OMNIPRESENTGOD.ORG
Rev. Dr. C. William Mercer, United Divine Science
Divine Science is as old as humanity and certainly as old as New Thought itself. In fact Divine Science is the original name of New Thought. The term Divine Science has also been used by a variety of teachers to describe the methodical and scientific process of personal transformation through At-One-Ment which is the process of understanding our Divine Unity with God. Divine Science is a Christian denomination that teaches practical, reasonable living based on the omnipresence of God. Divine Science is an extremly positive approach to life, seeking to accept the good in people and all of life. Divine Science stresses that God is not a physical man in the sky, for this limits our ability to perceive God's true nature. God is Spirit, everywhere present, the one and only Spirit behind, in and through all things, visible and invisible. Divine Science denies the existence of any power or presence opposed to God. It sees that there are evil appearances and suffering in the world, but ascribes these to man's ignorance and erroneous use of God's laws of life. Divine Science seeks to relate religion to daily needs, affirming that for every need there is God's perfect answer. Its main textbook is the Bible, and it relates its lessons to your life and everyday experiences. Divine Science chooses to believe that there is good in every religion. Different religions are like spokes on a wheel with the hub being God. They may be set apart by a variance of belief and approaches but they are all seeking the one God as the hub of all life. Consequently, Divine Science does not deny anyone the right to have their own beliefs. Divine Science sees worship as serving God by uplifting and glorifying God's spirit in man in positive, joyous ways. It seeks not to emphasize one's sins of the past, but instead gives attention to the good that exists in every person and what can be done with the now to transform one's self and his life. Its main concern is not so much with a "future life" but with teaching people how to live fully in the present, seeing the good in all things. Divine Science also believes in eternal life and views the present moment as part of this eternal life. Divine Science explains the mind as your connecting link with God or Divine Mind and shows how the action of your mind affects your body and circumstances. Much emphasis is placed on the effective power that every thought, feeling. word and act has upon your life. Prayer is not seen as a technique for changing God, but for expanding and transforming your mind, and thus changing you. Divine Science proclaims the divinity of Jesus, but goes further and assures that you, too, are a child of God and therefore divine in nature. Jesus expressed His divine potential and sought to show us how to express ours as well. Salvation is then the expanding understanding of one's innate divinity and perfectibility through living the life demonstrated by Jesus.
Divine Science was founded by Malinda Cramer as early as 1888, when she opened her Home College in San Francisco, and began publishing her periodical, "Harmony." Malinda ordained Nona Lovell Brooks in San Francisco on December 1, 1898. On January 1, 1899, Nona, along with her sisters Fannie Brooks James and Alethea Brooks Small, established the First Divine Science Church of Denver. Together, Cramer and the Brooks' sisters established the parameters of Divine Science as we know it today. Below you will find key principles of Divine Science as stated by pillars of the movement, along with the thoughts of Emerson -- a precursor of the New Thought movement. Together, their writings capture the essence of Divine Science so as to whet the appetite for a more thorough understanding of the Omnipresence of God and our At-One-Ment with God.
“Let us cease to be prodigal in our conclusions and beliefs and awaken to our Reality. Each
of us, being the thinker of true thoughts, can change his way of
believing and know himself divine, a son or daughter of God, and know
that his life is God. Then think of your life as perfect, unlimited and unending. There is but One Life. This is Truth, which to know, makes free and brings peace which passeth understanding. What
is it to find the Kingdom of Heaven and dwell therein, but to get
understanding and to become fully conscious that we live, move and have
our Being in God? To thus know that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand is to think, speak and act, that is,
to live in the realization of the power and glory of Being.
Our work resolves itself into this: we
are to make the thought, love and motive of Spirit our thought, love
and motive, and thus produce the fruits of Spirit – effects which
harmonize with the Supreme All. Awaken to thine own inheritance of pure and perfect Being; lay hold upon it, it is thine to use and to enjoy. Be
true in thought, and free from anxiety and fear; look steadfastly into
the Unity of Being, the perfect law of liberty, and thou shalt see that
all that is, is divine.
‘Be still and know that I am God.’”
---Malinda Cramer, Divine Science Founder
"The world, as never before, needs you and
me. It needs our unwavering faith in God. It needs our positive certainty of
God-in-man -- the Christ. It needs our steadfast love."
--Nona Lovell
Brooks
"The Practice of the Presence of God is the whole of Divine
Science."
--Nona Lovell Brooks
Remember that you are praying whenever you are thinking of God -- whether you call it prayer or not. You are praying whenever you are reading the Bible or any spiritual book, when you are meditating, and whenever you claim that God is thinking, speaking or acting through you.
Thus you see that whenever you are doing any of those things, you are overcoming; you are drawing nearer to God. You are spiritualizing your everyday life. You are, in the modern phrase, cleaning out the subconscious.
People often ask what is the best way to redeem the subconscious mind, to get rid of the fear and other negative things that are found in it. Again the answer is -- prayer. The best way to redeem the subconscious is to meet each difficulty as it arises -- by prayer -- and to rejoice in the knowledge that the 'Practice of the Presence of God' is the great deliverer. It is by far the best and most powerful form of psychiatry."
--Emmet
Fox
STATEMENT OF BEING
The Good I am seeking is my Health, My God is my Health.
The Good I am seeking is my Strength, God is my Strength.
The Good I am seeking is my Support, God is my Support.
The Good I am seeking is my Defense, God is my Defense.
Truth is God.
Love is God.
Substance is God.
God is Wisdom, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient.
God is Love, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient.
God is Knowledge, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient.
God is Understanding, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient.
God is Power, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient.
God is Life, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient.
God is Joy, Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient
I accept my resurrection as a daily experience of Practicing the Presence of God.
My Christ Consciousness is my resurrection. I am brought forth in His image and I let His Spirit have full expression through me according to His Will.
His Spirit is equal to every experience or test that may come to me; therefore, I consciously trust Him and rest from all struggle or fear, knowing that "He leadeth me beside the still waters; He restoreth my soul."
One-pointed in Divine Mind I live the truth and it demonstrates itself. His law is perfect within me. Obedience to that law is a "must" if I would rise to my spiritual kingdom and have dominion. This is my part of the resurrection.
--Irwin Edwin Gregg
A little consideration of what takes place around us every
day would show us, that a higher law than that of our will regulates events;
that our painful labors are unnecessary, and fruitless; that only in our easy,
simple, spontaneous action are we strong, and by contenting ourselves with
obedience we become divine.
Belief and love, — a believing love will relieve us of a
vast load of care. O my brothers, God exists. There is a soul at the centre of
nature, and over the will of every man, so that none of us can wrong the
universe. It has so infused its strong enchantment into nature that we prosper
when we accept its advice, and when we struggle to wound its creatures, our
hands are glued to our sides, or they beat our own breasts. The whole course of
things goes to teach us faith. We need only obey.
There is guidance for each of us, and by lowly listening we
shall hear the right word. Why need you choose so painfully your place, and
occupation, and associates, and modes of action, and of entertainment? Certainly
there is a possible right for you that precludes the need of balance and wilful
election. For you there is a reality, a fit place and congenial duties.
Place yourself
in the middle of the stream of power and wisdom which animates all whom it
floats, and you are without effort impelled to truth, to right, and a perfect
contentment. Then you put all gainsayers in the wrong. Then you are the world,
the measure of right, of truth, of beauty
-- from “Spiritual Laws” by Ralph Waldo
Emerson
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The foundation truth of Divine Science is that limitless Being, God [Good], is equally present everywhere and is the ALL of everything. God is pure Spirit, absolute, changeless, eternal, manifesting in all creation. "God is everywhere, therefore God is here. What God is is everywhere, therefore what God is is here."--Nona Brooks. The logical conclusion is that there can be no other presence than God-presence; no other power than God-power; no other knowledge than God-knowledge. ---Divine Science Textbook, p. 28 If Good is omnipresent, what becomes of evil? What happens to the darkness which fills a room when the light is turned on? The darkness does not move out and go somewhere else, it simply does not exist in the presence of light. Darkness is not a reality, it is merely the absence of light. In the same way when the individual thought is centered upon the omnipresence of good, evil thought does not move out and continue to exist elsewhere; it simply becomes nonexistent. Evil has no reality within itself; it can have existence only so long as an individual supports it by his belief in it. ---Divine Science Textbook, p. 30-31 |
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METAPHYSICAL INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE:
The 23rd Psalm
Omnipresent Spirit is my loving Guide;
In Divine Supply, I am secure.
I rest in God's fullness;
I am guided into Inner Peace.
I am resoored in true Oneness: I am shown the
highest paths for expressing my True Nature.
Even when I walk through the lowest times
of change or loss, I will not become lost in
fear; For God is the reality of my being,
and with courage and truth I am uplifted.
No matter what I face, a feast of support is
prepared for me; Spirit annoints me with
Truth-Awareness; my blessings overflow.
Surely Peace, Love and Abundance shall
accompany me all the days of my life:
And I shall abide in Oneness with the
Presence, Now and forevermore.
The Lord's Prayer
Eternal Love, Source of All,
ever at the center within...
Wholeness is Your Nature in me,
Your abundant Reality is being
revealed through me, Your Divine
Idea is being fulfilled as me,
Outwardly, as it is in spiritual Reality.
All my needs are now bountifully supplied.
And as I forgive and free all others,
So also am I forgiven and freed.
And I am guided out of confusion and limitation,
And into Your perfect Light.
For mine is the Love, Spirit
and Peace of God...Now and forevermore.
And so it is!
We trust that this brief exposure to the teachings of Divine Science has encouraged you to learn more. Divine Science is practiced around the world, from large auditoriums to small gatherings of devoted souls. We invite you to learn more as well. Please contact me directly to discuss just how you can explore your consciousness with joy and ease.
Peace & Blessings, Rev. Dr. C. William Mercer
