Science and Health With Key to The Scriptures

M >> Mary Baker Eddy >> Science and Health With Key to The Scriptures

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53

455:3 A mental state of self-condemnation and guilt or a
faltering and doubting trust in Truth are unsuitable
conditions for healing the sick. Such mental
455:6 states indicate weakness instead of strength.
Hence the necessity of being right yourself in order to
teach this Science of healing. You must utilize the moral
455:9 might of Mind in order to walk over the waves of error
and support your claims by demonstration. If you are
yourself lost in the belief and fear of disease or sin, and
455:12 if, knowing the remedy, you fail to use the energies of
Mind in your own behalf, you can exercise little or no
power for others' help. "First cast out the beam out
455:15 of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast
out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

The trust of the All-wise

The student, who receives his knowledge of Christian
455:18 Science, or metaphysical healing, from a human teacher,
may be mistaken in judgment and demonstra-
tion, but God cannot mistake. God selects
455:21 for the highest service one who has grown into such a
fitness for it as renders any abuse of the mission an im-
possibility. The All-wise does not bestow His highest
455:24 trusts upon the unworthy. When He commissions a mes-
senger, it is one who is spiritually near Himself. No per-
son can misuse this mental power, if he is taught of God
455:27 to discern it.

Integrity assured

This strong point in Christian Science is not to be
overlooked, - that the same fountain cannot send forth
455:30 both sweet waters and bitter. The higher
your attainment in the Science of mental
healing and teaching, the more impossible it will be-
456:1 come for you intentionally to influence mankind adverse
to its highest hope and achievement.

Chicanery impossible

456:3 Teaching or practising in the name of Truth, but con-
trary to its spirit or rules, is most dangerous quackery.
Strict adherence to the divine Principle and
456:6 rules of the scientific method has secured
the only success of the students of Christian Science.
This alone entitles them to the high standing which
456:9 most of them hold in the community, a reputation ex-
perimentally justified by their efforts. Whoever af-
firms that there is more than one Principle and method
456:12 of demonstrating Christian Science greatly errs, igno-
rantly or intentionally, and separates himself from the
true conception of Christian Science healing and from
456:15 its possible demonstration.

No dishonest concessions

Any dishonesty in your theory and practice betrays a
gross ignorance of the method of the Christ-cure. Science
456:18 makes no concessions to persons or opinions.
One must abide in the /morale/ of truth or he
cannot demonstrate the divine Principle. So long as
456:21 matter is the basis of practice, illness cannot be effica-
ciously treated by the metaphysical process. Truth does
the work, and you must both understand and abide by the
456:24 divine Principle of your demonstration.

This volume indispensable

A Christian Scientist requires my work SCIENCE AND
HEALTH for his textbook, and so do all his students and
456:27 patients. Why? /First/: Because it is the voice
of Truth to this age, and contains the full
statement of Christian Science, or the Science of healing
456:30 through Mind. /Second/: Because it was the first book
known, containing a thorough statement of Christian
Science. Hence it gave the first rules for demonstrating
457:1 this Science, and registered the revealed Truth uncon-
taminated by human hypotheses. Other works, which
457:3 have borrowed from this book without giving it credit,
have adulterated the Science. /Third/: Because this book
has done more for teacher and student, for healer and
457:6 patient, than has been accomplished by other books.

Purity of science

Since the divine light of Christian Science first dawned
upon the author, she has never used this newly discovered
457:9 power in any direction which she fears to have
fairly understood. Her prime object, since
entering this field of labor, has been to prevent suffering,
457:12 not to produce it. That we cannot scientifically both
cure and cause disease is self-evident. In the legend of
the shield, which led to a quarrel between two knights
457:15 because each of them could see but one face of it, both
sides were beautiful according to their degree; but to
mental malpractice, prolific of evil, there is no good as-
457:18 pect, either silvern or golden.

Backsliders and mistakes

Christian Science is not an exception to the general
rule, that there is no excellence without labor in a direct
457:21 line. One cannot scatter his fire, and at the
same time hit the mark. To pursue other
vocations and advance rapidly in the demonstration of
457:24 this Science, is not possible. Departing from Christian
Science, some learners commend diet and hygiene.
They even practise these, intending thereby to initiate
457:27 the cure which they mean to complete with Mind, as if
the non-intelligent could aid Mind! The Scientist's
demonstration rests on one Principle, and there must
457:30 and can be no opposite rule. Let this Principle be ap-
plied to the cure of disease without exploiting other
means.

Mental charlatanism

458:1 Mental quackery rests on the same platform as all
other quackery. The chief plank in this platform is the
458:3 doctrine that Science has two principles in
partnership, one good and the other evil, -
one spiritual, the other material, - and that these two
458:6 may be simultaneously at work on the sick. This
theory is supposed to favor practice from both a mental
and a material standpoint. Another plank in the plat-
458:9 form is this, that error will finally have the same effect
as truth.

Divinity ever ready

It is anything but scientifically Christian to think of
458:12 aiding the divine Principle of healing or of trying to sus-
tain the human body until the divine Mind
is ready to take the case. Divinity is always
458:15 ready. /Semper paratus/ is Truth's motto. Having seen
so much suffering from quackery, the author desires to
keep it out of Christian Science. The two-edged sword
458:18 of Truth must turn in every direction to guard "the tree
of life."

The panoply of wisdom

Sin makes deadly thrusts at the Christian Scientist as
458:21 ritualism and creed are summoned to give place to higher
law, but Science will ameliorate mortal malice.
The Christianly scientific man reflects the
458:24 divine law, thus becoming a law unto himself. He does
violence to no man. Neither is he a false accuser. The
Christian Scientist wisely shapes his course, and is hon-
458:27 est and consistent in following the leadings of divine
Mind. He must prove, through living as well as heal-
ing and teaching, that Christ's way is the only one
458:30 by which mortals are radically saved from sin and
sickness.

Advancement by sacrifice

Christianity causes men to turn naturally from matter
459:1 to Spirit, as the flower turns from darkness to light.
Man then appropriates those things which "eye hath
459:3 not seen nor ear heard." Paul and John
had a clear apprehension that, as mortal man
achieves no worldly honors except by sacrifice,
459:6 so he must gain heavenly riches by forsaking all worldli-
ness. Then he will have nothing in common with the
worldling's affections, motives, and aims. Judge not the
459:9 future advancement of Christian Science by the steps
already taken, lest you yourself be condemned for fail-
ing to take the first step.

Dangerous knowledge

459:12 Any attempt to heal mortals with erring mortal mind,
instead of resting on the omnipotence of the divine
Mind, must prove abortive. Committing the
459:15 bare process of mental healing to frail mor-
tals, untaught and unrestrained by Christian Science,
is like putting a sharp knife into the hands of a blind
459:18 man or a raging maniac, and turning him loose in
the crowded streets of a city. Whether animated by
malice or ignorance, a false practitioner will work mis-
459:21 chief, and ignorance is more harmful than wilful wicked-
ness, when the latter is distrusted and thwarted in its
incipiency.

Certainty of results

459:24 To mortal sense Christian Science seems abstract, but
the process is simple and the results are sure if the Science
is understood. The tree must be good, which
459:27 produces good fruit. Guided by divine Truth
and not guesswork, the /theologus/ (that is, the student -
the Christian and scientific expounder - of the divine
459:30 law) treats disease with more certain results than any
other healer on the globe. The Christian Scientist should
understand and adhere strictly to the rules of divine meta-
460:1 physics as laid down in this work, and rest his demonstra-
tion on this sure basis.

Ontology defined

460:3 Ontology is defined as "the science of the necessary
constituents and relations of all beings," and it under-
lies all metaphysical practice. Our system of
460:6 Mind-healing rests on the apprehension of the
nature and essence of all being, - on the divine Mind
and Love's essential qualities. Its pharmacy is moral,
460:9 and its medicine is intellectual and spiritual, though used
for physical healing. Yet this most fundamental part of
metaphysics is the one most difficult to understand and
460:12 demonstrate, for to the material thought all is material,
till such thought is rectified by Spirit.

Mischievous imagination

Sickness is neither imaginary nor unreal, - that is,
460:15 to the frightened, false sense of the patient. Sickness
is more than fancy; it is solid conviction. It
is therefore to be dealt with through right ap-
460:18 prehension of the truth of being. If Christian healing
is abused by mere smatterers in Science, it becomes a
tedious mischief-maker. Instead of scientifically effect-
460:21 ing a cure, it starts a petty crossfire over every cripple
and invalid, buffeting them with the superficial and cold
assertion, "Nothing ails you."

Author's early instructions

460:24 When the Science of Mind was a fresh revelation to
the author, she had to impart, while teaching its grand
facts, the hue of spiritual ideas from her own
460:27 spiritual condition, and she had to do this orally
through the meagre channel afforded by language and by
her manuscript circulated among the students. As for-
460:30 mer beliefs were gradually expelled from her thought, the
teaching became clearer, until finally the shadow of old
errors was no longer cast upon divine Science.

Proof by induction

I do not maintain that anyone can exist in the flesh
without food and raiment; but I do believe that the
461:3 real man is immortal and that he lives in
Spirit, not matter. Christian Science must
be accepted at this period by induction. We admit the
461:6 whole, because a part is proved and that part illustrates
and proves the entire Principle. Christian Science can
be taught only by those who are morally advanced and
461:9 spiritually endowed, for it is not superficial, nor is it
discerned from the standpoint of the human senses.
Only by the illumination of the spiritual sense, can
461:12 the light of understanding be thrown upon this Science,
because Science reverses the evidence before the material
senses and furnishes the eternal interpretation of God and
461:15 man.

If you believe that you are sick, should you say, " I am
sick"? No, but you should tell your belief sometimes,
461:18 if this be requisite to protect others. If you commit a
crime, should you acknowledge to yourself that you are
a criminal? Yes. Your responses should differ because
461:21 of the different effects they produce. Usually to admit
that you are sick, renders your case less curable, while
to recognize your sin, aids in destroying it. Both sin and
461:24 sickness are error, and Truth is their remedy. The truth
regarding error is, that error is not true, hence it is unreal.
To prove scientifically the error or unreality of sin, you
461:27 must first see the claim of sin, and then destroy it.
Whereas, to prove scientifically the error or unreality of
disease, you must mentally unsee the disease; then you
461:30 will not feel it, and it is destroyed.

Rapidity of assimilation

Systematic teaching and the student's spiritual growth
and experience in practice are requisite for a thorough
462:1 comprehension of Christian Science. Some individu-
als assimilate truth more readily than others, but any
462:3 student, who adheres to the divine rules
of Christian Science and imbibes the spirit
of Christ, can demonstrate Christian Science, cast out
462:6 error, heal the sick, and add continually to his store of
spiritual understanding, potency, enlightenment, and
success.

Divided loyalty

462:9 If the student goes away to practise Truth's teach-
ings only in part, dividing his interests between God and
mammon and substituting his own views for
462:12 Truth, he will inevitably reap the error he sows.
Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian
Science must abide strictly by its rules, heed every state-
462:15 ment, and advance from the rudiments laid down. There
is nothing difficult nor toilsome in this task, when the way
is pointed out; but self-denial, sincerity, Christianity, and
462:18 persistence alone win the prize, as they usually do in every
department of life.

Anatomy defined

Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-
462:21 knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to
discover their quality, quantity, and origin.
Are thoughts divine or human? That is the
462:24 important question. This branch of study is indispen-
sable to the excision of error. The anatomy of Christian
Science teaches when and how to probe the self-in-
462:27 flicted wounds of selfishness, malice, envy, and hate. It
teaches the control of mad ambition. It unfolds the
hallowed influences of unselfishness, philanthropy, spir-
462:30 itual love. It urges the government of the body both
in health and in sickness. The Christian Scientist,
through understanding mental anatomy, discerns and
463:1 deals with the real cause of disease. The material physi-
cian gropes among phenomena, which fluctuate every in-
463:3 stant under influences not embraced in his diagnosis, and
so he may stumble and fall in the darkness.

Scientific obstetrics

Teacher and student should also be familiar with the
463:6 obstetrics taught by this Science. To attend properly
the birth of the new child, or divine idea,
you should so detach mortal thought from its
463:9 material conceptions, that the birth will be natural and
safe. Though gathering new energy, this idea cannot
injure its useful surroundings in the travail of spiritual
463:12 birth. A spiritual idea has not a single element of error,
and this truth removes properly whatever is offensive.
The new idea, conceived and born of Truth and Love, is
463:15 clad in white garments. Its beginning will be meek, its
growth sturdy, and its maturity undecaying. When
this new birth takes place, the Christian Science infant
463:18 is born of the Spirit, born of God, and can cause the
mother no more suffering. By this we know that Truth
is here and has fulfilled its perfect work.

Unhesitating decision

463:21 To decide quickly as to the proper treatment of error -
whether error is manifested in forms of sickness, sin,
or death - is the first step towards destroy-
463:24 ing error. Our Master treated error through
Mind. He never enjoined obedience to the laws of nature,
if by these are meant laws of matter, nor did he use drugs.
463:27 There is a law of God applicable to healing, and it is a
spiritual law instead of material. The sick are not healed
by inanimate matter or drugs, as they believe that they
463:30 are. Such seeming medical effect or action is that of so-
called mortal mind.

Seclusion of the author

It has been said to the author, "The world is bene-
464:1 fited by you, but it feels your influence without seeing
you. Why do you not make yourself more widely
464:3 known?" Could her friends know how little
time the author has had, in which to make
herself outwardly known except through her laborious
464:6 publications, - and how much time and toil are still re-
quired to establish the stately operations of Christian
Science, - they would understand why she is so secluded.
464:9 Others could not take her place, even if willing so to do.
She therefore remains unseen at her post, seeking no self-
aggrandizement but praying, watching, and working for
464:12 the redemption of mankind.

If from an injury or from any cause, a Christian Scien-
tist were seized with pain so violent that he could not
464:15 treat himself mentally, - and the Scientists had failed
to relieve him, - the sufferer could call a surgeon, who
would give him a hypodermic injection, then, when the
464:18 belief of pain was lulled, he could handle his own case
mentally. Thus it is that we "prove all things; [and]
hold fast that which is good."

The right motive and its reward

464:21 In founding a pathological system of Christianity, the
author has labored to expound divine Principle, and not
to exalt personality. The weapons of bigotry,
464:24 ignorance, envy, fall before an honest heart.
Adulterating Christian Science, makes it void.
Falsity has no foundation. "The hireling fleeth, because
464:27 he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." Neither
dishonesty nor ignorance ever founded, nor can they over-
throw a scientific system of ethics.

CHAPTER XIV - RECAPITULATION

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there
a little. - ISAIAH.

465:1 THIS chapter is from the first edition of the author's
class-book, copyrighted in 1870. After much labor
465:3 and increased spiritual understanding, she revised that
treatise for this volume in 1875. Absolute Christian
Science pervades its statements, to elucidate scientific
465:6 metaphysics.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

/Question/. - What is God?
465:9 /Answer/. - God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite
Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.

/Question/. - Are these terms synonymous?
465:12 /Answer/. - They are. They refer to one absolute God.
They are also intended to express the nature, essence, and
wholeness of Deity. The attributes of God are justice,
465:15 mercy, wisdom, goodness, and so on.

/Question/. - Is there more than one God or Principle?
/Answer/. - There is not. Principle and its idea is one,
465:18 and this one is God, omnipotent, omniscient, and omni-
466:1 present Being, and His reflection is man and the universe.
/Omni/ is adopted from the Latin adjective signifying /all/.
466:3 Hence God combines all-power or potency, all-science
or true knowledge, all-presence. The varied manifesta-
tions of Christian Science indicate Mind, never matter,
466:6 and have one Principle.

Real /versus/ unreal

/Question/. - What are spirits and souls?
/Answer/. - To human belief, they are personalities
466:9 constituted of mind and matter, life and death, truth and
error, good and evil; but these contrasting
pairs of terms represent contraries, as Chris-
466:12 tian Science reveals, which neither dwell together nor
assimilate. Truth is immortal; error is mortal. Truth
is limitless; error is limited. Truth is intelligent; error
466:15 is non-intelligent. Moreover, Truth is real, and error is
unreal. This last statement contains the point you will
most reluctantly admit, although first and last it is the
466:18 most important to understand.

Mankind redeemed

The term /souls/ or /spirits/ is as improper as the term
/gods/. Soul or Spirit signifies Deity and nothing else.
466:21 There is no finite soul nor spirit. Soul or
Spirit means only one Mind, and cannot be
rendered in the plural. Heathen mythology and Jewish
466:24 theology have perpetuated the fallacy that intelligence,
soul, and life can be in matter; and idolatry and ritualism
are the outcome of all man-made beliefs. The Science
466:27 of Christianity comes with fan in hand to separate the
chaff from the wheat. Science will declare God aright,
and Christianity will demonstrate this declaration and
466:30 its divine Principle, making mankind better physically,
morally, and spiritually.

Two chief commands

467:1 /Question/. - What are the demands of the Science of
Soul?
467:3 /Answer/. - The first demand of this Science is, " Thou
shalt have no other gods before me." This /me/ is Spirit.
Therefore the command means this: Thou shalt
467:6 have no intelligence, no life, no substance, no
truth, no love, but that which is spiritual. The second
is like unto it, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
467:9 It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one
Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love.
Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact
467:12 becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brother-
hood of man will be established. Having no other gods,
turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide
467:15 him, man is the likeness of God, pure and eternal, hav-
ing that Mind which was also in Christ.

Soul not confined in body

Science reveals Spirit, Soul, as not in the body, and
467:18 God as not in man but as reflected by man. The greater
cannot be in the lesser. The belief that the
greater can be in the lesser is an error that
467:21 works ill. This is a leading point in the Science of Soul,
that Principle is not in its idea. Spirit, Soul, is not
confined in man, and is never in matter. We reason im-
467:24 perfectly from effect to cause, when we conclude that
matter is the effect of Spirit; but /a priori/ reasoning
shows material existence to be enigmatical. Spirit gives
467:27 the true mental idea. We cannot interpret Spirit, Mind,
through matter. Matter neither sees, hears, nor feels.

Sinlessness of Mind, Soul

Reasoning from cause to effect in the Science of Mind,
467:30 we begin with Mind, which must be under-
stood through the idea which expresses it and
cannot be learned from its opposite, matter. Thus we
468:1 arrive at Truth, or intelligence, which evolves its own
unerring idea and never can be coordinate with human
468:3 illusions. If Soul sinned, it would be mortal, for sin is
mortality's self, because it kills itself. If Truth is im-
mortal, error must be mortal, because error is unlike
468:6 Truth. Because Soul is immortal, Soul cannot sin, for
sin is not the eternal verity of being.

/Question/. - What is the scientific statement of being?
468:9 /Answer/. - There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor sub-
stance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite
manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal
468:12 Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and
eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is
God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore
468:15 man is not material; he is spiritual.

Spiritual synonyms