Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures Part 15

Personal conclusions

101:21 The author's own observations of the workings of animal magnetism convince her that it is not a remedial agent, and that its effects upon 101:24 those who practise it, and upon their subjects who do not resist it, lead to moral and to physical death.

If animal magnetism seems to alleviate or to cure dis- 101:27 ease, this appearance is deceptive, since error cannot remove the effects of error. Discomfort under error is preferable to comfort. In no instance is the effect of 101:30 animal magnetism, recently called hypnotism, other than the effect of illusion. Any seeming benefit derived from it is proportional to one's faith in esoteric magic.

Mere negation

102:1 Animal magnetism has no scientific foundation, for G.o.d governs all that is real, harmonious, and eternal, and 102:3 His power is neither animal nor human. Its basis being a belief and this belief animal, in Science animal magnetism, mesmerism, or hypnotism is 102:6 a mere negation, possessing neither intelligence, power, nor reality, and in sense it is an unreal concept of the so- called mortal mind.

102:9 There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit. The pointing of the needle to the pole symbolizes this all- embracing power or the attraction of G.o.d, divine Mind.

102:12 The planets have no more power over man than over his Maker, since G.o.d governs the universe; but man, reflecting G.o.d's power, has dominion over all the earth 102:15 and its hosts.

Hidden agents

The mild forms of animal magnetism are disappear- ing, and its aggressive features are coming to the front.

102:18 The looms of crime, hidden in the dark re- cesses of mortal thought, are every hour weav- ing webs more complicated and subtle. So secret are the 102:21 present methods of animal magnetism that they ensnare the age into indolence, and produce the very apathy on the subject which the criminal desires. The following 102:24 is an extract from the Boston Herald:

"Mesmerism is a problem not lending itself to an easy explanation and development. It implies the exercise 102:27 of despotic control, and is much more likely to be abused by its possessor, than otherwise employed, for the in- dividual or society."

Mental despotism

102:30 Mankind must learn that evil is not power. Its so- called despotism is but a phase of nothingness. Christian Science despoils the kingdom of evil, and pre-eminently 103:1 promotes affection and virtue in families and therefore in the community. The Apostle Paul refers to the 103:3 personification of evil as "the G.o.d of this world," and further defines it as dishonesty and craftiness. Sin was the a.s.syrian moon-G.o.d.

Liberation of mental powers

103:6 The destruction of the claims of mortal mind through Science, by which man can escape from sin and mortality, blesses the whole human fam- 103:9 ily. As in the beginning, however, this libera- tion does not scientifically show itself in a knowledge of both good and evil, for the latter is unreal.

103:12 On the other hand, Mind-science is wholly separate from any half-way impertinent knowledge, because Mind- science is of G.o.d and demonstrates the divine Principle, 103:15 working out the purposes of good only. The maximum of good is the infinite G.o.d and His idea, the All-in-all.

Evil is a suppositional lie.

The genus of error

103:18 As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind.

It is the false belief that mind is in matter, and 103:21 is both evil and good; that evil is as real as good and more powerful. This belief has not one qual- ity of Truth. It is either ignorant or malicious. The 103:24 malicious form of hypnotism ultimates in moral idiocy.

The truths of immortal Mind sustain man, and they anni- hilate the fables of mortal mind, whose flimsy and gaudy 103:27 pretensions, like silly moths, singe their own wings and fall into dust.

Thought-transference

In reality there is no _mortal_ mind, and conse- 103:30 quently no transference of mortal thought and will-power. Life and being are of G.o.d. In Christian Science, man can do no harm, for 104:1 scientific thoughts are true thoughts, pa.s.sing from G.o.d to man.

104:3 When Christian Science and animal magnetism are both comprehended, as they will be at no distant date, it will be seen why the author of this book has been 104:6 so unjustly persecuted and belied by wolves in sheep's clothing.

Aga.s.siz, the celebrated naturalist and author, has 104:9 wisely said: "Every great scientific truth goes through three stages. First, people say it conflicts with the Bible.

Next, they say it has been discovered before. Lastly, 104:12 they say they have always believed it."

Perfection of divine government

Christian Science goes to the bottom of mental action, and reveals the theodicy which indicates the rightness of 104:15 all divine action, as the emanation of divine Mind, and the consequent wrongness of the opposite so-called action, - evil, occultism, 104:18 necromancy, mesmerism, animal magnetism, hypnotism.

Adulteration of Truth

The medicine of Science is divine Mind; and dishonesty, sensuality, falsehood, revenge, malice, are animal pro- 104:21 pensities and by no means the mental quali- ties which heal the sick. The hypnotizer employs one error to destroy another. If he heals sick- 104:24 ness through a belief, and a belief originally caused the sickness, it is a case of the greater error overcoming the lesser. This greater error thereafter occupies the ground, 104:27 leaving the case worse than before it was grasped by the stronger error.

Motives considered

Our courts recognize evidence to prove the motive as 104:30 well as the commission of a crime. Is it not clear that the human mind must move the body to a wicked act? Is not mortal mind the mur- 105:1 derer? The hands, without mortal mind to direct them, could not commit a murder.

Mental crimes

105:3 Courts and juries judge and sentence mortals in order to restrain crime, to prevent deeds of violence or to punish them. To say that these tribunals have no 105:6 jurisdiction over the carnal or mortal mind, would be to contradict precedent and to admit that the power of human law is restricted to matter, while mortal 105:9 mind, evil, which is the real outlaw, defies justice and is recommended to mercy. Can matter commit a crime?

Can matter be punished? Can you separate the men- 105:12 tality from the body over which courts hold jurisdiction?

Mortal mind, not matter, is the criminal in every case; and human law rightly estimates crime, and courts rea- 105:15 sonably pa.s.s sentence, according to the motive.

Important decision

When our laws eventually take cognizance of mental crime and no longer apply legal rulings wholly to physical 105:18 offences, these words of Judge Parmenter of Boston will become historic: "I see no reason why metaphysics is not as important to medicine as to 105:21 mechanics or mathematics."

Evil let loose

Whoever uses his developed mental powers like an es- caped felon to commit fresh atrocities as opportunity oc- 105:24 curs is never safe. G.o.d will arrest him. Di- vine justice will manacle him. His sins will be millstones about his neck, weighing him down to the 105:27 depths of ignominy and death. The aggravation of er- ror foretells its doom, and confirms the ancient axiom: "Whom the G.o.ds would destroy, they first make mad."

The misuse of mental power

105:30 The distance from ordinary medical prac- tice to Christian Science is full many a league in the line of light; but to go in healing from the use of 106:1 inanimate drugs to the criminal misuse of human will- power, is to drop from the platform of common manhood 106:3 into the very mire of iniquity, to work against the free course of honesty and justice, and to push vainly against the current running heavenward.

Proper self-government

106:6 Like our nation, Christian Science has its Declaration of Independence. G.o.d has endowed man with inalien- able rights, among which are self-government, 106:9 reason, and conscience. Man is properly self- governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love.

106:12 Man's rights are invaded when the divine order is in- terfered with, and the mental trespa.s.ser incurs the divine penalty due this crime.

Right methods

106:15 Let this age, which sits in judgment on Christian Science, sanction only such methods as are demonstrable in Truth and known by their fruit, and cla.s.sify 106:18 all others as did St. Paul in his great epistle to the Galatians, when he wrote as follows:

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are 106:21 these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, _witchcraft_, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, 106:24 revellings and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of G.o.d. But 106:27 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

CHAPTER VI - SCIENCE, THEOLOGY, MEDICINE

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. - PAUL.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. - JESUS.

Christian Science discovered