Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures Part 70

491:6 Destroy the belief, and the sensation disappears.

Man linked with Spirit

Material man is made up of involuntary and voluntary error, of a negative right and a positive wrong, the latter 491:9 calling itself right. Man's spiritual individual- ity is never wrong. It is the likeness of man's Maker. Matter cannot connect mortals with the true 491:12 origin and facts of being, in which all must end. It is only by acknowledging the supremacy of Spirit, which annuls the claims of matter, that mortals can lay off mortality and 491:15 find the indissoluble spiritual link which establishes man forever in the divine likeness, inseparable from his creator.

Material man as a dream

The belief that matter and mind are one, - that mat- 491:18 ter is awake at one time and asleep at another, some- times presenting no appearance of mind, - this belief culminates in another belief, that 491:21 man dies. Science reveals material man as never the real being. The dream or belief goes on, whether our eyes are closed or open. In sleep, memory and consciousness are 491:24 lost from the body, and they wander whither they will apparently with their own separate embodiment. Per- sonality is not the individuality of man. A wicked man 491:27 may have an attractive personality.

Spiritual existence the one fact

When we are awake, we dream of the pains and pleas- ures of matter. Who will say, even though he 491:30 does not understand Christian Science, that this dream - rather than the dreamer - may not be mortal man? Who can rationally say otherwise, 492:1 when the dream leaves mortal man intact in body and thought, although the so-called dreamer is unconscious?

492:3 For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence. In reality there is no other existence, since Life cannot be united to its 492:6 unlikeness, mortality.

Mind one and all

Being is holiness, harmony, immortality. It is already proved that a knowledge of this, even in small degree, 492:9 will uplift the physical and moral standard of mortals, will increase longevity, will purify and elevate character. Thus progress will finally destroy 492:12 all error, and bring immortality to light. We know that a statement proved to be good must be correct. New thoughts are constantly obtaining the floor. These two 492:15 contradictory theories - that matter is something, or that all is Mind - will dispute the ground, until one is acknowledged to be the victor. Discussing his cam- 492:18 paign, General Grant said: "I propose to fight it out on this line, if it takes all summer." Science says: All is Mind and Mind's idea. You must fight it out on this 492:21 line. Matter can afford you no aid.

Scientific ultimatum

The notion that mind and matter commingle in the human illusion as to sin, sickness, and death must even- 492:24 tually submit to the Science of Mind, which denies this notion. _G.o.d is Mind, and G.o.d is infinite; hence all is Mind_. On this statement rests the 492:27 Science of being, and the Principle of this Science is di- vine, demonstrating harmony and immortality.

Victory for Truth

The conservative theory, long believed, is that there 492:30 are two factors, matter and mind, uniting on some im- possible basis. This theory would keep truth and error always at war. Victory would perch on neither banner.

493:1 On the other hand, Christian Science speedily shows Truth to be triumphant. To corporeal sense, the sun 493:3 appears to rise and set, and the earth to stand still; but astronomical science contradicts this, and explains the solar system as working on a differ- 493:6 ent plan. All the evidence of physical sense and all the knowledge obtained from physical sense must yield to Science, to the immortal truth of all things.

Mental preparation

493:9 _Question_, - Will you explain sickness and show how it is to be healed?

_Answer_. - The method of Christian Science Mind-heal- 493:12 ing is touched upon in a previous chapter ent.i.tled Christian Science Practice. A full answer to the above question involves teaching, which enables the 493:15 healer to demonstrate and prove for himself the Principle and rule of Christian Science or metaphysical healing.

Mind destroys all ills

Mind must be found superior to all the beliefs of the 493:18 five corporeal senses, and able to destroy all ills. Sick- ness is a belief, which must be annihilated by the divine Mind. Disease is an experience of 493:21 so-called mortal mind. It is fear made manifest on the body. Christian Science takes away this physical sense of discord, just as it removes any other sense of moral or 493:24 mental inharmony. That man is material, and that mat- ter suffers, - these propositions can only seem real and natural in illusion. Any sense of soul in matter is not the 493:27 reality of being.

If Jesus awakened Lazarus from the dream, illusion, of death, this proved that the Christ could improve on a false 493:30 sense. Who dares to doubt this consummate test of the power and willingness of divine Mind to hold man forever 494:1 intact in his perfect state, and to govern man's entire action? Jesus said: "Destroy this temple [body], and 494:3 in three days I [Mind] will raise it up;" and he did this for tired humanity's rea.s.surance.

Inexhaustible divine Love

Is it not a species of infidelity to believe that so great 494:6 a work as the Messiah's was done for himself or for G.o.d, who needed no help from Jesus' example to preserve the eternal harmony? But mortals 494:9 did need this help, and Jesus pointed the way for them.

Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need. It is not well to imagine that Jesus demon- 494:12 strated the divine power to heal only for a select number or for a limited period of time, since to all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good.

Reason and Science

494:15 The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love. Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring 494:18 human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science. Reason, rightly di- rected, serves to correct the errors of corporeal sense; but 494:21 sin, sickness, and death will seem real (even as the ex- periences of the sleeping dream seem real) until the Sci- ence of man's eternal harmony breaks their illusion with 494:24 the unbroken reality of scientific being.

Which of these two theories concerning man are you ready to accept? One is the mortal testimony, changing, 494:27 dying, unreal. The other is the eternal and real evidence, bearing Truth's signet, its lap piled high with immortal fruits.

Followers of Jesus

494:30 Our Master cast out devils (evils) and healed the sick.

It should be said of his followers also, that they cast fear and all evil out of themselves and others and heal the sick.

495:1 G.o.d will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by G.o.d. Truth casts out error now 495:3 as surely as it did nineteen centuries ago. All of Truth is not understood; hence its healing power is not fully demonstrated.

Destruction of all evil

495:6 If sickness is true or the idea of Truth, you cannot destroy sickness, and it would be absurd to try. Then cla.s.sify sickness and error as our Master did, 495:9 when he spoke of the sick, "whom Satan hath bound," and find a sovereign antidote for error in the life- giving power of Truth acting on human belief, a power 495:12 which opens the prison doors to such as are bound, and sets the captive free physically and morally.

Steadfast and calm trust

When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling 495:15 steadfastly to G.o.d and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and 495:18 calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious - as Life eternally is - can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, 495:21 instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence dis- 495:24 cord with harmony.

Rudiments and growth

_Question_. - How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science?

495:27 _Answer_. - Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit. Adhere to the divine Principle of Chris- tian Science and follow the behests of G.o.d, 495:30 abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and Love. In the Science of Mind, you will soon ascertain 496:1 that error cannot destroy error. You will also learn that in Science there is no transfer of evil suggestions 496:3 from one mortal to another, for there is but one Mind, and this ever-present omnipotent Mind is reflected by man and governs the entire universe. You will learn 496:6 that in Christian Science the first duty is to obey G.o.d, to have one Mind, and to love another as yourself.

Condition of progress

496:9 We all must learn that Life is G.o.d. Ask yourself: Am I living the life that approaches the supreme good?

Am I demonstrating the healing power of 496:12 Truth and Love? If so then the way will grow brighter "unto the perfect day." Your fruits will prove what the understanding of G.o.d brings to man.

496:15 Hold perpetually this thought, - that it is the spiritual idea, the Holy Ghost and Christ, which enables you to demonstrate, with scientific certainty, the rule of healing, 496:18 based upon its divine Principle, Love, underlying, over- lying, and encompa.s.sing all true being.

Triumph over death

"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is 496:21 the law," - the law of mortal belief, at war with the facts of immortal Life, even with the spiritual law which says to the grave, "Where is thy 496:24 victory?" But "when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on im- mortality, then shall be brought to pa.s.s the saying that 496:27 is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

_Question_. - Have Christian Scientists any religious creed?

496:30 _Answer_. - They have not, if by that term is meant doctrinal beliefs. The following is a brief exposition of 497:1 the important points, or religious tenets, of Christian Science: -

497:3 1. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.

2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and in- 497:6 finite G.o.d. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in G.o.d's image and likeness.

497:9 3. We acknowledge G.o.d's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is pun- 497:12 ished so long as the belief lasts.

4. We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evi- dence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity 497:15 with G.o.d through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the 497:18 Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.

5. We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and 497:21 his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eter- nal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the noth- ingness of matter.

497:24 6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and 497:27 to be merciful, just, and pure.