What is the cause of intemperance? Men need and desire the stimulant of Spirit, but not being in spiritual understanding they do not know what it is they crave and they seek satisfaction in material things. What is the "sin against the Holy Ghost"? Resistance of the Spirit. It cannot be forgiven because so long as it continues it shuts out the forgiving love of God. * Readers of UNITY Bible Lessons are invited to send us answers to the following questions, which have been considered during the last quarter: What state of mind is represented by John the Baptist? Why did Jesus thank the Father for withholding these things from the wise and revealing them unto babes? How does man break the Sabbath? What is true temperance? Who are the multitudes to be fed by the Christ? Lesson 3 Ju y 17 PETER'S CONFESSION.-Matt. 16:13-28. 13. Now when Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is? 14. And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah: and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15. He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? 16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. 18. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20. Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ. 21. From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jersulem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 22. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. 23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. 24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? 27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. 28. Verily I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. GOLDEN TEXT-"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."-Matt. 16:16. There is a realm in consciousness that is ambitious for temporal conquest and dominion, designated in this lesson Caesarea Philippi. This is the realm where personality has to be met and overcome. The faculties of man (disciples) have to be educated in spiritual understanding. They are connected with the world of Spirit within and the world of form without. When the spiritual anointing, which is a quickening and broadening of the understanding, takes place in the individual, there is a sort of "quiz club" in the mind, and we ask and answer our own questions. "Who do men say that I am?" What does personality say about this new consciousness? We have not thought about the real identity, nor meditated upon the deep questions of existence. But the pouring into the mind of the light of Spirit agitates these most important problems of our being, and we begin to ask what it all means. Personality sees all things in a personal way. The new consciousness is asserting itself, and we are forced to give it attention. The first thought is that it is personal in its character, "Elijah or one of the prophets." This is the testimony of men; the many minds that are not yet in the understanding of Principle. When the question is submitted to the untrammeled discernment of Truth, which is native to everyone, the reply is "This is the Christ." Inward confession of this great truth is absolutely necessary to its ultimate perpetuation in consciousness. When we say in thought "I am it," we lay right hold of the substance of the mind, and a foundation is made that forms a basis for a new man. "Let Christ be formed in you." Simon Peter was once designated as the rock upon which the Christ should build his ekklesia. This was not a temporal church, as has been interpreted by intellect, but an aggregation of ideas in mind based upon principles. "And he charged them that they should tell no man of him." This revelation that the real of man is Christ, is a matter of individual experience. It cannot be explained to one in personal understanding because those who have not had this degree of mind opened can form no comprehension of it. Many anointed ones have proclaimed, "I am Christ," and the world has condemned them for claiming to be Jesus of Nazareth, for he is the only Christ which personality can comprehend. All attempts to explain the character of the Christ of God in intellect are futile. "Spiritual things must be spiritually discerned." This mighty revelation that man is in fact the very Son of the living God is too stupendous for even the illuminated one to comprehend and retain at once. It suffers many things at the hands of the "elders" and "chief priests," which are the traditional beliefs and ruling religious ideas dominant in the mind. These do not give up to the Spiritual Man right away. In fact, they assert their power to extinguish him for a season. "killed," but shall "after three days rise again." He is These three days are three movements of mind, which may be designated "perception, realization, manifestation." The realizing degree has its part in the subjective consciousness and is accompanied with more or less darkness. The clear light of first percepton is obscured, yet we know that changes are going on in consciousness, and if we are wise, we will accompany the Christ down into this tomb of matter within us and assist in every way in overcoming the hereditary sins of the flesh. Peter, the undisciplined discerner of Truth, would escape this work in subjective consciousness, and openly rebuke the idea that it is necessary to suffer any such discipline. This Jesus designates as "Satan." It is the superficial way of looking at man—a surface view only. The fact is that we are the composite of many men and women, the residue of which is stored up in our subjective minds, and all of this has to be lighted up by the Christ when he is buried in this tomb of personality. We must give up the personal life if we want the spiritual life. Mortality and mortal ideas fall far short of Spirit, and they must all be surrendered before we can enter into eternal life. The old version says it is the soul that is lost but the new gives it as life. It is not a question of preparing the soul for heaven after death, but a demonstration of life right here and now. THE FAMILY---HARMONY IN Home is the Nursery of the Infinite-Channing. EDITED BY MYRTLE FILLMORE THE CHILD IN THE SCHOOL ORDER ARTICLE III. IMELDA OCTAVIA SHANKLIN. "Order is heaven's first law." Order is the mother of virtues. It is the state that prevails in every successful school room in the world. Without it there is the defeat of that for which every system of training is devised. As a means to order in the school, text books are arranged, courses of study mapped out, and daily programs drawn. These are the only assistance that boards of education can give the teacher in establishing this fundamental of success. These the wise teacher marshals and develops with the tact and skill of the confident general who plans every force at his command to act with the greatest precision and effect upon the object of assault. She is teacher who drives out the darkness, she is educator who lights the torch of knowledge in the mind of the stranger-souls who are learning the ways of mankind. It is the wide-awake teacher who has problems. The problems mainly evolve from the conservatism of school boards, the inadequacy of texts, the hard-andfast requirements of the course of study. These things she cannot avoid, so she makes friends with them that she may get from them the good they may be made to yield. Spurious success comes by aid of circumstances; real success comes despite circumstances and is brought |