1 Sam. 17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
CSJ Sept. 1889 Christian Science Bible Lesson by Frank E. Mason p.318
In the moment of greatest peril a David appears to free us from the senses’ thraldom. Goliath is the personified expression of one of the five personal senses, a giant who defies the manifestation of the senses supernal. (He was one of five brothers.) These false witnesses must be destroyed by us. We must “work out our own salvation.” Collectively, and using worldly weapons, we are powerless.
p.320
V. 40 : “And he took his staff in his hand,” etc, his support is God. “Five stones ” from the brook. pure thoughts; — Divine logic, — “Out of the brook,” type of the river of life. SCIENCE AND HEALTH the river of Life to humanity. “Shepherd’s bag or scrip,” receptive thought. “Sling was in his hand.” Understanding of Truth. “Hand,” power. “Drew near to the Philistine.” Truth advances on error. To gain eternal life aggressive warfare necessary, until Evil is subdued and its place filled with Truth.
p.321
V. 49: “And David put his hand in his bag,” etc. Divine logic (stone) culled from SCIENCE AND HEALTH impelled with understanding (“sling”) fells to the earth the claim of intelligence (“head”) in matter. Personified expressions of evil drop to the earth, shutting out the identity (“face “) of materialism. Deprive evil of its supposed intelligence, and the giants that loom before us will fall. Although evil encase itself with the armor of deception so that the very elect are seduced, yet the forehead is always exposed.
“senses supernal” were discussed last Roundtable appearing in S&H 298:13. An article “The Five Wise Virgins” (CSJ March 1890 p.587) stated it like this: “SHORTLY after I began work in Christian Science, it came to me that the five wise virgins are the five Spiritual senses : intuition, hope, faith, understanding, and fruition. SCIENCE AND HEALTH, p. 206, 40th edition”