prevent all unpleasant and unchristian action--as
we drift, by right of God's dear love, into more spiritual [5]
lines of life--let each society of practitioners, the matter-
physicians and the metaphysicians, agree to disagree, and
then patiently wait on God to decide, as surely He will,
which is the true system of medicine.

_Do we not see in the commonly accepted teachings of the_ [10]
_day, the Christ-idea mingled with the teachings of John_
_the Baptist? or, rather, Are not the last eighteen centuries_
_but the footsteps of Truth being baptized of John, and com-_
_ing up straightway out of the ceremonial (or ritualistic)_
_waters to receive the benediction of an honored Father, and_ [15]
_afterwards to go up into the wilderness, in order to over-_
_come mortal sense, before it shall go forth into all the cities_
_and towns of Judea, or see many of the people from beyond_
_Jordan? Now, if all this be a fair or correct view of this_
_question, why does not John hear this voice, or see the_ [20]
_dove,--or has not Truth yet reached the shore?_

Every individual character, like the individual John
the Baptist, at some date must cry in the desert of
earthly joy; and his voice be heard divinely and
humanly. In the desolation of human understanding, [25]
divine Love hears and answers the human call for help;
and the voice of Truth utters the divine verities of being
which deliver mortals out of the depths of ignorance
and vice. This _is_ the Father's benediction. It gives
lessons to human life, guides the understanding, peoples [30]

[Page 82.]

the mind with spiritual ideas, reconstructs the Judean [1]
religion, and reveals God and man as the Principle and
idea of all good.

Understanding this fact in Christian Science, brings
the peace symbolized by a dove; and this peace floweth [5]
as a river into a shoreless eternity. He who knew the
foretelling Truth, beheld the forthcoming Truth, as it
came up out of the baptism of Spirit, to enlighten and
redeem mortals. Such Christians as John cognize the
symbols of God, reach the sure foundations of time, stand [10]
upon the shore of eternity, and grasp and gather--in all
glory--what eye hath not seen.

_Is there infinite progression with man after the destruc-_
_tion of mortal mind?_

Man is the offspring and idea of the Supreme Being, [15]
whose law is perfect and infinite. In obedience to this
law, man is forever unfolding the endless beatitudes of
Being; for