Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📖

real and tangible to spiritual 269:18 consciousness, and they have this, advantage over the objects and thoughts of material sense, - they are good and

eternal.

 

Biblical foundations

269:21 The testimony of the material senses is neither absolute nor divine. I therefore plant myself unreservedly

on the teachings of Jesus, of his apostles, of 269:24 the prophets, and on the testimony of the

Science of Mind. Other foundations there are none.

All other systems - systems based wholly or partly on 269:27 knowledge gained through the material senses - are reeds

shaken by the wind, not houses built on the rock.

 

Rejected theories

 

The theories I combat are these: (1) that all is matter; 269:30 (2) that matter originates in Mind, and is as

real as Mind, possessing intelligence and life.

The first theory, that matter is everything, is quite as 270:1 reasonable as the second, that Mind and matter coexist

and cooperate. One only of the following statements can 270:3 be true: (1) that everything is matter; (2) that everything is Mind. Which one is it?

 

Matter and Mind are opposites. One is contrary to 270:6 the other in its very nature and essence; hence both cannot be real. If one is real, the other must be unreal. Only

by understanding that there is but one power, - not two 270:9 powers, matter and Mind, - are scientific and logical

conclusions reached. Few deny the hypothesis that intelligence, apart from man and matter, governs the uni-270:12 verse; and it is generally admitted that this intelligence

is the eternal Mind or divine principle, Love.

 

Prophetic ignorance

 

The prophets of old looked for something higher than 270:15 the systems of their times; hence their foresight of the new dispensation of Truth. But

they knew not what would be the precise nature of the 270:18 teaching and demonstration of God, divine Mind, in His

more infinite meanings, - the demonstration which was

to destroy sin, sickness, and death, establish the definition 270:21 of omnipotence, and maintain the Science of Spirit.

 

The pride of priesthood is the prince of this world. It

has nothing in Christ. Meekness and charity have divine 270:24 authority. Mortals think wickedly; consequently they

are wicked. They think sickly thoughts, and so become

sick. If sin makes sinners, Truth and Love alone can 270:27 unmake them. If a sense of disease produces suffering

and a sense of ease antidotes suffering, disease is mental,

not material. Hence the fact that the human mind alone 270:30 suffers, is sick, and that the divine Mind alone heals.

 

The life of Christ Jesus was not miraculous, but it was

indigenous to his spirituality, - the good soil wherein the 271:1 seed of Truth springs up and bears much fruit. Christ’s

Christianity is the chain of scientific being reappearing 271:3 in all ages, maintaining its obvious correspondence with

the Scriptures and uniting all periods in the design of

God. Neither emasculation, illusion, nor insubordination 271:6 exists in divine Science.

 

Jesus instructed his disciples whereby to heal the sick

through Mind instead of matter. He knew that the phi-271:9 losophy, Science, and proof of Christianity were in Truth,

casting out all inharmony.

 

Studious disciples

 

In Latin the word rendered disciple signifies student; 271:12 and the word indicates that the power of healing was not

a supernatural gift to those learners, but the

result of their cultivated spiritual understand-271:15 ing of the divine Science, which their Master demonstrated

by healing the sick and sinning. Hence the universal application of his saying: “Neither pray I for these alone, 271:18 but for them also which shall believe on me [understand

me] through their word.”

 

New Testament basis

 

Our Master said, “But the Comforter … shall 271:21 teach you all things.” When the Science of Christianity

appears, it will lead you into all truth. The

Sermon on the Mount is the essence of this 271:24 Science, and the eternal life, not the death of Jesus, is

its outcome.

 

Modern evangel

 

Those, who are willing to leave their nets or to cast 271:27 them on the right side for Truth, have the opportunity

now, as aforetime, to learn and to practise

Christian healing. The Scriptures contain it. 271:30 The spiritual import of the Word imparts this power.

But, as Paul says, “How shall they hear without a

preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be 272:1 sent?” If sent, how shall they preach, convert, and heal

multitudes, except the people hear?

 

Spirituality of Scripture

272:3 The spiritual sense of truth must be gained before

Truth can be understood. This sense is assimilated only

as we are honest, unselfish, loving, and meek. 272:6 In the soil of an “honest and good heart” the

seed must be sown; else it beareth not much fruit, for the

swinish element in human nature uproots it. Jesus said: 272:9 “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.” The spiritual

sense of the Scriptures brings out the scientific sense, and

is the new tongue referred to in the last chapter of Mark’s 272:12 Gospel.

 

Jesus’ parable of “the sower” shows the care our

Master took not to impart to dull ears and gross hearts 272:15 the spiritual teachings which dulness and grossness could

not accept. Reading the thoughts of the people, he said:

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast 272:18 ye your pearls before swine.”

 

Unspiritual contrasts

 

It is the spiritualization of thought and Christianization

of daily life, in contrast with the results of the ghastly farce 272:21 of material existence; it is chastity and purity,

in contrast with the downward tendencies

and earthward gravitation of sensualism and impurity, 272:24 which really attest the divine origin and operation of Christian Science. The triumphs of Christian Science are recorded in the destruction of error and evil, from which are 272:27 propagated the dismal beliefs of sin, sickness, and death.

 

God the Principle of all

 

The divine Principle of the universe must interpret the

universe. God is the divine Principle of all that repre-272:30 sents Him and of all that really exists. Christian Science, as demonstrated by Jesus, alone

reveals the natural, divine Principle of Science.

273:1 Matter and its claims of sin, sickness, and death are

contrary to God, and cannot emanate from Him. There 273:3 is no material truth. The physical senses can take no

cognizance of God and spiritual Truth. Human belief

has sought out many inventions, but not one of them 273:6 can solve the problem of being without the divine Principle of divine Science. Deductions from material hypotheses are not scientific. They differ from real Science 273:9 because they are not based on the divine law.

 

Science versus sense

 

Divine Science reverses the false testimony of the material senses, and thus tears away the foun-273:12 dations of error. Hence the enmity between

Science and the senses, and the impossibility

of attaining perfect understanding till the errors of sense 273:15 are eliminated.

 

The so-called laws of matter and of medical science have

never made mortals whole, harmonious, and immortal. 273:18 Man is harmonious when governed by Soul. Hence the

importance of understanding the truth of being, which

reveals the laws of spiritual existence.

 

Spiritual law the only law

273:21 God never ordained a material law to annul the spiritual

law. If there were such a material law, it would oppose

the supremacy of Spirit, God, and impugn the 273:24 wisdom of the creator. Jesus walked on the

waves, fed the multitude, healed the sick, and raised the

dead in direct opposition to material laws. His acts were 273:27 the demonstration of Science, overcoming the false claims

of material sense or law.

 

Material knowledge illusive

 

Science shows that material, conflicting mortal opin-273:30 ions and beliefs emit the effects of error at all times, but

this atmosphere of mortal mind cannot be destructive to

morals and health when it is opposed promptly and per-274:1 sistently by Christian Science. Truth and Love antidote

this mental miasma, and thus invigorate and sustain ex-274:3 istence. Unnecessary knowledge gained from

the five senses is only temporal, - the conception of mortal mind, the offspring of sense, not 274:6 of Soul, Spirit, - and symbolizes all that is evil and

perishable. Natural science, as it is commonly called, is

not really natural nor scientific, because it is deduced from 274:9 the evidence of the material senses. Ideas, on the contrary, are born of Spirit, and are not mere inferences

drawn from material premises.

 

Five senses deceptive

274:12 The senses of Spirit abide in Love, and they demonstrate Truth and Life. Hence Christianity and the Science which expounds it are based on spiritual 274:15 understanding, and they supersede the so-called laws of matter. Jesus demonstrated this great

verity. When what we erroneously term the five physical 274:18 senses are misdirected, they are simply the manifested

beliefs of mortal mind, which affirm that life, substance,

and intelligence are material, instead of spiritual. These 274:21 false beliefs and their products constitute the flesh, and

the flesh wars against Spirit.

 

Impossible partnership

 

Divine Science is absolute, and permits no half-way 274:24 position in learning its Principle and rule - establishing

it by demonstration. The conventional firm,

called matter and mind, God never formed. 274:27 Science and understanding, governed by the unerring and

eternal Mind, destroy the imaginary copartnership, matter

and mind, formed only to be destroyed in a manner and 274:30 at a period as yet unknown. This suppositional partnership is already obsolete, for matter, examined in the light

of divine metaphysics, disappears.

 

Spirit the starting-point

275:1 Matter has no life to lose, and Spirit never dies. A

partnership of mind with matter would ignore omnipres-275:3 ent and omnipotent Mind. This shows that

matter did not originate in God, Spirit, and is

not eternal. Therefore matter is neither substantial, living, 275:6 nor intelligent. The starting-point of divine Science is

that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other

might nor Mind, - that God is Love, and therefore He 275:9 is divine Principle.

 

Divine synonyms

 

To grasp the reality and order of being in its Science,

you must begin by reckoning God as the divine Principle 275:12 of all that really is. Spirit, Life, Truth, Love,

combine as one, - and are the Scriptural names

for God. All substance, intelligence, wisdom, being, im-275:15 mortality, cause, and effect belong to God. These are

His attributes, the eternal manifestations of the infinite

divine Principle, Love. No wisdom is wise but His 275:18 wisdom; no truth is true, no love is lovely, no life is Life

but the divine; no good is, but the good God bestows.

 

The divine completeness

 

Divine metaphysics, as revealed to spiritual understand-275:21 ing, shows clearly that all is Mind, and that Mind is

God, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience,

- that is, all power, all presence, all Science. 275:24 Hence all is in reality the manifestation of Mind.

 

Our material human theories are destitute of Science.

The true understanding of God is spiritual. It robs the 275:27 grave of victory. It destroys the false evidence that mis—

leads thought and points to other gods, or other so-called

powers, such as matter, disease, sin, and death, superior 275:30 or contrary to the one Spirit.

 

Truth, spiritually discerned, is scientifically understood.

It casts out error and heals the sick.

 

Universal brotherhood

276:1 Having one God, one Mind, unfolds the power that

heals the sick, and fulfils these sayings of Scripture, “I 276:3 am the Lord that healeth thee,” and “I have

found a ransom.” When the divine precepts

are understood, they unfold the foundation of fellowship, 276:6 in which one mind is not at war with another, but all have

one Spirit, God, one intelligent source, in accordance with

the Scriptural command: “Let this Mind be in you,