have no place in it,
then does God confess Himself to us, — 
us,  — then
then will perfect health be revealed to
us, in manifested wholeness of body.

The doctors‟ theories change; but God never . Every year new diseases are
invented. Some rush to to get them
them as they would
would to secure the latest style of 
gown. The human mind mind is always changing, that is why there are so many
many
fresh causes and cures for diseases. Heaven,  —  the truth,  —  remains, and
there is no disease in God. People should not study disease in
in order to cure it;
 but they should study health. Can anyone learn of mathematics by studying
mistakes? Can anyone learn music by studying discords? No. Therefore, to
learn of health we must study God.

People run hither and thither seeking satisfaction in multitudinous ways, yet
without finding it. Why? Because they are denying God before men. Because
of their restless, unsatisfied minds, they seek places of gaiety and amusement,
and with
with what result? They starve their souls,  —  and they become nervous,
irritable, anaemic,
anaemic, and diseased. God, good, has been denied such an one
according to divine law. In order to have true life, with
with its fullness of joy, we
must feed the thought with Truth  — the
 —  the bread of Life. Then will the love of 
God satisfy you. “Put ye ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for 
the flesh, to
to fulfil the lusts thereof.” — ROMANS.
— ROMANS.

In the degree that we understand and demonstrate the truth of God, we are in
heaven. When we deny God we are in hell. We make make our own heaven and our 
own hell after the fashion
fashion of our thoughts. The time is fully
fully ripe for us to wake
wake
up and get out of wrong thinking (hell) into heaven, the consciousness of right
ideas. This world of perfection
perfection is here now, if we would but see it.

“At last the veil is lifted;

I open my eyes and lo!
I stand in the midst of heaven,
With its beauties all aglow.”

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 To be sure, there are those
those who will scoff at the idea that heaven is here! They
can only associate heaven as “up yonder,” a place of “many
“many mansions.” “How
ridiculous
ridiculous that heaven is here!” Do you remember that centuries ago people
exclaimed, “How ridiculous that the earth is round” ? Yet, it was scientifically
 proven that the earth never was flat, it always was and is round.
round . What became
of the “flat earth”?
earth”? It went out of the people‟s minds,
m inds, the only place it ever 
existed. Now, as the flat earth was
was only a lie about the
the round earth, so it is true
true
that this material world is but a lie or mistaken sense of the real world, heaven.
“Men changed the truth of God into a lie.” — ROMANS.
—  ROMANS.

God is one God and present everywhere. More and more

more will we become
become
conscious that heaven is among us. Even now, those of us, who look for it,
will catch a glimpse of it.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first
earth were passed away; ... and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” — REV.
—  REV.

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Verily I say to you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a
greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of 
heaven is greater than he.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 2:11.

John the Baptist was a great messenger; yet he was without works. He had not
the right understanding of God; and he who comprehends and demonstrates the
realities of heaven is far greater than he who has “faith without works.”

The knowledge Jesus possessed of this faith was such that he was able to heal
every form of disease and overcome every limitation; and he said: “The works
that I do shall
shall he do also.” He called twelve disciples and gave them authority
over “unclean spirits ... and to heal all manner of sickness.” The metaphysical
interpretation of some of the names of these disciples are: Simon, faith; James,
 judgment; Andrew, strength; Philip, power; John, love; Bartholomew,
conception; James (son of Alphaeus), order; Simon (the Canaanite), zeal;
Matthew, receptiveness. When we call forth these qualities
qualities of consciousness
we must be lifted from all fetters.

We should not use prayer or treatment simply and entirely to restore physical
harmony. True, physical and moral reformation are inseparable. Watch for 
moral improvement
improvement as well as physical relief. Why does it happen that an
individual may find that he is not getting rid of his sickness, under spiritual
treatment? Whenever a person is not healed after a long period of treatment let
him search in his own thought for the reason.

Jesus said: “I thank thee, O Father, because thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to  babes.” —  MATT. The Master 
recognized that it was the operation of wisdom that the understanding of the
Science of Life should unfold in the simple childlike thought. The “wise and
 prudent” are they who spend no time contemplating the the wealth of spiritual
ideas, but employ their minds in gaining the wisdom and education of material
ways and means.

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For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul?  — MARK.
 — MARK.

Let a great scholar or financier or lawyer lie at the point of death, will their 
accumulated knowledge of mathematics, money, law, save them? No. These
are as so much “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” God is all that can help
a man when he faces his enemy, death. Yet a healing
healing word of truth felt and
and
uttered by some simple, unassuming mind could easily be the means of 
 prolonging the sufferer‟s life.

How true it is that a rich man cannot enter

enter the kingdom of real living. Our 
duty is to be rich in love. Love is.is. We learn addition by adding; art by
 painting; Love by loving. Love cannot be bought by the purse, nor from the
without. Love is established within the consciousness of man.

 Newness of life, regeneration, flows in us in proportion as it flows from us. us .

Should we love our father, brother, husband, less because we have started into
this new and profitable way of thinking? We have heard it remarked, “I have
known Christian Science to separate a family.” It is too sadly true that families
have been separated after a member has become a seeker in Christian Science.
But let it be remembered that it is a lack of Christian Science which has caused
the separation. It is foolish for one to expect that, because he has found the
truth and attends the Christian Science services, other members of his family
must fall in line. And he is is sadly lacking in spiritual growth and
understanding, if he leaves his home because they will not think as he thinks.

Christian Science stands

stands for better living.
living. It makes us love more, not less; it
teaches us to be humble, patient, kind, charitable, self-sacrificing. If it is not
doing this in our lives
lives then we
we are not Christian Scientists.
Scientists. It is well
well to
remember, along this line, Jesus‟ words: “And I, if I be lifted up ... will draw
all men to me.”
me.” The secret of drawing our loved ones into the fold of right
living with us, is for us to be lifted
lifted up in consciousness. As we show our love
and tender good-will toward them, in spite of their attitude toward us, this in
due time will prove the one available attraction.

Treatment is the realization of the spiritual facts concerning God and man. In
reality, in God‟s kingdom, heaven, there is no misunderstanding, no friction.
Every idea of God works in love and harmony-with another.

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 Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my
 brother, and sister, and mother.  — MATT.
 — MATT. I2:50.

Those of us who are loving and serving with the same right spirit the one Mind
are truly related in thought.

 Now what is “the

“the will of my
m y Father”?
Father”? Jesus is our
our perfect example. He did the
will of his Father; and, as we think the way Jesus thought, speak as he spoke,
heal as he heated, are we doing the will
will of the Father. Those of us
us who are
doing in some degree this will, are truly and eternally related.

The love for a stranger, who is following with us after the manner the Master 
taught, is a purer and more perfect love, than the love for one called a sister or 
 brother, who lacks this one eternal bond of fellowship.

What
What did Jesus believe God‟s‟ will to be, regarding sickness and death ? Did
Jesus think they were sent by God? No. Had he believed a man was better off 
after he died he would not have resuscitated him. He worked to do
do away with
death. Without sin, sickness, and death, would not this be a very good
foundation for heaven right here?

Jesus denied the error and affirmed the truth. That is

is what we must
must do. Jesus
said of Lazarus, “He is not dead,” in spite of the fact that he had been in his
grave in the earth four days.

Denials and affirmations do not change God one iota; but they do put us into
harmony with God‟s law.law. Denials tear down and help destroy the hold evil
seems to have upon
upon us. Affirmations are constructive and build up. Denials
 purify and cleanse the mind from mistakes, worries, fears. Affirmations give
us courage, strength, power.

What things soever ye desire ... believe [affirm] that ye receive them, and ye
shall have them. — 
 — MARK.
MARK.

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To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God [heaven]: but to
them that are without, all these things are done in parables.  — MARK
MARK 4:11.

Jesus taught us the way to understand the mystery about heaven; but “to“to them
that are without,” — those
—  those whose minds are not centred in this scope of vision,
 — all
 — all healings and prophecies are incomprehensible.

Love and life are intimately associated. Love is the essence of God. It is the
mother principle
principle which
which purifies all who
who dwell within its presence.
presence . Even
human love, when given out of purity,
purity, will transform and purify a character. It
is because a mother renounces self for her child that her love is glorious and is
 brought nearer the divine nature of Love.

Jesus taught the selfless way. He loved,

loved, seek ing
ing not his own, but another‟s
good. Jesus radiated happiness wherever he went; for he radiated love and
truth. He wept at
at the grave of his dear friend Lazarus.

Why? It was not because he was sorry that he had died. Jesus wept because of 
the grossness of the minds about him. With all his heart, he yearned
yearned to have
them understand thethe truth about
about God. Faithfully, perseveringly, unselfishly, he
had laboured with them, and had healed
h ealed and regenerated many; yet, now, when
he came in their midst, they held but one idea,  — Lazarus
 —  Lazarus is dead. Why did
they not reach out to him, even yet, for help? Why were they so slow to grasp
this truth,  —  that he who had done so many mighty works could, even now,
resuscitate Lazarus? It was because of their manifested
manifested lack of spirituality,
spirituality,
that tears sprung to the Master‟s eyes.

Who of us that has entered the path of divine understanding and seeth our 
 brother, our sister, our mother, standing without has not yearned for this dear 
one to have the spiritual quickening? Yet we cannot do the work of another.

Jesus‟ aim was that each would “arise and go to my Father;” then will death
cease, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

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The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man which sowed good seed in his field
... But when the blade was sprung up, ... then appeared the tares also ... Didst
not thou sow good seed? ... from whence then hath it tares?  — MATT.
 — MATT. I3:24,
26, 27.

The human consciousness reasons thus: If heaven, good, is all, whence then
cometh evil? No matter how how real pain, trouble, sin, may
may seem to us, it has
 been demonstrated that they can be utterly wiped out of thought and body
through realization of the truth of Being. The belief of the flat earth existed
 because of the ignorance of the round earth. The belief of disease, sin,
limitations, exists because mankind is ignorant of the spiritual, harmonious
man. As ignorance is put off and understanding unfolds in the the human
human
consciousness, heaven becomes a living, present reality, real and tangible now.

Ther e are those who listen to the great facts of Life, but they have “stony
ground,” and “not much earth.” These are a class of people who feel an
inclination to attend a metaphysical lecture or attend a church service or listen
to the healing experiences of others. They think the way looks attractive; but
they have no depth of earth,  — not
 —  not sufficient consciousness of good, to grasp
the ideas of Spirit.
Spirit. Of course, spiritual ideas cannot take root in minds
minds full of 
materialism. The laying of one or two bricks never made
made a mansion.

The Bible doesn‟t say, “With a very little bit of  endeavour you
endeavour  you will find Me.”
But it does say, “And ye shall … find me, when ye shall search for me with all
your heart.” God is present help; but there must be a recognition of this fact, a
turning to God with all desire, earnestness, purpose, and love, before God‟s
 presence will become manifested.

An individual may, with enthusiasm, delight in playing cards; in theatre-going;

in dinner parties; in reading a vast amount of unprofitable literature; in running
around briskly all day and accomplishing little worth while; then, when
Sunday arrives, he may seat himself in the first pew of one of the most
fashionable churches, and expect he is doing as much as is required of him.

Without a fitness for holiness,

holiness, can one receive holiness? A great sacrifice
sacrifice of 
material things must necessarily precede spiritual understanding. The question
is: How are we spending our thought — 
thought — our
our time?

20
 Jesus was always about his Father‟s business, —  the business of loving,
serving, teaching good. So must we be if if we would have God dwell
dwell within our 
hearts. God must become to us the spring of all health, enjoyment, gladness,
abundance. It is possible for us to learn of this divine power, and for us to call
upon it to sustain, protect, and guide us into the realm of perfect and eternal
 bliss and peace.

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 The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took,
and sowed in his field … when it is grown, it ... becometh a tree, so that the
 birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. — MATT.
 — MATT. 13: 31, 32.

The seed of the mustard is one of the smallest of seeds; yet, when the seed
attains full growth, it has become the greatest of herb trees. There are many
many
who eschew Christian Science, and believe it to be without value,  — the
 —  the least
of all the sciences. Yet, let a mortal grasp even a grain of the the spiritual
understanding of Life, as taught by Christian Science; let him cultivate and
thereby multiply this seed, within his consciousness, and he will soon find that
he is being led by the right path into heaven.

Right thinking is the key which unlocks the door of heaven; and one enters this
realm of glory in proportion as his thoughts objectify themselves in freedom
from fear, sin, sickness, and limitations.
limitations. While one is going through this
 process of entering heaven, and good is gaining a permanent place in his
consciousness, “the birds of the air” flock to him.
him . Humans, desirous of gaining
release from suffering, are attracted to him; and, inspired by his faith, they, too,
seek the one way of deliverance.

It is the blessed privilege of every one of us to receive revelation and

inspiration; for we know that the Father is impartial with His love and that
heaven is within reach of us all. Let us each - build
build on our own
own foundation,
subject to the one maker, God. Truth cannot be copyrighted. Heaven is free to
us all. Mrs. Eddy was an ardent apostle
apostle of liberty and equality and believed
that for divine Truth there is no ecclesiastical monopoly. God is not only
good, but infinite good; not confined to certain places nor to particular 
individuals.

Man has omnipotent good as his Father; the vista of eternal life and abundance
of bliss reaches out before him. But we mustmust let the love of God enter our 
hearts. Nothing can grow and ripen into its fullness
fullness without attention and
and
cultivation. Merely planting a seed does not insure it fullness of growth. “The
seed is the Word of God”
of  God” and in order to bring forth the harvest, — 
harvest,  — the
the perfect
man, — 
man, — wewe must give this seed constant attention.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” — PHIL.
—  PHIL.

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 The kingdom of heaven is like to treasure hid in a field; the which when a man
hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and
 buyeth that field.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 13:44.

When we recognize what Truth requires of us, are we willing to sell all our 
mortal belongings,  —  part with our erring thoughts,  —  in order to possess
Truth? If not, then are we ready to enter heaven? That is the price we all must
 pay. We are called upon to give up a quick temper, jealousy, anger, self-
righteousness, if we would
would receive the blessings
blessings of heaven. We are called
upon to give up feelings of annoyance, haste, impatience, vexation, if we
would enjoy the wonders of calm,
calm, undisturbed mentality. To grow in thought
thought
and demonstration we must also give up petty narrow-mindedness and put on a
 broad and truly liberal and progressive view.

The only way to have and to hold health is to remove sin in thought and in
deed. A sinful man
man cannot enter heaven; nor should he, harbouring evil in his
thought or manifesting it in his actions within his home, or without, entertain
the notion that he can, by repetition of certain spiritual formulas, demonstrate a
healthy body. The body is but the objectification of the thought. It is is wrong
thinking and acting which quicken or retard the normal action of certain organs
of the body. Thoughts are things. Therefore if you want good thingsthings you must
have good thoughts.

Do not expect miraculous healing without fulfilling the law of right thinking.
All permanent healing, all lasting reform, comes about through spiritualization
of thought and regenerated living. Now, God does not demand
demand that we do all
this at once. Nothing in nature grows immediately
immediately from a seedling into its full
and mature
mature being. All plants go through certain processes of growth. So with
with
man. A baby does not learn to walk firmly and unassisted all at once. He
generally learns by degrees and after much endeavour.

Spiritual revelation, inspiration, and growth are acquired according to

individual readiness and capacity. Only as the little understanding is practised
does it become larger understanding. Only as the first bit is used is room made
for more of it. All we have to dodo in order to have more is toto use what we have.
We cannot use what we have without increasing
increasing it. It resembles the money
money we
 put into the bank, which draws interest on just what it is, no more, no less . We
receive interest, growth, from our good thoughts and actions according to their 
value. It, therefore, is not the
the amount of what we have, but the use of it, which
increases its value.

23
 Use what you have to-day and you will find that you will have more to-
morrow. Harvest is the result of your own sowing. How long would a master 
of music be able to play
play with wonderful
wonderful dexterity without daily practice? The
 promise to do good
g ood to-morrow
to -morrow is no excuse for the performance
p erformance of poor work 
to-day.

24
Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into
the kingdom of heaven.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 18:3.

Until mortals become as yielding and as teachable as the child mind, they
cannot comprehend Life,  —  nor partake of heaven. How true it is that “the
first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” When we caught the first glimpse
of this wonderful truth about God, did we not immediately think of Mrs. So-
and-So? “She is such an earnest Bible student! student ! Surely such an one would
gladly welcome this new way of right thinking!” And how surprised and
 pained we were, when she looked askance at us, u s, and thought we
w e were absurd.
Why, she had been a student of the Bible for twenty years, and was perfectly
satisfied with
with her understanding of Life! Often those whom we judge of 
spiritual advance, are the very last; and the simple unassuming ones, who we
 judge would not be so receptive, are the the first to welcome these
these glad tidings.

If we have not become converted, trans-formed or changed from wrong

thinking into right thinking; if we are not spiritually alive; if we have not the
Christ mind,
mind, we are not alive at all. Such is the teaching of the Scripture. In
order to be really alive, we must be purified and regenerated. We must must
 become perfect even as Jesus Christ. Each of us must face this proposition
some day for we can never get away from it. The more quickly we get rid of 
the “carnal mind” the more quickly shall we get alive . “God is not the God of 
the dead, but of the living.” God is always a loving Father, but only as man
 becomes conscious of it through right thinking and understanding does he
enter into sonship.

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon
thee.” — ISAIAH.
— ISAIAH.

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the paradise of God.” — REVELATION.
— REVELATION.

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The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country,
c ountry, who called his
own servants, and delivered to them his goods, ... to every man according to
his several ability.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 25:14, 15.

He who understands what the law of life requires, yet hides his talent and
allows it not to benefit himself or his brother, that servant shall be cast into
darkness. Mental darkness and mental suffering overtake the one who yields
not his love and obedience to divine Principle.

Rise and place the candle where it belongs; not under a bushel, to be of no use,
 but upon a candlestick,  —  in its proper place. Man‟s consciousness is like
water flowing through a land. If the mouth of the stream is dammed up, the the
water settles back and becomes stagnant. No matter how much flood of clear 
water is let in, you cannot purify the stream until the dam is opened and the
impurities are let out. So, no matter
matter how much you read, ponder, study,  — 
until you let out the wrong thoughts and feelings, your consciousness cannot
 become purified.

Giving up the wrong, letting in the good, is the one way to advance into the
radiance of heaven. Keep an outlet as well as an inlet to your thoughts; give
give
good as well as receive good; talk good as well as think good; feel good as
well as believe good.

There is no difference between the demand upon the beginner and the demand
upon the
the more
more experienced. Each must stand upon his his own convictions. All
the teachings of Jesus were for the purpose of-I leading man to the
consciousness of his oneness with the Father.
Father. All real power is in God waiting
to be brought into
into visibility by our recognition of it and our use of it. Our joy,
our health and prosperity, — 
prosperity,  — everything
everything about us, is derived from the ideas we
hold in thought. Let us then give out this real substance of the heart as though
we were stewards of God handing out His inexhaustible supplies. We are all
equally entitled to good, heaven, for everything is God‟s and we are His
offspring, the sheep of His pasture.

26
If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the
kingdom of God [heaven] with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into
hell fire.  — MARK
 — MARK 9:47.

Should we be in doubt whether or not we are sinning in a particular thought or 

deed, let us pause and reason about it. Whenever there seemsseems to be a dual of 
us, one reasoning one way, the other of us in an opposite way, it is more than
likely we
we are harbouring wrong
wrong and serving evil. Doing good never troubles
us; never causes us worry or disturbance. When we we are doing right we
generally know it; it is when we are not doing right that we begin to question
and argue with ourselves. This is a good sign that we are doing wrong; and if 
we are doing wrong, or if any thought we possess off ends us, no matter how
cherishing the possession may
may be, let us pluck it out. It is better
better for us to have
one eye (thought) than to have two (a double thought).

When we have done the thing which Truth requires of us, who of us has not
felt the calm of sin forgiven?

It is only with the single eye that we see heaven. Were we in a great room
filled with all the luxuries of this mortal life, and yet, for some reason, did not
see and were not conscious of this abundance, of what use would it be to us?
 None. Heaven with all its presence of joy, glory, wonder, harmonies, and
realities is right here; yet, because of the “mist” of matter, we have not beheld
it. But there are thousands
thousands upon thousands who have entered in some some degree
into this millennium.

Man is not a separate being possessed of a life which begins, matures, dies,
and decays. Man‟s life does not flicker out like a candle . Jesus asked:
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?” Nothing can
cut man off from his source of life — 
life  — God;
God; heaven or reality.

“When all shall know the truth of God,

When truth shall error leaven,
Then all upon this earthly clod
Shall find that here is heaven.”

27
 “And there appeared an angel to him [Jesus] from heaven, strengthening him.”
 — LUKE.
 — LUKE.

All of us who have by spiritual realization conquered sin, sickness, and

temptation have experienced the visit of an angel. For what is an angel? Is it
an apparition
apparition with
with wings humanly outlined? No. An angel is Truth‟s own
voice speaking in
in individual consciousness. When we have passed a night in
watching and praying, have we not been strengthened as was Jesus? There
comes a time in the experience of all of us when we are tested.

The author calls

calls to mind one never-to-be-forgotten angel visitant. The life of 
my babe was at a low ebb; and because of the law held over contagious
diseases, I was
was compelled to call in a physician for diagnosis. It was the
opinion of three physicians that the child was afflicted with an epidemic of 
disease and must
must be taken at once to the hospital. Upon my urgent request
they granted me from four P.M. until eight A.M. for the healing to be
accomplished in Christian
Christian Science. Although the babe was being treated by a
capable Christian Science practitioner I felt that much depended upon myself 
at this critical moment. Taking the Bible I entered “the closet,” and “shut the
door,” with but one idea, —  to have itit out with this belief of evil. And I did.
Toward the early hours of the morning, I began to gain a deep realization of 
the presence of God; but the thought kept recurring to me: “How do you know
that you have done enough? How do you know that the babe is healed?”

I turned over in my mind the Bible passages where angels visited the patriarchs
and talked with them. “Oh, that I might hear the voice of an angel now!”
yearned my heart. Then, with sudden inspiration I seized the BibleBible and opened
it. My eyes rested upon words
words which seemed to blaze out separate from all the
rest: “And the Lord sent his angel, saying, I have heard thy prayer.” Could
ever an angel speak plainer than that to human
human consciousness? Instantly my my
soul responded, “It is finished.” I was strengthened and at peace.
peace. Calling up
up
the practitioner I found that she, too, had realized the healing.

In the morning the doctors consented to allow the babe to remain in the home;
 but under their constant watch. They also installed a trained nurse who
examined the child every four hours.

The healing
healing took place rapidly
rapidly and continuously. The temperature
temperature dropped
seven degrees, to normal. Within less than 48 hours the little
little one was
 pronounced to be in an absolutely normal condition. And this was to their 
great amazement.

28
“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it
shall not
not come nigh thee.” — PSALMS.
— PSALMS.

29
A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.  — MATT.
 — MATT. 19:23.

If we depend upon material possessions or money for our happiness we are not
on the road to the right understanding of heaven. What does money claim to
do for us? Does it not say: I give youyou food; I give you
you shelter; I give
give you
raiment? Nay — 
Nay  —  even more than this  — for
 —  for it says: Without me you cannot
live. Surely if we believe
believe that mere
mere money is the support and maintenance of 
our existence we
we are a long way from heaven. Every materialmaterial object is a
symbol of reality. Therefore the dollar
dollar stands for something — 
something — there
there is a true
idea back of it. Money is that idea of God which furnishes all expressions of 
substance  —  which supplies us in every way. He who unites his thought of 
supply with the dollar can hardly enter heaven.

Jesus was the wisest man who ever walked among us; he also was the richest.
Whatever he desired came immediately into visibility.
visibility. Jesus had no houses, no
lands. What he had was an abundance of inner riches. He proved for us that
outer wealth or material symbols follow naturally the consciousness of inner 
riches.

What did Solomon desire above all things? Wisdom. He asked for the very
 best gift and because he became rich in ideas he became possessor of great
material wealth.

“All things that the Father hath are mine.” Abundance is unlimited; it is as free
as the air. Jesus when he had only a very little bit with which to feed the
multitude gave thanks for it;
it; and the little grew into an abundance. Let us bear 
this in mind; for the attitude of thanksgiving is the foundation for all
demonstration.

Wealth of consciousness! That is is the secret to

to wealth
wealth of manifestation. Have
you faith that this is true? “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” It is
faith which takes hold of divine
d ivine substance and brings it into visibility.

Do not limit your supply to certain individuals nor to specific channels; but
rather put yourself in touch with the one supreme and universal substance.
Whether one is prosperous or not depends altogether upon the ideas he is
holding in mind.

30
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  — 
MATT. 5:48.

The metaphysical interpretations of the Bible contain many wonderful and

 beautiful meanings hitherto unsuspected. For centuries the Bible was
interpreted in a biographical, exoteric, religious sense. Not until Mary Baker 
Eddy discovered the key to the Scriptures, was it even suspected that the Bible
contains a perfect analysis of individual man  —  and that the Bible offers a
 perfect plan whereby man may obey the command of the Master and become
 perfect.

For too long, it has been believed that man will become perfect after he
reaches heaven; that it is sacrilegious to even intimate that one might become
 perfect without dying. Now, with the light ofo f Christian Science, we know that
death does not bring heaven to us,  —  nor does death take us to heaven.
Personal regeneration is necessary before we can gain even a glimpse of reality
 —  heaven. The BibleBible now becomes something
something vital, a bubbling spring of 
eternal life and love. Historical and personal experiences as given in the Bible
Bible
show the stages of individual unfoldment.

When is the best time to begin to put on this perfection? Now. For the eternal
now is the only time. All that has ever been valuable, all all that will ever be
worth while, is now. The establishment of perfection of true consciousness
rests, not upon the
the false sense of time, but upon the
the true sense of time. There
is a wrong sense of everything;
everything; there is a right
right sense of everything. The wrong
sense of time
time is minutes,
minutes, hours, days, years. The right sense of time time is the
unfolding of spiritual ideas. When we dwell in the wrong sense of time we
have destruction,  —  whitened hair, furrowed cheek, stooped shoulders, and,
finally, dead bodies. When we take hold of the true sense of time, time, we take on
construction,  —  we bring into our bodies a renewed sense of life, which
springs from thought within us. The lines of our faces are are softened, our eyes
 blaze with the fire of love burning within us; our bodies are strong and erect.
The establishment of the Christ mind within us does not rest upon time in its
wrong sense, but depends upon our realization and demonstration of the truth.

It is the undue attention to the morrow‟s cares which ofttimes robs to -day of its
great opportunities. Jesus said, “Take ... ... no thought for the morrow.” Surely
there must be enough
enough in each day for us to keep us busy and employed! Let
to-day‟s
to-day‟s unfoldment meet to- to -day‟s need; and give no attention to to -morrow,
until it becomes to-day.

31
Do we ever get rid of trouble by thinking and brooding over it? The best way
to kill trouble is to shut the door
doo r immediately upon such thoughts and flood the
mind with heaven  —  real thoughts. Some one has said: “Control your 
thoughts and the secret of health, happiness, and success is in your grasp.”

The attitude of praise and thanksgiving is the foundation for all demonstration.
 Next to the sunlight of heaven is a cheerful face and a radiant countenance.
countenance . It
is the bright eye and unclouded face which tell that the thought within is glad
and happy. What a wonderful thing it is is to realize that our Father is
omnipotent and omnipresent good! That He is is God to us all; that He has
 provided for us such an inexhaustible supply of abundance that it would be
impossible for any of us to lack; that His abundance is as free as the air. “All
things that the Father hath are mine.”

The Bible says:

“Now, is the day of salvation.” “Now, O Lord, thou art our Father.” “Return
ye now every one from his evil way [thought].”
[thought] .”

 Now is the time to learn the truth about heaven. Now is the time to understand
the Master‟s words, “Be ye perfect.”

It is very helpful to spiritual growth to meditate upon the vastness, greatness,

and grandeur of God‟s creation.
creation. Those of us who are acquainted with some
some
knowledge of heaven continually see more beauty in every living, growing
thing in the universe. For all nature teems
teems with praise and
and gladness.

Through metaphysics
metaphysics we learn how to interpret reality. Everything in the
material universe
universe hints the existence of spiritual reality. Nature is full of 
 beautiful ideas of God. The rose is an idea of love; the lily purity; the violet
modesty. The cedar represents strength; the oak hospitality; the olive peace;
and how wonderful the expressions of the birds which represent the aspiration
and melodies of the soul! The dove is an idea of peace; the the bluebird cheer; the
sparrow impulse; the robin love. — 
love.  — We
We should think and talk good; think and
talk Life and dominion, until we see ourselves filled with the abundance of 
heaven. This is the absolute way to priceless and eternal salvation, and
“Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”  —  REVELATION.
Several hundred verses in the Bible tell us to be glad; let the fruit of our lips be
continual praise for the unspeakable gifts of Life, Love, and all good, which
are truly ours; for all is here now for us to have and enjoy.

“In this world of beauty

 Naught goes really wrong;
Every trial or sorrow,
32
Ends somewhere in song.
Once to feel earth‟s gladness
It is worth the strive;
Oh, the joy in God‟s world,
Just to be alive!”

33