Bible Lesson Sermons

THE BIBLE LESSON-SERMONS FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY 1898 THROUGH 1910 Based on the Bible and Science and Health, the lessons have been an important part of the study of Christian Science since the early days of the movement. Mrs. Eddy refers to the weekly Lesson in the Church Manual as “a lesson on which the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends.” She established the daily study of the lesson to educate students in pure Christian Science. Although lessons have been published in the Christian Science Quarterly since 1898, the early lessons presented here are among the most beautiful and inspiring lessons ever published. Rev. Irving C. Tomlinson, Mrs. Eddy’s student and a member of the Bible Lesson Committee for over twenty years, wrote of the lessons, “The founding of the Quarterly proved to be a glorious gift to the Christian Science movement. It was a single instance of Mrs. Eddy’s inspired wisdom in uniting the entire Christian Science movement in one method of Bible study, one basis of teaching in the Sunday School, and one form of preaching in all Christian Science churches throughout the world. Not only do the Bible Lessons form the Sunday sermons, but through their daily study, they provide the chief part of the spiritual food so essential to the health, well-being and spiritual growth of every Christian Science student.” (Twelve Years with Mary Baker Eddy) As the Bible and Science and Health are studied together in the early lessons, they illumine thought with a spiritual understanding that can only come from reading the pure Word of God. The lessons come in two different formats. One is like the sample given here, with citations only. The other is a complete printout of the citations. A Brief History of the Bible Lessons The development of the Bible Lessons came about gradually. The Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, and the Christian Science Monitor were clearly defined ideas when Mrs. Eddy launched them. The Lessons passed through many phases before reaching their final form. The first use of Bible Lessons began in the church services in 1883. The Christian Science Sentinel of April 12, 1941 gives a history of the early Bible Lessons in the Church. “The plan of the church services which was first adopted by the Church of Christ, Scientist, included a sermon by Mrs. Eddy. So important in Mrs. Eddy’s estimation, however, was knowledge of the Holy Scriptures that, after a few years, the personal sermon at the services was given up and a Bible Lesson substituted. The record stated that the original plan of service, including a sermon, was abandoned as it was thought more practical to have Bible Lessons. “Bible Lessons were printed in The Journal of Christian Science, Volumes I and II, as a regular feature, but were discontinued in 1885, when Mrs. Eddy relinquished her role as editor because of the demands on her time. These early Lessons were followed by a regular Bible Lesson Section written by Frank E. Mason, then editor of the Journal. This series of Lessons resembled sermons based on the life and ministry of Christ Jesus. They ran from 1888 through March 1889. Then in June of that year, the Bible Lesson feature reappeared under the heading of ‘International Bible Lessons by Frank E. Mason, C.S.B.’ These lessons followed the subjects and text as given each Sunday by the International Sunday School Series used by the Protestant Churches. This feature was discontinued in December when Mr. Mason resigned as editor. “In the December Journal, however, was the following announcement: ‘The Publication Committee of the National Christian Scientist Association decided at a recent meeting, to issue Christian Science Bible Lessons (International Series) — commencing January 1890 — prepared by a number of Christian Science workers. They will appear under no compiler’s or author’s name and will embody new features that will, it is believed, make them helpful to Science students of the Bible. One of these will be copious references to passages of Science and Health illustrative to the Scripture text under consideration.’” By January of 1890, Mrs. Eddy had appointed a committee to issue a monthly periodical called the Christian Science Bible Lessons. After three monthly issues, the Lessons were published quarterly, and became known as “the Quarterly.” These Lessons continued to be based on the International Bible Lessons, but in a changed form. They were less like a personal sermon and more resembling the format of later Lessons with a Golden Text, Responsive Reading, and citations from the Bible and Science and Health. At this time the organization in Boston was being dissolved by Mrs. Eddy. She closed the Metaphysical College, asked the Church to disband, and withdrew to Concord, New Hampshire. The Cause was becoming increasingly impersonal as she worked to establish it along more spiritual lines. The Christian Science Bible Lessons then became a separate and distinct publication. By 1891, the Lessons were being studied in some two hundred communities. When the Church in Boston reorganized and the original Mother Church was completed, Mrs. Eddy appointed the Bible and Science and Health as the impersonal pastors, using the Lessons in place of a sermon at church services. She once told a student: “My students were preaching, and were sending me copies of their sermons. They grew worse and worse. Finally one came which was so great a mixture that if I had not known the fact, I should not have been able to tell whether the writer was a Christian Scientist, a spiritualist, or a theosophist. I said to myself, ‘Something must be done and at once.’ I withdrew from all other work, and in solitude and almost ceaseless prayer, I sought and found God’s will. At the end of three weeks I received the answer, and it came to me as naturally as dawns the morning light. ‘Why, of course, the Bible and Science and Health.’” (We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, First Series) The use of the Lesson-Sermons began in The Mother Church, and expanded to include all branch churches. In her address before the Alumni of 1895, Mrs. Eddy said: “The Committee of Sunday School lessons cannot give too much time and attention to their task, and should spare no research in the preparation of the Quarterly as an educational branch.” Until July of 1898, the Lessons were based on the International Bible Series. Then Mrs. Eddy selected twenty-six subjects for them — each subject to be used twice a year. With this change the Lessons took on their present form. To quote from an editorial in the July Journal of 1899, “The subjects for these sermons, as is quite well known, were furnished by our Leader. As has been observed, they follow the order she was wont to employ in teaching her classes.”