Responsive Reading: Isaiah 12 : 2-6; Isaiah 26 : 3, 4

2.     Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3.     Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4.     And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5.     Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

6.     Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

3.     Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4.     Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.

1. Jeremiah 17 : 14

14     Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

2. Psalm 91 : 1-6, 9-11, 14-16

1     He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2     I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3     Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4     He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5     Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6     Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

9     Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10     There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11     For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

14     Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15     He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16     With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

3. Acts 4 : 33

33     And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

4. Acts 5 : 12, 14-16

12     And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

14     And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

15     Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

16     There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

5. Acts 9 : 36-41

36     Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

37     And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

38     And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

39     Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

40     But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41     And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

6. I Corinthians 1 : 1 (to 2nd ,)

1     Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God,

7. Acts 27 : 1 (it) (to 1st ,), 4, 14 (not), 15, 20, 21 (to 2nd ,), 22 (I)-25,

36, 37, 44 (And so)

1     …it was determined that we should sail into Italy,

4     And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

14     …not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15     And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

20     And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21     But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said,

22     I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

23     For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24     Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25     Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

36     Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

37     And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

44     And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

8. Acts 28 : 1-3, 5, 30, 31

1     And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

2     And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

3     And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

5     And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

30     And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,

31     Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

1. xi : 9-21

The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are the sign of Immanuel, or "God with us," — a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,

To preach deliverance to the captives [of sense],
And recovering of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty them that are bruised.

2. 165 : 12-2

Obedience to the so-called physical laws of health has not checked sickness. Diseases have multiplied, since man-made material theories took the place of spiritual truth.

You say that indigestion, fatigue, sleeplessness, cause distressed stomachs and aching heads. Then you consult your brain in order to remember what has hurt you, when your remedy lies in forgetting the whole thing; for matter has no sensation of its own, and the human mind is all that can produce pain.

3. 430 : 13-20, 27-12

I here present to my readers an allegory illustrative of the law of divine Mind and of the supposed laws of matter and hygiene, an allegory in which the plea of Christian Science heals the sick.

Suppose a mental case to be on trial, as cases are tried in court. A man is charged with having committed liver-complaint. The patient feels ill, ruminates, and the trial commences.

The evidence for the prosecution being called for, a witness testifies thus: —

I represent Health-laws. I was present on certain nights when the prisoner, or patient, watched with a sick friend. Although I have the superintendence of human affairs, I was personally abused on those occasions. I was told that I must remain silent until called for at this trial, when I would be allowed to testify in the case. Notwithstanding my rules to the contrary, the prisoner watched with the sick every night in the week. When the sick mortal was thirsty, the prisoner gave him drink. During all this time the prisoner attended to his daily labors, partaking of food at irregular intervals, sometimes going to sleep immediately after a heavy meal. At last he committed liver-complaint, which I considered criminal, inasmuch as this offence is deemed punishable with death. Therefore I arrested Mortal Man in behalf of the state (namely, the body) and cast him into prison.

4. 432 : 16-19

The Judge asks if by doing good to his neighbor, it is possible for man to become diseased, transgress the laws, and merit punishment, and Governor Mortality replies in the affirmative.

5. 433 : 18-26, 31-11

Judge Medicine then proceeds to pronounce the solemn sentence of death upon the prisoner. Because he has loved his neighbor as himself, Mortal Man has been guilty of benevolence in the first degree, and this has led him into the commission of the second crime, liver-complaint, which material laws condemn as homicide. For this crime Mortal Man is sentenced to be tortured until he is dead. "May God have mercy on your soul," is the Judge's solemn peroration.

Ah! but Christ, Truth, the spirit of Life and the friend of Mortal Man, can open wide those prison doors and set the captive free. Swift on the wings of divine Love, there comes a despatch: "Delay the execution; the prisoner is not guilty." Consternation fills the prison-yard. Some exclaim, "It is contrary to law and justice." Others say, "The law of Christ supersedes our laws; let us follow Christ."

After much debate and opposition, permission is obtained for a trial in the Court of Spirit, where Christian Science is allowed to appear as counsel for the unfortunate prisoner.

6. 434 : 17-23

The counsel's earnest, solemn eyes, kindling with hope and triumph, look upward. Then Christian Science turns suddenly to the supreme tribunal, and opens the argument for the defence: —

The prisoner at the bar has been unjustly sentenced. His trial was a tragedy, and is morally illegal.

7. 435 : 19-23, 31-35

Watching beside the couch of pain in the exercise of a love that "is the fulfilling of the law," — doing "unto others as ye would that they should do unto you," — this is no infringement of law, for no demand, human or divine, renders it just to punish a man for acting justly.

The only jurisdiction to which the prisoner can submit is that of Truth, Life, and Love. If they condemn him not, neither shall Judge Medicine condemn him; and I ask that the prisoner be restored to the liberty of which he has been unjustly deprived.

8. 437 : 32-7

The attorney, Christian Science, then read from the supreme statute-book, the Bible, certain extracts on the Rights of Man, remarking that the Bible was better authority than Blackstone: —

Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion.

Behold, I give unto you power … over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

9. 440 : 33 (the Chief)-4

…the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with benign and imposing presence, comprehending and defining all law and evidence, explained from his statute-book, the Bible, that any so-called law, which undertakes to punish aught but sin, is null and void.

10. 442 : 5-15

The Jury of Spiritual Senses agreed at once upon a verdict, and there resounded throughout the vast audience-chamber of Spirit the cry, Not guilty. Then the prisoner rose up regenerated, strong, free. We noticed, as he shook hands with his counsel, Christian Science, that all sallowness and debility had disappeared. His form was erect and commanding, his countenance beaming with health and happiness. Divine Love had cast out fear. Mortal Man, no longer sick and in prison, walked forth, his feet "beautiful upon the mountains," as of one "that bringeth good tidings."