Responsive Reading: Joshua 24 : 1, 2, 13-15, 17, 24

1.     And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem,

2.     And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel,

13.     I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

14.     Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth.

15.     Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

17.     For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed.

24.     And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

1. Psalm 26 : 1-3

1     Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.

2     Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

3     For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

2. II Kings 20 : 1-6

1     In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

2     Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,

3     I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

4     And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

5     Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.

6     And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

3. Psalm 116 : 1, 6-9

1     I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

6     The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

7     Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

8     For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

9     I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

4. Psalm 117 : 1, 2

1     O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

2     For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

5. John 4 : 46-53

46     So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47     When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48     Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

49     The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

50     Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

51     And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

52     Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

53     So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

6. John 8 : 1, 2, 28-32

1     Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

2     And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

28     Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

29     And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

30     As he spake these words, many believed on him.

31     Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32     And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

7. Romans 12 : 1

1     I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

8. Ephesians 4 : 17 (walk not), 22 (put)-27, 29, 31, 32

17     … walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

22     … put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23     And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24     And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25     Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26     Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27     Neither give place to the devil.

29     Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

31     Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32     And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

9. Ephesians 5 : 1, 8

1     Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

8     For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.

1. 368 : 2-5

The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal. Error is a coward before Truth.

2. 453 : 29-30

A Christian Scientist's medicine is Mind, the divine Truth that makes man free.

3. 224 : 28 (Truth)-13

Truth brings the elements of liberty. On its banner is the Soul-inspired motto, "Slavery is abolished." The power of God brings deliverance to the captive. No power can withstand divine Love. What is this supposed power, which opposes itself to God? Whence cometh it? What is it that binds man with iron shackles to sin, sickness, and death? Whatever enslaves man is opposed to the divine government. Truth makes man free.

You may know when first Truth leads by the fewness and faithfulness of its followers. Thus it is that the march of time bears onward freedom's banner. The powers of this world will fight, and will command their sentinels not to let truth pass the guard until it subscribes to their systems; but Science, heeding not the pointed bayonet, marches on. There is always some tumult, but there is a rallying to truth's standard.

4. 325 : 20-11

Paul had a clear sense of the demands of Truth upon mortals physically and spiritually, when he said: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." But he, who is begotten of the beliefs of the flesh and serves them, can never reach in this world the divine heights of our Lord. The time cometh when the spiritual origin of man, the divine Science which ushered Jesus into human presence, will be understood and demonstrated.

When first spoken in any age, Truth, like the light, "shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not." A false sense of life, substance, and mind hides the divine possibilities, and conceals scientific demonstration.

If we wish to follow Christ, Truth, it must be in the way of God's appointing. Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." He, who would reach the source and find the divine remedy for every ill, must not try to climb the hill of Science by some other road. All nature teaches God's love to man, but man cannot love God supremely and set his whole affections on spiritual things, while loving the material or trusting in it more than in the spiritual.

5. viii : 12-15

The question, What is Truth, is answered by demonstration, — by healing both disease and sin; and this demonstration shows that Christian healing confers the most health and makes the best men.

6. 326 : 16-22

The purpose and motive to live aright can be gained now. This point won, you have started as you should. You have begun at the numeration-table of Christian Science, and nothing but wrong intention can hinder your advancement. Working and praying with true motives, your Father will open the way. "Who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth?"

7. 327 : 17-21

To the physical senses, the strict demands of Christian Science seem peremptory; but mortals are hastening to learn that Life is God, good, and that evil has in reality neither place nor power in the human or the divine economy.

8. 240 : 27-32

In trying to undo the errors of sense one must pay fully and fairly the utmost farthing, until all error is finally brought into subjection to Truth. The divine method of paying sin's wages involves unwinding one's snarls, and learning from experience how to divide between sense and Soul.

9. 182 : 30-1 (to ;)

To admit that sickness is a condition over which God has no control, is to presuppose that omnipotent power is powerless on some occasions. The law of Christ, or Truth, makes all things possible to Spirit;

10. 538 : 3-10

Truth should, and does, drive error out of all selfhood. Truth is a two-edged sword, guarding and guiding. Truth places the cherub wisdom at the gate of understanding to note the proper guests. Radiant with mercy and justice, the sword of Truth gleams afar and indicates the infinite distance between Truth and error, between the material and spiritual, — the unreal and the real.

11. 183 : 21-32

Divine Mind rightly demands man's entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty. Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power.

Truth casts out all evils and materialistic methods with the actual spiritual law, — the law which gives sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, voice to the dumb, feet to the lame. If Christian
Science dishonors human belief, it honors spiritual understanding; and the one Mind only is entitled to honor.

12. 495 : 14-16

When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought.

13. 418 : 5-11, 20-25, 27 (Cast)-32

Stick to the truth of being in contradistinction to the error that life, substance, or intelligence can be in matter. Plead with an honest conviction of truth and a clear perception of the unchanging, unerring, and certain effect of divine Science. Then, if your fidelity is half equal to the truth of your plea, you will heal the sick.

Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony. All metaphysical logic is inspired by this simple rule of Truth, which governs all reality. By the truthful arguments you employ, and especially by the spirit of Truth and Love which you entertain, you will heal the sick.

Cast out all manner of evil. "Preach the gospel to every creature." Speak the truth to every form of error. Tumors, ulcers, tubercles, inflammation, pain, deformed joints, are waking dream-shadows, dark images of mortal thought, which flee before the light of Truth.

14. 21 : 1-4, 9-14

If Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk and conversation, you can finally say, "I have fought a good fight ... I have kept the faith," because you are a better man.

If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striving to enter in. He constantly turns away from material sense, and looks towards the imperishable things of Spirit. If honest, he will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy.

15. 380 : 4 only

Truth is always the victor.