Books: The Pastor\'s Son
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William W. Walter >> The Pastor\'s Son
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After saying his usual prayers, he added, "And now, God, I wish to
thank you for all the good things you have given me. I could not thank
you this morning, for then I thought you had made me sick. But now I
know that you are all good and could not make evil; truly I now have
something to be thankful for and shall always remember this Thanksgiving
day."
CHAPTER IV
PREPARING FOR THE LESSONS
The next morning, when Walter awoke it was broad daylight, and the
hands on the clock pointed to the hour of ten, as his mother came into
his room with an anxious look on her face and said, "I have just come
up to wake you as your father was worried because of your sleeping so
long; how do you feel this morning?"
"Oh, mother, I feel better this morning, and I had the best night's
rest I have had for years. I never woke up once all night, and I feel
strong and hungry."
"Thank God you are better, I will go down and get your breakfast ready."
"All right, mother, I will be down as soon as I wash and dress." Before
going down, he went over to his trunk, took out "Science and Health,"
and said, "I believe that you contain the truth and will free me of
this disease." He then placed it in his trunk again, being careful to
hide it from the view of any one who should carelessly look into it.
Hastily descending to the dining-room, he ate a hearty breakfast. As
he was leaving the table his mother said, "I am sorry you did not take
advantage of the beautiful sunshine yesterday, for the wind has changed
and is now blowing severely from the north and it is very cold and
dreary out."
"I don't mind it at all to-day, mother, for I feel so much better that
I hadn't noticed the weather."
His mother was somewhat astonished to hear him speak so cheerfully,
as it had been customary for Walter to complain of feeling worse on
dreary days. Then she thought, "It must be that new medicine, for he
certainly is better, and I pray God he will continue to improve."
As for Walter, he was glad it was a dreary day, as this would give him
an excuse for staying in his room and continue his reading. He wished
he was there now, but did not want to awaken the suspicion of his
mother by too hurried a departure. So he walked about the room, trying
to think of some excuse. Finally a happy thought occured to him, and
he said, "Mother, I believe I will take the Bible and go to my room
and read, so as to be prepared for our lesson this evening."
"Very well, Walter, you will find it on the library table."
Walter walked into the library, secured the book, then went up to his
room, took out "Science and Health" and was soon absorbed in its
contents.
The afternoon was a repetition of the morning.
At the supper table the Rev. Williams said, "I am sorry we cannot start
our Bible lessons for a few evenings, as I have received a notification
to be present at some meetings to be held by the local clergy."
"Any matter of importance, James?" asked his wife.
"Not particularly so. The Rev. Mr. Johnson said that they wished to
find a way to successfully combat this new heretical idea called
Christian Science, and they want to arrange so that each clergyman
will give a sermon denouncing it, each on a different Sunday, and Rev.
Johnson asked me if I was willing to deliver a sermon on it, and I
told him yes."
"Why father," said Walter, "I did not know that you had ever read or
looked into Christian Science."
"No son, I never did look it up or study it, and what is more I never
intend to. The Bible is good enough for me."
"But, father, how can you preach a sermon on it if you do not know
what it is?"
"I did not say that I did not know what it is. I have heard enough to
know that it _is not_ Christian and that they claim to heal in the same
way that Jesus Christ did. This claim alone proves that it is false, for
Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and that is why He could heal the sick,
and for any man to consider himself equal to Jesus Christ is
blasphemous."
"Father did not Jesus bid His disciples heal the sick?"
"Yes, certainly, He gave His disciples the power to heal the sick, but
His disciples have been dead for a long time, and nobody else was given
the power to heal as Christ did," said the pastor. "Was St. Paul one
of Christ's disciples?"
"No Walter, he was not in reality one of Christ's disciples, but he
was a very good and holy man."
"Did not St. Paul heal the sick?"
"Yes, there are several accounts in the Bible of St. Paul's healing
power."
"Well father, where did St. Paul get his power to heal the sick if he
was not one of the disciples that Jesus gave the power of healing to?"
"Why you see it was like this--that is--I mean to say--" the pastor
stopped rather confused, then finished with, "It is too long a story
to tell to-night, as I must be getting ready for that meeting. I will
explain this all when we start our lessons."
The pastor left the room and entered the library, thinking deeply. "I
wonder where that boy gets those queer ideas from. I am very much
pleased that I suggested those Bible lessons, for if he was not
enlightened, he would surely go astray."
Shortly after, the pastor was wending his way to the meeting, still
thinking of what Walter had said regarding St. Paul. Walter made an
excuse to retire to his room and was soon reading in his precious
"Science and Health;" and it was precious to him, for in it he saw the
only hope he had ever had of getting well. He read far into the night,
and every spare moment of the next few days, so that when Wednesday
evening came he had finished the book. But Wednesday evening was prayer
meeting, so there would be no Bible lessons until Thursday evening.
He spent almost all day Thursday reading Genesis in the Bible and
comparing it with the scientific interpretation as found in "Science
and Health," by Mary Baker G. Eddy, under the subject of Genesis,
beginning on page 501.
About six o'clock his mother called him for supper, and as he laid
down his books he said, "It must be true; I feel that it is the truth.
I will have father start with Genesis to-night and will ask such
questions as will be most apt to get father to see the Bible in its
true light. How I wish I had found this book long ago, then I would
be better prepared to convince father. Still I know that God is good
and will help me, and with Him to help me I cannot fail."
CHAPTER V
THE FIRST LESSON
It was just 7:30 p.m. when the pastor, his wife, and Walter entered
the library to have their first Bible lesson.
"Well, Walter," said the father pleasantly, "have you decided where
we shall commence our studies?"
"Yes, father, I should like to start at the beginning, with Genesis."
The pastor looked at his son and noticed that his face was flushed
with excitement. Still he made no comment about it, but answered, "very
well Walter, if agreeable to mother, we will start with Genesis."
"Yes, James, I am satisfied to start anywhere that pleases Walter."
"As we are all in accord, I will start with chapter 1 of Genesis, and
continue reading until we come to something that you do not understand.
Then you may stop me and I will explain. I think this will be an
excellent way, don't you, Walter?"
"Yes, father, I think that will be the best way." The pastor started
to read Genesis, chapter 1, and there was no interruption until he
arrived at Genesis 1, 26.
Several times Walter was on the point of asking some question, but did
not. Now he asked, "father, what is meant by that verse? I do not
understand it clearly."
"I'll read it again for you," said the pastor. "Genesis, chapter 1,
26th verse. '_And God said, let us make man in our image after our
likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the
fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth_.' Do you understand
it now?"
"Not yet. God is Spirit, is He not?"
"Certainly, why do you ask?"
"That verse says that God made man in His image and likeness, does
that mean that man is spiritual?"
"Yes," answered the pastor. "Then my body must be spiritual."
"Oh, no, our bodies are not spiritual, it is only the soul that is in
the body that is here spoken of as the image and likeness of God."
"Then God did not make our bodies, did He, father?"
"Why, certainly He did. Have you never read that God made all that was
made?"
"It doesn't say anything in that verse about God's making a body does it
father?"
"No but it says 'in His image and likeness,' that means just like Him,"
said the pastor.
"Then if I am just like Him, He in turn must be just like me, and in
that case God would have a material body, and would not be wholly
spirit."
"Why son, what queer ideas you have. As I said before this verse is
only speaking of the soul; you will see farther on where He created
the body. Now let us proceed."
"Father, what is meant by that part of this same verse, where it reads:
'_And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the fowl
of the air_,' etc.?"
"There has been considerable differences of opinion in regard to that
passage. Personally, I think it means that we will have this dominion
after we die and enter the spirit world, for we certainly haven't
dominion over the fish and fowl here."
"James, do you think there will be fish and fowl in heaven?" meekly
asked his wife.
"That is a very absurd question. Everybody knows there will be no fish
and fowl in heaven," said her husband.
"Then how can we have dominion over them if there are none there?"
asked his wife.
"It seems to me that you are both very dense this evening. Let us
continue and these things will clear up as we proceed," said the pastor,
a little nettled at his inability to answer their questions clearly.
Walter had several more questions he wanted to ask on this subject,
but he thought best not to ask too many at one time.
There was no more interruption until the pastor reached Genesis 1,
31st verse--"_and God saw everything He had made, and behold it was
very good, and the evening and the morning were the 6th day_." Here
Walter interrupted with, "Then everything that God made was good."
"Yes, everything that God made was good," answered the pastor.
"If that be true, God could not have made me sick, for sickness is not
good," said Walter.
"Walter, I believe you are right," said his mother.
The pastor looked from one to the other, then slowly laid the Bible
down in his lap. He was surprised at the turn the conversation had
taken, and he remembered that Walter had on a previous occasion said
something similar. Just what would be the best answer to make he did
not know, so thought he would ask Walter a few questions, and in this
way find out what the boy had on his mind. So he asked, "What makes
you so positive that God did not make you sick Walter?"
"Because God is good and just, and I am His child, and the Bible says
He made everything good and He made everything that was made, so
everything must be good. Besides, I cannot conceive of a just God
making me suffer for a sin some one else committed, any more than I
could think of you, father, punishing me for something that our
neighbor's boy had done."
Like a flash the pastor saw now what the boy had meant when he spoke
of sending him to jail because some one else had stolen some chickens.
The boy was only trying to illustrate to him the injustice of punishing
one person for the deeds of another. Then the thought came, "Shall man
be more just than God?" There was something here he did not understand,
and yet the Bible said God made everything that was made. If this be
true, He was the author of all the sorrows and woes, as well as the
joys, of the human race.
Now that he had got to thinking on this subject, he did not like to
admit even to himself that God was the creator of all the wickedness
of the world. He decided he must have more time to think about this
before he could answer the boy, so said, "We know that God is good and
just, and some of the things that to us seem evil and unjust may still
be for our good." He then picked up the Bible to proceed with his
reading.
Walter noticed that his father was ill at ease and decided not to ask
any more questions at present. The pastor then read Genesis 2, 1st
verse: _"Thus the heavens and earth were finished and all the hosts
of them."_ He now cast an anxious look over at Walter, expecting
him to ask some question that would be as hard to answer as the previous
ones, but Walter was sitting perfectly still listening attentively.
The pastor then read the next verse, Genesis 2, 2nd verse: _"And on
the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested
on the seventh day from all His work which He had made"_
"Is that all of creation, father?" asked Walter.
"Yes, God created everything in six days and on the seventh He rested;
that is why we observe the Sabbath day as a day of rest."
There was no interruption in the next three verses, although Walter
heard several things he would like to have asked about. But when it
came to Genesis 2, 6th verse, _"But there went up a mist from the
earth and watered the whole face of the ground,"_ Walter asked, "What is
meant by that _mist_, father?" The pastor tried to find some reasonable
answer, but could not, so he replied, "I suppose it was something like
the fogs we sometimes see rising from the ground." He had come to the
conclusion that these Bible lessons were not going to be quite so easy
and entertaining as he had anticipated, and had determined that on the
morrow he would go over the lesson by himself, and in this way be
prepared for any and all questions that might be asked.
Walter knew what this _mist_ meant; he had read all about it, in
"Science and Health," but still he did not think it policy to say
anything more on the subject just then. The pastor continued his
reading, Genesis 2, 7th verse. _"And the Lord God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul."_
"Will you please explain that verse to me, father?"
"With pleasure; this is the verse I spoke of a little while back, when
I told you that in Genesis 1.26, God only made the soul or spirit of
man, while here is a record of the creation of the body.
"You see, son, we get a better understanding as we proceed. It is like
this, the soul or spirit is in the image and likeness of God, but the
body is not, it being material, having been created of dust. Do you
understand it better now?"
Walter did not answer at once, so his mother said, "That all seems
very plain to me now, although I was somewhat confused before."
The pastor turned a smiling face to her and nodded his head approvingly;
he was now quite at his ease again, and did not look for any further
trouble. Then turning to Walter, he was a little surprised to see him
looking flushed and excited, so said, "Well, Walter, what are you
thinking about?"
The boy looked up and said, "I was trying to think, when God started
His second creation, for He had finished His first one on the sixth
day and rested from His work on the seventh day, and here seems to be
a record of something He created after He had finished."
Had a bomb shell exploded in the room, it would not have surprised and
shocked the pastor and his wife so much as that which they had just
heard; and coming just at the time when the pastor thought he was
making everything clear and plain, it confused him terribly, and in
his ears kept ringing what Walter had said: "I was trying to think,
when God started His second creation, for He had finished His first
one on the sixth day and rested from His work which He had made, on
the seventh day." What could this mean; where did Walter get these
queer thoughts from; were they in reality queer? The idea of a second
creation was absurd, yet the Bible said, Genesis 2. 1, _"thus the
heavens and earth were finished and all the hosts of them."_ There
it was plain enough, it spoke both of heaven and earth, _"and on the
seventh day God ended His work which He had made, and He rested on the
seventh day from all His work which He had made."_ Did God make a
mistake in the first creation and so start in again to rectify His
mistake? Impossible. God was, is, and always will be all-knowing; this
precluded all chance of Deity making a mistake. Was the Bible wrong
in this particular instance, if so, might it not all be wrong? This
thought made the good man's heart stand still. No, no, it could not
be; it must be some slight error in the translation or something of
that kind--yes, it must be; how was it that he had never seen it before?
Then he became conscious that his wife was asking him some question.
"James," he heard her say, "are there really two creations, one
spiritual and the other material?"
What should he answer? He never was so at a loss for a reply in his
whole life; there was his son and his wife, both apparently depending
on him for an explanation, and he absolutely incapable of making a
rational one. And then he remembered that he had said it didn't make
any difference to him what part of the Bible they started with, as he
was very familiar with it all. At length he said: "I don't seem capable
of clear thought to-night; I think we had better stop for this time,
and we will begin at this same verse to-morrow night."
Walter was sorry to see his father so confused and perplexed, and tried
to think of some way to help him arrive at the truth. He was afraid
to say much for fear of awakening his father's suspicion, for if his
father had the least idea that he had secured his information from the
Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health," with key to the
scriptures, he would not have allowed him to ask any more questions,
nor even voice any of his thoughts, on the subject.
Walter decided to try to show his father a way out of his dilemma, so
he said: "Father, don't you think your explanation about that
_mist_ that is spoken of in Genesis, 2. 6, being a fog is wrong?"
"What else could it be, Walter?"
"Have you ever noticed, father, that this particular verse starts in
with a '_but_'? It reads, 'But there went up a mist,' it does not say,
'God made a mist to rise from the earth.'"
"I don't see that the word 'but' changes it any."
"I did not mean to say that it did, I only wished to point out the
fact that here was something that God did not make, for nowhere in the
preceding chapters of Genesis had God made a mist."
"I cannot understand what you mean, Walter. The Bible says that God
made everything that was made, and as I have seen a mist many times,
God must have made it as there is only one Creator," said the pastor.
"On the same line of reasoning, we would have to admit God created all
the evils of this world, for we see these evils every day, and then
I would have to admit that God made me sick, and I can never believe
that, for Genesis 1, 31st verse reads, '_And God saw everything that
He had made, and behold it was very good_.' If we believe this, we
cannot possibly believe He made any evil thing."
"Well Walter, we will not discuss that subject farther at the present
time, for I know as we progress with our lessons you will see it in
a different light; anyway I don't see what that mist has to do with
the subject."
"Father, might not that mist mean a mistake or a misapprehension? Then
that verse would read, 'But there went up a misapprehension from the
earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.'"
"Why, Walter there would be no sense to such a speech; how could a
misapprehension water the whole face of the ground?" "Is not the Bible
supposed to be an inspired book, father?"
"Yes, certainly."
"And is there not supposed to be a spiritual meaning to all there is
written there?"
"Yes, Walter, why do you ask?"
"Then might not the spiritual meaning of that verse be brought out by
using the word 'arose' instead of 'went up,' and the word 'deceived,'
instead of 'watered,' and the word 'intelligence,' in place of 'face,'
and the word 'people,' instead of 'ground'; then the verse would read
like this, 'But there arose a misapprehension from the earth and
deceived the whole intelligence of the people.' If we add to this what
is implied, that the following creation is what the people through
this misapprehension believe, we get a clearer view of the real creation
as narrated in the first chapter of Genesis."
It was several moments after Walter finished speaking before the pastor
or his wife made any reply. Many times that evening they had been
surprised at what they had heard Walter say, now they were both
surprised and bewildered. The mother was the first to speak and said:
"What you say, Walter, seems reasonable, yet I do not think we have
the right to change anything that is written in the Bible."
"That is true, wife, it is from this pernicious habit of translating
the Bible to suit the thought of each ignoramous that thinks he knows
something of the Bible, simply because he has read it once or twice,
that all the contradictory sayings about the Bible originate, and it
ought to be stopped by law," said the pastor.
"Why, father, that is not changing the Bible, it is simply bringing
to light the hidden meaning, the same as you do when you interpret
some of the sayings, or parables, of Jesus; anyway, I merely suggested
that this might be the solution of the question of a second creation."
"Walter do not speak of a second creation again; everybody knows there
is only one creation for there is only one God and He is omniscient;
that precludes the thought of a mistake and a re-creation. God made
everything that was made in six days, and if He made everything in
that time, there would not be anything more to make; for 'everything'
includes, 'all.'" "Then which of the two narratives in the Bible is
the true one, James?" asked his wife.
"My dear, this second narrative is the same creation, told in a more
simple way so that all may understand. It enters into the details and
tells _how_ God created everything."
The pastor had not intended giving such an explanation as this when
he started to speak, but this thought occurred to him and it seemed
reasonable, so he voiced it, and now that he said it, he felt satisfied
that the first creation was the real creation, and that the second
narrative was the explanation of how everything was created.
Walter was somewhat confused by his father's explanation. He had never
thought of it in this light, and now he was at a loss what to say. He
felt sure that his father's explanation was not the correct solution,
yet he could not find words to express his thoughts. Then he thought
of his precious "Science and Health"; if I could only look into that
for a few minutes, I know I could find the true explanation; then
turning to his father he said: "Don't you think we have had enough
Bible study for the first night? It is half past nine.
"Why, how fast the evening has passed. I'm sure you must be tired,"
anxiously exclaimed his mother.
"Yes, Walter," said his father, "it is time that we retire, for there
are many more evenings this winter, and we must not think we can learn
all the Bible contains in one evening. I hope I made that second
narrative plain to you."
"I am not fully convinced that we have arrived at the truth of this
second creation, father. I shall spend to-morrow thinking and studying
on that subject, and maybe by to-morrow evening I will be able to see
it as it really is."
"That's right, Walter," said the pastor, highly pleased at the thought
of his son taking such an interest in the scriptures, "it is only by
study and research that we can gain knowledge." The pastor had no idea
that Walter had any other source of information than the family Bible,
but Walter was thinking of his key to the scriptures by Mrs. Eddy,
with which he proposed to unlock the treasure vaults of the Bible.
"Come, Walter, you had better go to bed, I fear you have already
overexerted yourself, as you are not accustomed to being up so late."
Walter turned a bright and cheery face to her and said, "I do not feel
tired at all mother, for the lesson has been very interesting to me,
so do not worry. I am sure it did me good." Then turning to his father,
he said, "Good-night, father, shall we have another lesson to-morrow
night?"
"Yes, certainly; now good-night and pleasant dreams."
Walter bade his mother an affectionate good-night and went to his room.
As soon as he was gone, father and mother looked at each other and
there was hope and delight written on both their faces.
"He is surely getting better," said the mother.
"I never saw him so interested and cheerful in his whole life," remarked
the father.
"I think we have secured the right medicine at last," said the mother.
"I have prayed long and faithfully to God that He spare his life and
guide his footsteps into the ministry, and I believe both prayers have
been heard, for he is surely gaining rapidly in health, and has taken
more than an ordinary interest in the Bible; some of his questions
were very absurd, but this is simply because he does not understand.
I shall put a little study on to-morrow's lesson, so as to be more
able to explain any and all questions he may ask," said the father.
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