Part 51 (1/2)

G.o.d's idea the ideal man

It is not the purpose of Christian Science to ”educate the idea of G.o.d, or treat it for disease,” as is alleged 346:1 by one critic. I regret that such criticism confounds _man_ with Adam. When man is spoken of as made in G.o.d's 346:3 image, it is not sinful and sickly mortal man who is referred to, but the ideal man, reflecting G.o.d's likeness.

Nothingness of error

346:6 It is sometimes said that Christian Science teaches the nothingness of sin, sickness, and death, and then teaches how this nothingness is to be saved and healed.

346:9 The nothingness of nothing is plain; but we need to understand that error is nothing, and that its nothingness is not saved, but must be demonstrated in 346:12 order to prove the somethingness - yea, the allness - of Truth. It is self-evident that we are harmonious only as we cease to manifest evil or the belief that we suffer 346:15 from the sins of others. Disbelief in error destroys error, and leads to the discernment of Truth. There are no vacuums. How then can this demonstration be ”fraught 346:18 with falsities painful to behold”?

Truth antidotes error

We treat error through the understanding of Truth, because Truth is error's antidote. If a dream ceases, it 346:21 is self-destroyed, and the terror is over. When a sufferer is convinced that there is no reality in his belief of pain, - because matter has no sensation, 346:24 hence pain in matter is a false belief, - how can he suffer longer? Do you feel the pain of tooth-pulling, when you believe that nitrous-oxide gas has made you unconscious?

346:27 Yet, in your concept, the tooth, the operation, and the forceps are unchanged.

Serving two masters

Material beliefs must be expelled to make room for 346:30 spiritual understanding. We cannot serve both G.o.d and mammon at the same time; but is not this what frail mortals are trying to do? Paul says: 347:1 ”The flesh l.u.s.teth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” Who is ready to admit this?

347:3 It is said by one critic, that to verify this wonderful philosophy Christian Science declares that whatever is mortal or discordant has no origin, existence, nor real- 347:6 ness. Nothing really has Life but G.o.d, who is infinite Life; hence all is Life, and death has no dominion. This writer infers that if anything needs to be doctored, it 347:9 must be the one G.o.d, or Mind. Had he stated his syllo- gism correctly, the conclusion would be that there is noth- ing left to be doctored.

Essential element of Christianity

347:12 Critics should consider that the so-called mortal man is not the reality of man. Then they would behold the signs of Christ's coming. Christ, as the spir- 347:15 itual or true idea of G.o.d, comes now as of old, preaching the gospel to the poor, heal- ing the sick, and casting out evils. Is it error which 347:18 is restoring an essential element of Christianity, - namely, apostolic, divine healing? No; it is the Science of Christianity which is restoring it, and is the light 347:21 s.h.i.+ning in darkness, which the darkness comprehends not.

If Christian Science takes away the popular G.o.ds, - 347:24 sin, sickness, and death, - it is Christ, Truth, who de- stroys these evils, and so proves their nothingness.

The dream that matter and error are something 347:27 must yield to reason and revelation. Then mortals will behold the nothingness of sickness and sin, and sin and sickness will disappear from consciousness.

347:30 The harmonious will appear real, and the inharmo- nious unreal. These critics will then see that error is indeed the nothingness, which they chide us for 348:1 naming nothing and which we desire neither to honor nor to fear.

348:3 Medical theories virtually admit the nothingness of hallucinations, even while treating them as disease; and who objects to this? Ought we not, then, to approve 348:6 any cure, which is effected by making the disease appear to be - what it really is - an illusion?

All disease a delusion

Here is the difficulty: it is not generally understood how 348:9 one disease can be just as much a delusion as another. It is a pity that the medical faculty and clergy have not learned this, for Jesus established 348:12 this foundational fact, when devils, delusions, were cast out and the dumb spake.

Elimination of sickness

Are we irreverent towards sin, or imputing too much 348:15 power to G.o.d, when we ascribe to Him almighty Life and Love? I deny His cooperation with evil, because I desire to have no faith in evil or in 348:18 any power but G.o.d, good. Is it not well to eliminate from so-called mortal mind that which, so long as it remains in mortal mind, will show itself in forms of sin, sickness, and 348:21 death? Instead of tenaciously defending the supposed rights of disease, while complaining of the suffering dis- ease brings, would it not be well to abandon the defence, 348:24 especially when by so doing our own condition can be im- proved and that of other persons as well?

Full fruitage yet to come

I have never supposed the world would immediately 348:27 witness the full fruitage of Christian Science, or that sin, disease, and death would not be believed for an indefinite time; but this I do aver, that, 348:30 as a result of teaching Christian Science, ethics and temperance have received all impulse, health has been restored, and longevity increased. If such are the pres- 349:1 ent fruits, what will the harvest be, when this Science is more generally understood?

Law and gospel

349:3 As Paul asked of the unfaithful in ancient days, so the rabbis of the present day ask concerning our heal- ing and teaching, ”Through breaking the law, 349:6 dishonorest thou G.o.d?” We have the gospel, however, and our Master annulled material law by heal- ing contrary to it. We propose to follow the Master's 349:9 example. We should subordinate material law to spirit- ual law. Two essential points of Christian Science are, that neither Life nor man dies, and that G.o.d is not the 349:12 author of sickness.

Language inadequate

The chief difficulty in conveying the teachings of divine Science accurately to human thought lies in this, that like 349:15 all other languages, English is inadequate to the expression of spiritual conceptions and propositions, because one is obliged to use material terms 349:18 in dealing with spiritual ideas. The elucidation of Chris- tian Science lies in its spiritual sense, and this sense must be gained by its disciples in order to grasp the meaning of 349:21 this Science. Out of this condition grew the prophecy concerning the Christian apostles, ”They shall speak with new tongues.”