unknown to the divine
        Mind. Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from
1:12 trusting God with our desires, that they may be
        moulded and exalted before they take form in words
        and in deeds.

Right motives

2:1 What are the motives for prayer? Do we pray to
        make ourselves better or to benefit those who hear us,
2:3 to enlighten the infinite or to be heard of
        men? Are we benefited by praying? Yes,
        the desire which goes forth hungering after righteous-
2:6 ness is blessed of our Father, and it does not return
        unto us void.

Deity unchangeable

        God is not moved by the breath of praise to do more
2:9 than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less
        than bestow all good, since He is unchang-
        ing wisdom and Love. We can do more for
2:12 ourselves by humble fervent petitions, but the All-lov-
        ing does not grant them simply on the ground of lip-
        service, for He already knows all.

2:15 Prayer cannot change the Science of being, but it
        tends to bring us into harmony with it. Goodness at-
        tains the demonstration of Truth. A request that
2:18 God will save us is not all that is required. The mere
        habit of pleading with the divine Mind, as one pleads
        with a human being, perpetuates the belief in God as
2:21 humanly circumscribed,- an error which impedes spirit-
        ual growth.

God's standard

        God is Love. Can we ask Him to be more? God is
2:24 intelligence. Can we inform the infinite Mind of any-
        thing He does not already comprehend?
        Do we expect to change perfection? Shall
2:27 we plead for more at the open fount, which is pour-
        ing forth more than we accept? The unspoken desire
        does bring us nearer the source of all existence and
2:30 blessedness.

        Asking God to /be/ God is a vain repetition. God is
        "the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever;" and
3:1 He who is immutably right will do right without being
        reminded of His province. The wisdom of man is not
3:3 sufficient to warrant him in advising God.

The spiritual mathematics

        Who would stand before a blackboard, and pray the
        principle of mathematics to solve the problem? The
3:6 rule is already established, and it is our
        task to work out the solution. Shall we
        ask the divine Principle of all goodness to do His own
3:9 work? His work is done, and we have only to avail
        ourselves of God's rule in order to receive His bless-
        ing, which enables us to work out our own salvation.

3:12 The Divine Being must be reflected by man, - else
        man is not the image and likeness of the patient,
        tender, and true, the One "altogether lovely;" but to
3:15 understand God is the work of eternity, and demands
        absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire.

Prayerful ingratitude

        How empty are our conceptions of Deity! We admit
3:18 theoretically that God is good, omnipotent, omni-
        present, infinite, and then we try to give
        information to this infinite Mind. We plead
3:21 for unmerited pardon and for a liberal outpouring of
        benefactions. Are we really grateful for the good
        already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the
3:24 blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more.
        Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of
        thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.

3:27 If we are ungrateful for Life, Truth, and Love, and
        yet return thanks to God for all blessings, we are in-
        sincere and incur the sharp censure our Master pro-
3:30 nounces on hypocrites. In such a case, the only
        acceptable prayer is to put the finger on the lips and
        remember our blessings. While the heart is far from
4:1 divine Truth and Love, we cannot conceal the ingrati-
        tude of barren lives.

Efficacious petitions

4:3 What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire
        for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness,
        love, and good deeds. To keep the com-
4:6 mandments of our Master and follow his
        example, is our proper debt to him and the only
        worthy evidence of our gratitude for all that he has
4:9 done. Outward worship is not of itself sufficient to
        express loyal and heartfelt gratitude, since he has
        said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

4:12 The habitual struggle to be always good is unceas-
        ing prayer. Its motives are made manifest in the
        blessings they bring,- blessings which, even if not
4:15 acknowledged in audible words, attest our worthiness
        to be partakers of Love.

Watchfulness requisite

        Simply asking that we may love God will never
4:18 make us love Him; but the longing to be better
        and holier, expressed in daily watchful-
        ness and in striving to assimilate more of
4:21 the divine character, will mould and fashion us
        anew, until we awake in His likeness. We reach the
        Science of Christianity through demonstration of the
4:24 divine nature; but in this wicked world goodness
        will "be evil spoken of," and patience must bring
        experience.

Veritable devotion

4:27 Audible prayer can never do the works of spiritual
        understanding, which regenerates; but silent prayer,
        watchfulness, and devout obedience enable
4:30 us to follow Jesus' example. Long prayers,
        superstition, and creeds clip the strong pinions of love,
        and clothe religion in human forms. Whatever mate-
5:1 rializes worship hinders man's spiritual growth and keeps
        him from demonstrating his power over error.

Sorrow and reformation

5:3 Sorrow for wrong-doing is but one step towards reform
        and the very easiest step. The next and great step re-
        quired by wisdom is the test of our sincerity,
5:6 - namely, reformation. To this end we are
        placed under the stress of circumstances. Temptation
        bids us repeat the offence, and woe comes in return for
5:9 what is done. So it