Christian Science: Its Discovery and Demonstration

 

W. Stuart Booth, C.S.B., of Denver, Colorado

Member of the Board of Lectureship of The Mother Church,

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts

 

In approaching a consideration of this great subject of Christian Science, let us briefly trace the footsteps of its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy. A consideration of Mrs. Eddy's experiences, deductions and demonstrations will assist us in gaining an apprehension and appreciation of her wonderful spiritual discovery.

The availability of God's law to heal and save had long been lost sight of; the way of right thinking and living trod by our Master, Christ Jesus, and designated by him as the one and only way to find God, good, — this way had for centuries been hidden by the entangling growth of creeds, dogmas, human theories, and limiting material beliefs. This spiritual pathway needed to be discovered, cleared of the confusing, ensnaring undergrowth, and made plain so that all might discern this Christ way, walk therein, and share its blessing.

Mrs. Eddy

Mrs. Eddy was of a deeply religious nature, inclined even as a child to contemplation and study of spiritual things. She was reared in a sincere religious atmosphere, where the Bible was reverently regarded as the chart of life for all. As a child she was so frail that she was unable to attend school regularly, and gained her education largely under private tutors. This condition of ill health continued for many weary, long years; in fact she was never well and strong until after her remarkable healing by spiritual power and means, which in turn led to her discovery of Christian Science. In addition to physical discomfort and disease Mrs. Eddy suffered many trials, tribulations, and sorrows, all of which, however, only served to turn her thought away from dependence upon material things, and to turn her more to God and the Bible. During these years of invalidism Mrs. Eddy not only availed herself of every means and method that offered any hope of healing, but she carried on medical experiments as well, the ultimate effect of which was to prove to her the utter futility of dependence upon material means for healing. These medical experiments also served to prove to Mrs. Eddy the mental nature of all things, and from these experiments she also learned that material medicine has no intrinsic power, but seems to operate solely because of human faith in it. This is a fact which has since been verified by many physicians, some of whom are sufficiently candid to acknowledge it. Early in her search for health Mrs. Eddy appealed for help to a mesmerist, who, some misguided critics have said, gave the ideas of Christian Science to Mrs. Eddy. The absurdity of this claim will be seen and acknowledged by all when it is known that this mesmerist was not religious, and in fact disavowed any belief in God. Christian Science is religion, that and nothing else, and has nothing in common with mesmerism, as we shall see more definitely a little later.

The Discovery

In the year 1866 Mrs. Eddy suffered a severe accident, which it seemed might prove fatal. Calling for her precious Bible Mrs. Eddy asked to be left alone, and then opened to the ninth chapter of Matthew and read the second verse. What she spiritually discerned therein so uplifted her thought that she was instantly healed, and, to the utter astonishment of waiting friends walked forth and told them that God had healed her. Mrs. Eddy speaks of this experience as the falling apple that led her to the discovery of how to be well herself, and how to make others so. (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 24.) We do not know, of course, just what impressed Mrs. Eddy so powerfully in this Bible verse, but we may well pause a moment to see what it has for us of spiritual and practical import in connection with our consideration of Christian Science. First, we note that Jesus observed the mental state of patients instead of the physical; he saw their faith. Then the Master said to the sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer." What a wonderful antidote for and rebuke to the fear, discouragement, and condemnation under which this man was laboring! And let us remember that the Christ is ever voicing that same liberating, healing message to all who are burdened by fear and bowed down with condemnation, for the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews speaks of Christ as "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Therefore this word of cheer has not been silenced nor has the power of God which vitalized and enforced the message diminished in the least. When Jesus next said to the sick man, "thy sins be forgiven thee," he definitely indicated the relationship between sickness and sin, and he also plainly showed that they are both healed or destroyed by the same spiritual means and method. In other words, to Christ Jesus sickness was clearly a state of thought objectified on the material body as was sin, and both sickness and sin were overcome, nullified, by the spiritual mindedness which characterized Christ Jesus.

Mrs. Eddy's first work following her healing is best described in her own words found on page 109 of her book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," where she says: "For three years after my discovery, I sought the solution of this problem of Mind-healing, searched the Scriptures and read little else, kept aloof from society, and devoted time and energies to discovering a positive rule. The search was sweet, calm, and buoyant with hope, not selfish nor depressing. I knew the Principle of all harmonious Mind-action to be God, and that cures were produced in primitive Christian healing by holy, uplifting faith; but I must know the Science of this healing, and I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and demonstration."

The Textbook

It was not until 1875 that Mrs. Eddy issued the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key the Scriptures." During the nine years following her healing she had proved the propositions stated in "Science and Health" by healing all manner of sickness, raising the dying, and reforming the sinner, all in accord with and in verification of Jesus' promise, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." Just as a person who prepares a book on arithmetic must prove every problem and rule stated therein in order that his book may rightly be termed a scientific textbook, so Mrs. Eddy earned for her book the title of the textbook for Christianly Scientific practice, because of her demonstrations which served to verify and authenticate its teachings. This book is, as its title indicates, the "key to the Scriptures." By means of this key the Bible storehouse of spiritual truths has been opened so that all may enter and avail themselves of bounteous blessings of health, happiness, and harmony, which are prepared by God for all His children.

Through the study of "Science and Health" great numbers of people have been healed of physical disabilities, while many others have gained freedom from and dominion over sin and its debasing tendencies and demoralizing effects. It has been my privilege to know of many such cases, and for the purpose of illustration will relate one instance to you. A young man, whose home was in the Mississippi Valley, was placed under the care and direction of physical culturists when he was a mere lad with the hope that he might thereby be so developed physically as to ward off a disease called tuberculosis, which had prevailed among the members of his family. Apparently they had succeeded in their endeavor, for by the time this man had reached maturity and was ready for business he was a fine specimen of physical manhood and passed an examination for insurance. However, the physical culturists had not eliminated the fear of disease, for the dreaded trouble later made its appearance, and in spite of all that the faithful family physician could do the young man became so depleted that he was finally placed on a stretcher and sent to Colorado with the forlorn hope that the climate might be of some benefit. Just when the Colorado doctors had pronounced the death sentence upon him his sister appeared, bringing with her a copy of "Science and Health". She, a physician's wife, had been healed through Christian Science treatment of a chronic and severe case of rheumatism. She joyfully announced to her brother that "Science and Health" explained the spiritual law of God which Christ Jesus understood and applied in his healing work, and that he could gain an understanding of this same, ever-present, ever-operative spiritual law, and be healed thereby. Immediately he began to study to gain this understanding; and within a remarkably short space of time he was up, and resumed his business activities. Some time later this man applied for additional insurance, and was referred to his old family doctor for examination.

Before making the examination this doctor and another physician reviewed the charts which had been made before this man had been sent to Colorado and which indicated the bad condition of his lungs at that time. The doctors then examined him, and to their utter amazement they could find no trace of the old trouble, not even a scar to indicate that it had ever been present. Please note that this man studied "Science and Health" with the prime motive of attaining spiritual understanding, and not merely to gain physical ease. If you were in a dark room. and desired to be rid of the disturbing shadows you would not work against the darkness, but you would work for the light, knowing that the light would nullify the darkness. Thus this young man found that the distressing shadows of disease were dispelled by the incoming of the light of spiritual understanding. The Bible states that "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." Since "God is light," we are certainly justified in classifying as darkness whatever is unlike God, such as sickness, sin, sorrow, death, and all discord. The light of spiritual understanding, and that alone, will dispel all shadows, no matter how real, substantial and terrifying they may seem. The light of spiritual understanding imparted by Christian Science will displace whatever appears to darken or becloud our sense of the omnipresence and omnipotence of God, good, whether that beclouding sense be called a fear of and sense of sickness or a tendency to sin. Let us note and consider one more point in connection with this case of healing. Although his illness appeared to be physical this young man was healed through the study of "Science and Health," which study, of course, served to change and correct his thinking. Certainly this was what Paul meant when he wrote to the Romans: "Be not conformed to this world (that is, do not conform your thinking to material theories and beliefs): but be ye transformed (formed anew) by the renewing of your mind."

Now let us turn our attention to the teachings in "Science and Health" in order that we may learn somewhat of that which Mrs. Eddy saw and stated so clearly that the sick are healed by its study. All of the Christian Science precepts and its practice are predicated on the right concept of God; therefore we should naturally begin with a consideration of this most important subject. You will find that with this, as with all other subjects, Christian Science makes its appeal to your sense of reason and justice, rather than to any emotional instinct.

God

We know that the one primal Cause and Creator of the infinite, eternal universe must be good, — good in nature and good in expression. Evil is not creative, but is ever destructive in its very nature and effect; therefore God must be and is good. God, the source of all that is real and true, must be infinite, all-inclusive Truth. Furthermore, God, the all-wise and all-knowing Father-Mother of the universe is the one, infinite Mind, the source then, of every true thought or idea. Since God is good in His expression as in His nature, it follows that God's thoughts, true ideas, are good. Thus it is that Christian Science classifies as error every thought and every thing which does not express good. How fortunate for men that Christian Science classifies evil and all discord as error, and thus points the way for it to be dispelled or displaced; for if evil were true we could never be rid of evil, and our plight would indeed be hopeless. The Psalmist sings of God's ever-presence in these words, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Ps. 139:7-10.) Surely it is impossible to conceive of such omnipresence except as infinite Mind or all-pervading Spirit.

It was quite natural and appropriate that John, the beloved disciple, he who was much loved because he loved so much, should state his highest concept of God in the simple, though profound words, "God is Love." Christian Science accepts this, as it does all of the Scriptural designations for God, pointing out that God must be Love, because He is ever giving of His goodness, abundantly and impartially, to all of His children. Christian Science also teaches that we can become acquainted with God, Love, only as we reflect Love by expressing to our neighbor such qualities of Love as gentleness, compassion, purity, forgiveness, and unselfishness. Because the Bible teaches that God is the source of all reality, is the one infinite law-creating and law-governing power, finding expression in harmony, and controlling all things harmoniously, — because of this, Christian Science defines God as divine Principle. To insure the right apprehension of this spiritual concept, and also because the terms are perfectly synonymous, Mrs. Eddy frequently employs the definitions divine Principle and Love together. For instance, in her explanation of Jesus' atonement as the reconciling of man to God, instead of reconciling God to man, or placating God, Mrs. Eddy writes, "Jesus aided in reconciling man to God by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus' teachings, and this truer sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit, — the law of divine Love." (S. & H. 19.) These, although very briefly and inadequately stated, are some of the basic teachings about God which are to be found in "Science and Health".

Man

The Bible states that God made man in His own image and likeness from which we naturally and necessarily deduce the fact that man is like God, like Mind, Spirit, Love, Truth. St. Paul recognized this spiritual, eternal fact about man; and so when he was addressing the Athenians, who evidently believed man to be a physical entity dwelling in a material body, he said to them with the desire to correct their false concept, that man lives, and moves, and has his being in God, in Mind. Now, since you live in Mind, in Spirit, as the Bible states, you must be and are a spiritually mental being, an individual consciousness. If you will but admit that you are an individual consciousness you can perceive your at-one-ment with God, Mind, for all that is true with you as an individual consciousness must be the true ideas or thoughts which originate in, proceed from, and express divine, infinite Mind or Truth.

If you will but accept that standard of right thinking and be true to it, you can begin at once to prove the divine Principle and rule of Christian Science by controlling your thinking aright. You certainly have no room in your thought for a lie when you recognize its real nature or rather its unreal nature. Christian Science makes it plain that any thought that speaks contrary to the omnipotence of God, good, contrary to harmony, peace, and right activity, is not from divine Mind, Truth, and is therefore a lie. Mrs. Eddy had the direct authority of Christ Jesus for this teaching, because he defined the devil or evil as a liar and the father of lies. Let us suppose, for instance, that you have been accepting the thought of worry as your own, perhaps for so long that you have pinned on you a mental tag which indicates that you are a natural worrier and an expert at it. You probably do not enjoy worrying, and it is certain that those around you derive no pleasure, profit, or peace from it. Now the next time you are tempted to worry about anything stop right there and challenge that wrong thought. Ask yourself, whence is this thought of worry? Is it from God, Truth, or is it from Satan, the liar? Does this thought speak to you of the omnipotence and ever-presence of God, good, or does it claim that evil is mightier than God? You need not yield to the temptation to worry any more than you need yield to the temptation to steal. When you worry you distrust God, because worry is predicated on the false assumption that God is not ever present and omnipotent.

Mental Nature of All Things

As a result of her investigations and experiments together with spiritual revelation and demonstration, Mrs. Eddy was led to the inevitable conclusion that the material human body is but a mental concept of the so-called human or carnal mind; that the material body is never self-acting or self-governed, but is always the servant of the thought in which it is embraced. This, too, was verified to Mrs. Eddy by the words and the works of Christ Jesus. You will recall that he said plainly that it is not what a man eats that defiles (or disturbs) him, but rather is his trouble due to the thoughts of evil or the evil thoughts which he believes in, accepts as true, and then either fears or serves. If you have been suffering from what appeared to be stomach trouble, and you have been told by physicians to avoid certain kinds of food, ask yourself this question: Who am I to accept as authority on this subject, the materially minded doctor, who, if he is honest, admits that much of his diagnosis and treatment is but guess-work and experimentation, or Christ Jesus, the one physician who never lost a case? If you desire to accept Christ Jesus as your authority, you will find the sure, safe, and satisfying explanation of his teachings and method of healing stated simply, but fully, in the Christian Science textbook.

Jesus knew that everything in our human experience is primarily and wholly mental, whether it be a condition of body or of business, and so he said explicitly, "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment? * * * But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Expressed in modem English this saying means means that, since you live in the realm of thought, your life is not dependent upon nor governed by food or anything material; therefore your first concern should be to have your thinking governed by and expressive of divine Mind, God: and as your thinking is thus rightly governed, then everything in your experience, your body, your business, your home and social relations, will quite naturally express the harmonious state of your thought. You will recall that when Jesus was questioned regarding the kingdom of God he said: "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." In other words, the kingdom of God is nothing more nor less than the government of God, good, in your thinking and therefore in your living.

Overcoming Fear

Mrs. Eddy learned through observation, study of the Bible, and demonstration that one of the greatest disturbers of man's peace and happiness is fear. And, what is of more importance to us, she learned how fear is to be mastered, and told us this plainly in her writings. There are many Bible verses which denounce fear, but we have all been too much like a friend of mine, a preacher in a Protestant denomination whom I met one day showing great anxiety and fear over the illness of his son. When I told him of Paul's word to Timothy, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," he could hardly believe it was in the Bible. He was not ready to cease reliance upon material means, and trust his son to God's care, but he went his way repeating that verse, encouraged and comforted by its assurance that fear is illegitimate because it is not from God.

Mrs. Eddy saw, as did Jesus, that the root of fear in connection with sickness is the educated belief that man lives in a material body, that this material body is self-acting and self-governed, and that man is its helpless victim. If this assumption were true we should all have reason to fear, but, thank God, it is utterly false. The material body weighs as much and is composed of the same 87 per cent water and 13 per cent sulphur, iron, and salt, whether it is called alive or called a corpse. But matter, as such, never does anything to or of itself whether it is termed alive or dead; it is always and only the servant of thought. Writing of this in "Science and Health" (p. 494), Mrs. Eddy says, "Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science." You are not afraid that your hand will fly up and hit you in the face because you know that your hand obeys your thought. You really have no occasion to fear any other part of your body, because of the inability of corporeality, and especially because of the infinite ability of Spirit, divine Mind, to govern and control all things harmoniously.

Sickness Not From God

It is interesting and illuminating to note that Jesus definitely stated that sickness is a mental state or condition, and is from Satan, the liar, and is not from God, Truth. After healing a woman who had been bowed together for 18 years so that she "could in no wise lift up herself," Jesus said that Satan had bound her. Without doubt she believed that her bonds had been material, the muscles of her back, perhaps. But Jesus knew better than that; he did not touch her back, but his spiritual understanding of the omnipotence of God, good, rebuked the false belief that evil and matter are real and powerful, which belief, accepted by the woman, had bound her. Are you in bondage to any condition of disease, discord, inability or imperfection? The way of liberation is at hand in Christian Science, and the rules to be understood and obeyed are clearly stated in the Bible and its key, "Science and Health." Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word (my way of thinking), then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." According to these words we see that, no matter what your bondage may seem to be, whether it be expressed as sin or sickness, as disability or discouragement, as limitation or lack, your freedom is to be attained in just one way, — that is, by knowing the truth.

Christian Science teaches us not only the truth about God and man, but also the truth about the special problem to be solved, and how this truth is to be applied. For instance, let us consider the case of the man who was born blind and came to Christ Jesus for healing. The disciples, having learned of the mental association of sin with sickness, asked the Master who had sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind. Evidently Jesus discerned that the specific false belief which needed to be handled, rebuked, or disproved, was the belief in heredity, which is simply a belief in another creator than God, Spirit. Turning his thought to God as the only Father-Mother, the only parent, and to man as God's sinless, perfect expression, he said, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents." Thus Christ Jesus knew the truth about God and man, and the sense of blindness which had bound this man was dispelled — he was made free.

Christ Jesus

That which clothed Jesus with such marvelous spiritual power and authority was the Christ, regarding which Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health" (page 333), "Christ expresses God's spiritual, eternal nature. The name is synonymous with Messiah, and alludes to the spirituality which is taught, illustrated, and demonstrated in the life of which Christ Jesus was the embodiment." Much of the confusion in human thought regarding Christ Jesus is due to lack of discernment and understanding of the Master's own teachings on this subject. Referring to the human Jesus he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." Again referring to the Christ, the divine manifestation of God which he understood, lived, and demonstrated, he said: "I and my Father are one." And when he said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world," he obviously referred to the Christ, not to the human Jesus. This Christ, the spiritual idea of God, had previously appeared to all those who were prepared to perceive and receive Christ. To Abraham, the Christ had appeared as Melchizedek. Jacob had some glimpse of the Christ during his struggle with the false material sense of self at Peniel, when his nature was changed. Moses and the prophets likewise caught wonderful glimpses of the Christ which enabled them to see, say, and do things which were beyond mere human understanding. The Christ found full and perfect expression in and with Jesus because of his full and perfect understanding of Christ, the spiritual idea of God.

Without doubt the advent of Christian Science is the second coming of the Christ, foretold by Jesus, not as a person, but as "the Spirit of truth." Referring to the promised comforter, Jesus said, "he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:16,17,26.) This promise and prophecy have been and are being literally fulfilled in and by Christian Science.

Present Salvation

Whereas men have had preached to them a post-mortem and problematical salvation, Christian Science comes, bringing to our remembrance and joyfully proclaiming the words of the Master, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." When Christ Jesus enjoined his followers to preach the gospel, he, in the same breath, gave command to heal the sick. The unity of that injunction was apparently forgotten, but Christian Science has brought that also to the remembrance of men, and has shown them how it is to be observed and obeyed. It is noteworthy that Christ Jesus did not indicate that the test of Christian discipleship was whether a man accepted and avowed belief in certain creeds and dogmas or observed any form of ritual or so-called religious rites. The test of Christian discipleship stated by Jesus was, "By their fruits ye shall know them," and he definitely stated that the fruits he expected of his followers were the same healing works as were wrought by him. Mrs. Eddy early recognized the legitimacy of this Christian demand that healing by spiritual means and power should accompany and verify the preaching of the gospel, and she earnestly desired to know how such healings might be wrought. With the discovery of Christian Science her earnest desire or prayer was answered; and it is now possible for any and every sincere, honest child, woman and man to become so well acquainted with God through Christian Science as to echo the glad song of David: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases."

Healing

Perhaps some of you are now thinking that, since we have talked so much about Christian healing, its possibility and its necessity, you would like to know something of how it is to be accomplished. The answer is simple. Christian Science healing is wrought through prayer. Christian Science treatment is scientific Christian prayer. But, say you, we have known of good Christian people who have prayed for years for healing, but without avail. Yes, I have known of several such dear, quite saintly characters, whose usefulness and happiness have been sadly hampered by illness. Such a condition is anomalous, for it is plain that one can not enter heaven sick any more than as a sinner.

Prayer

The Christian Science teaching regarding prayer differs from the ideas of prayer entertained by many, because their concept of God is different from that which has just been presented to you as the Christian Science concept derived from the Bible. "God is not a man," the Bible states, and yet how many people have prayed to God as if He were a man, whimsical and changeable, capable of being angry and revengeful! With people having any such concept of God the evident intent of prayer is to change God or alter God's plan, purpose, and will in certain directions. Christian Science teaches that God is divine Principle, unchangeable, impartial, governing all things harmoniously, and "is no respecter of persons," as Peter saw and stated. Obviously then, God does not need changing; God's will and plan for man is always good, and we do not have to pray that it be so. The evident purpose of prayer, then, is to change the human mind, to bring man into conformity to and in harmony with the divine Mind. It is plain that the human will has no part in such prayer, for the sure effect of right prayer is to replace the human with the divine will as the controlling and dominating influence in man's motives, aims, desires, and actions.

I am led at this point to speak of and warn all honest seekers for truth against certain counterfeit teachings which purport to be the same as Christian Science or even in advance of it. Some few people have investigated Christian Science who have been attracted by some of its teachings, but who have not been ready to yield their human will to the divine. Some of these, finding the spiritual and moral demands of Christian Science too high and too exacting for them, have attempted to start systems of their own, in the presentation of which they have used certain expressions found in "Science and Health" to mislead the unwary; but they have always departed radically on some essential point from the pure and exact teachings of "Science and Health." Therefore, beware of any of these so-called easier ways. Recently I saw an advertisement of one of these counterfeit teachings, which read something like this: "Come, and learn how to get what you want." That is nothing other than a bland expression of human will. How different from Christian Science, which says, come and learn how to conform your desires to God's will, and as you do this you will find that all your needs will be met. Jesus spoke of all such counterfeit claims as thieves and robbers, for he knew that departure from the right way would rob men of the light of spiritual understanding. The Science of Christianity is plainly and completely stated in "Science and Health." We need only to obey its rule, and then it can be demonstrated.

Christian Science is not a mere metaphysical system for curing sickness and solving business problems. Christian Science is genuine, operative, practical Christianity. It is the very essence of Christianity, and Christianity is its very essence. It is due to this fact that Christian Science is accompanied by and clothed with the spiritual power which proves its precepts.

Just another word about prayer in Christian Science. You remember that Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," which evidently means that we should think the thoughts that Christ Jesus would think under similar circumstances. As we do this we will be thinking aright, and we will be praying aright. In thus endeavoring to think as Christ Jesus would think we need to remember that he always based his thinking upon the spiritual fact that God, good, is the only Cause and Creator, that divine Principle, Love, is the only law-creating and law-governing power, that Spirit is the only attraction and influence. Therefore, in order to have the mind that was in Christ Jesus, in order to think as he would, we too must base all of our thinking upon these truths about God, and have all of our thinking consistent therewith. It is indeed a big task, but the reward is great and we should turn our attention to the task at once. We know that no one can obtain the correct answer to a problem in arithmetic unless he conforms his thinking to the rules. Similarly, we will find the proper solution to all of our life problems as we conform our thinking to divine Principle, as did Jesus, and in no other way.

Conclusion

Thus we see that we all must needs follow the footsteps of Mrs. Eddy as she followed Christ Jesus in our Christian Science journey out of the land of fear and distress, of disease and death, into the promised land of harmony, health, and holiness. We too must learn the inadequacy, the inability, yes, the nothingness of the material; we must see the mental nature of all conditions and things in order that we may properly apply the Science of divine Mind, Christian Science, to the solution of our problems. And so, as we read in "Science and Health," "Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence." (page 249.)

 

[1923.]

 

 

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