Part 26 (2/2)
Whoever reaches the understanding of Christian Science 179:1 in its proper signification will perform the sudden cures of which it is capable; but this can be done only by 179:3 taking up the cross and following Christ in the daily life.
Absent patients
Science can heal the sick, who are absent from their 179:6 healers, as well as those present, since s.p.a.ce is no ob- stacle to Mind. Immortal Mind heals what eye hath not seen; but the spiritual capacity to ap- 179:9 prehend thought and to heal by the Truth-power, is won only as man is found, not in self-righteousness, but re- flecting the divine nature.
Horses mistaught
179:12 Every medical method has its advocates. The prefer- ence of mortal mind for a certain method creates a demand for that method, and the body then seems to re- 179:15 quire such treatment. You can even educate a healthy horse so far in physiology that he will take cold without his blanket, whereas the wild animal, left to his 179:18 instincts, sniffs the wind with delight. The epizootic is a humanly evolved ailment, which a wild horse might never have.
Medical works objectionable
179:21 Treatises on anatomy, physiology, and health, sustained by what is termed material law, are the pro- moters of sickness and disease. It should not 179:24 be proverbial, that so long as you read medical works you will be sick.
The sedulous matron - studying her Jahr with h.o.m.oe- 179:27 opathic pellet and powder in hand, ready to put you into a sweat, to move the bowels, or to produce sleep - is unwittingly sowing the seeds of reliance on matter, 179:30 and her household may erelong reap the effect of this mistake.
Descriptions of disease given by physicians and adver- 180:1 tis.e.m.e.nts of quackery are both prolific sources of sickness.
As mortal mind is the husbandman of error, it should be 180:3 taught to do the body no harm and to uproot its false sowing.
The invalid's outlook
The patient sufferer tries to be satisfied when he sees 180:6 his would-be healers busy, and his faith in their efforts is somewhat helpful to them and to himself; but in Science one must understand the resusci- 180:9 tating law of Life. This is the seed within itself bearing fruit after its kind, spoken of in Genesis.
Physicians should not deport themselves as if Mind 180:12 were non-existent, nor take the ground that all causation is matter, instead of Mind. Ignorant that the human mind governs the body, its phenomenon, the invalid may 180:15 unwittingly add more fear to the mental reservoir already overflowing with that emotion.
Wrong and right way
Doctors should not implant disease in the thoughts of 180:18 their patients, as they so frequently do, by declaring dis- ease to be a fixed fact, even before they go to work to eradicate the disease through the ma- 180:21 terial faith which they inspire. Instead of furnis.h.i.+ng thought with fear, they should try to correct this turbulent element of mortal mind by the influence of divine Love 180:24 which casteth out fear.
When man is governed by G.o.d, the ever-present Mind who understands all things, man knows that with 180:27 G.o.d all things are possible. The only way to this living Truth, which heals the sick, is found in the Science of divine Mind as taught and demonstrated by Christ 180:30 Jesus.
The important decision
To reduce inflammation, dissolve a tumor, or cure or- ganic disease, I have found divine Truth more potent than 181:1 all lower remedies. And why not, since Mind, G.o.d, is the source and condition of all existence? Before decid- 181:3 ing that the body, matter, is disordered, one should ask, ”Who art thou that repliest to Spirit? Can matter speak for itself, or does 181:6 it hold the issues of life?” Matter, which can neither suffer nor enjoy, has no partners.h.i.+p with pain and pleas- ure, but mortal belief has such a partners.h.i.+p.
Manipulation unscientific
181:9 When you manipulate patients, you trust in electricity and magnetism more than in Truth; and for that reason, you employ matter rather than 181:12 Mind. You weaken or destroy your power when you re- sort to any except spiritual means.
It is foolish to declare that you manipulate patients but 181:15 that you lay no stress on manipulation. If this be so, why manipulate? In reality you manipulate because you are ignorant of the baneful effects of magnetism, or are not 181:18 sufficiently spiritual to depend on Spirit. In either case you must improve your mental condition till you finally attain the understanding of Christian Science.
Not words but deeds
181:21 If you are too material to love the Science of Mind and are satisfied with good words instead of effects, if you adhere to error and are afraid to trust Truth, 181:24 the question then recurs, ”Adam, where art thou?” It is unnecessary to resort to aught besides Mind in order to satisfy the sick that you are doing some- 181:27 thing for them, for if they are cured, they generally know it and are satisfied.
”Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
181:30 If you have more faith in drugs than in Truth, this faith will incline you to the side of matter and error. Any hypnotic power you may exercise will diminish your 182:1 ability to become a Scientist, and _vice versa._ The act of healing the sick through divine Mind alone, of casting 182:3 out error with Truth, shows your position as a Christian Scientist.
Physiology or Spirit
The demands of G.o.d appeal to thought only; but the 182:6 claims of mortality, and what are termed laws of nature, appertain to matter. Which, then, are we to accept as legitimate and capable of producing 182:9 the highest human good? We cannot obey both physi- ology and Spirit, for one absolutely destroys the other, and one or the other must be supreme in the affections.
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