Scotching Satan's Serpentine Seductions

                                           (By John Robert Howell)


Mrs. Eddy tells us that the nothingness of nothing is plain, but nowhere that I recall does she say, or even imply, that the subtlety of subtlety is plain.  Would that it were.  It is the nature of the beast, animal magnetism, to anesthetize consciousness, in somewhat the pernicious way carbon monoxide acts--silent, odorless, and unseen.  Thus the necessity that our watch be wakeful, spiritually active, and imbued with a keen sensitivity to anything that is unlike God, which of course means we had better be well acquainted with Him.  Other things than gentle lambs come in lamb's clothing.

If the old westerns are to be believed, one of the tricks employed by Indians attacking a circled wagon train was to hang off the side of their horses on the side away from the beleaguered defenders so that only a horse was visible to them.  The Indians would then shoot either under the neck or over the back.  (That paleface's speaking with forked tongue--or worse, much worse--invited retaliation, is beside the point here.)  A horse is all mortal mind, animal magnetism, wants us to see.

Mrs. Eddy sounded the tocsin repeatedly in her writings on the dangers of a flaccid sentinel.  There is the well-known citation on page 442 of Science and Health, lines 30-32:  "Christian Scientists, be a law unto yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake."  It should also be remembered that a sentry or porter is posted at the front door, not the bedroom door or closet door.  The discovery of an intruding evil in the act of ransacking our mental drawers or snuggling up with us in bed is not the ideal time or place to deal with it, though we grow from those kinds of experiences too.

As our great Master, Christ Jesus, has admonished us:  "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.  (Mark 13-37)

Squaring accounts with Love

Since I just told a close friend an experience I had this morning, thought came, why not put it on my website?  Might just be helpful to a reader somewhere in the world.

There is a woman at the Farragut Post Office who has, over the months, been quite unpleasant to customers.  Almost insulting to us, at times.  Not happy with her work, it seems, always complaining about having to wait on people.  I toyed with the thought of calling her downtown supervisor to criticize, but never did.

Then this morning the angel thought came, why not get a donut or something at the local grocery store and take it to her?  I put a Christmas tag on it, and just delivered it, saying, "For your coffee break later."  She was so surprised, looked pleased to get it.

So, the harsh thoughts I had been harboring toward this lady are gone.  And it feels so good!

Honouring our Saviour

Happened to read a column in a local newspaper yesterday, wherein the mother wrote about teaching her 2 young children that Christmas is not essentially about presents and such, but is a time to honour Christ Jesus.

In thinking about this, let me share a quick healing I had last week that, to me, pays the greatest respect to our Saviour.  I am an adherent of Christian Science, which is clear in its mission and that is to reinstate the words and works of Christ Jesus.  This is pointed out in Mary Baker Eddy's masterwork, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.  I firmly believe from years of experience, that the divine truths found in this volume make available to us those truths that were the basis of Jesus' wonderful proofs of God's everpresence and all-power.

I was putting up Christmas lights when I tripped over a string and fell with one finger bent back.  It wasn't broken I soon decided, but the pain was something to be handled right then.  Almost immediately, I began praying from the standpoint of what I've learned from my religion.  Many statements of divine fact from the Bible and from the writings of Mrs. Eddy flooded into thought, and the one that stood out to me the most was this:  "The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea, -- perfect God and perfect man, -- as the basis of thought and demonstration."  This is from the book I referred to above.

I did my best to look away from the persistent feelings of pain and to realize my painless, perfect being as the child of God.  As I held thought to the spiritual, correct concept of man, the throbbing began to subside, and in less than 2 hours the pain had completely disappeared.  And I could use my finger freely.

There is nothing more important at this season, nor at any time whatsoever, than paying homage to our Saviour, Christ Jesus.  And I'm grateful to have had this opportunity to do so.

The prayer Jesus gave us

                              (This was written by my close friend, Lynn,
                                    who lives here in the South, USA)


Recently I was waiting in my vet's office while one of my dogs was geting a required annual shot.  That office was rocking with people, their dogs and cats, their kids, and staff members -- it was wild.

I was trying to pray for a family member who appeared to be seriously ill and had asked for Christian Science treatment.  I couldn't seem to focus for more than a few seconds before I would become distracted by everything that was going on around me.  I felt the need to pray but how to do it?  It came to me to pray the Lord's Prayer, which our Master Christ Jesus gave us.  I knew I could focus on the Lord's Prayer, because it was so familiar to me.  Mary Baker Eddy tells us in her great work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures that it is the prayer that covers all human needs, and which instantaneously heals the sick.  So, very slowly while thinking about each line, keeping my eyes closed, I began to pray.  I especially love the Lord's Prayer because when you pray, you are not only praying for yourself, but for people all over the world.  The prayer starts, Our Father -- not my Father!

I was in my third repetition when I heard a huge crash!  I opened my eyes and to my surprise, I was totally alone in the waiting room.  The crash was a 2-car accident on the street right outside.  Two little girls who had been playing on the sidewalk while waiting for the folks in the vet's office, ran inside crying.  I was able to comfort them and lead them to the room where their parents were located.  I alerted the staff to call 911.  A young man entered the office who had seen the accident, saying all involved were fine.  He volunteered to wait for the police and to direct traffic.  The state police showed up within minutes, even though the vet was located out in the country.  If ever you could call an accident gentle and harmonious, this was it.  I was so grateful I was praying just when the accident happened, and that I was praying the prayer that meets all human needs.  Oh and my family member?  -- she was completely healed in a couple of days.

I am so grateful for Christ Jesus, and for the insight and understanding of God's healing presence that Mrs. Eddy provides us in her writings.

Seeing Things Correctly

(This was written by my husband,
         John Robert Howell)

             

Either God is the absolute All or He is not.

That He is a starting point, one without fault.

Any middle muddle is another wife of Lot,

Hesitant, unsure--and then a pillar of salt.




That error out there is but an error within.

Faults found in others start out from our home.

God, pure and everywhere, knows only what is akin

And makes us insensible to mortal mind's drone.

Friend where enemy seemed to be

Okay, so the other guy started it,
And you're going to finish it.
While giving back to him
May be satisfying, for a time,
Don't do it.
Returning evil for evil
Is like putting Miracle Grow
On your flowerbeds.

There's a better way to
Get along with people --
The way God expects.
"Love your enemies, bless them
That curse you, do good to them
That hate you, and pray for them
Which despitefully use you,
And persecute you"
Our blessed Master said.
        (Matthew 5:44)

Doing what the Prince of Peace
Says to do never fails;
It stops strife in its tracks,.
Leaves everyone better off,
And you know what?
Even makes a friend where
An enemy seemed to be.

Christmas Thoughts (Poem) - John Robert Howell

The muezzin of the infinite and light-
emblazoned firmament
Marked the nightly vigil's silent and meditative
hours
Of those wakeful, watchful shepherds, scientific
avatars,
Who pondered not dusty constellations of
earth's deceptions,
But the higher lessons witnessed in God's
refulgence,
Thus to behold the glow of that edritch eastern
star,
Herald of Jesus' nativity, Light's advent in the
flesh.
That event was once and not to be repeated,
Yet for those whose receptive hearts wander
wearily
Among the darkly lighted trails and travails of
mortality
The promise of that holy dawn blesses all
eternally.