Part 57 (2/2)

Arguing wrongly

We should remember that Life is G.o.d, and that G.o.d is omnipotent. Not understanding Christian 394:30 Science, the sick usually have little faith in it till they feel its beneficent influence. This shows that faith is not the healer in such cases. The sick 395:1 unconsciously argue for suffering, instead of against it.

They admit its reality, whereas they should deny it.

395:3 They should plead in opposition to the testimony of the deceitful senses, and maintain man's immortality and eternal likeness to G.o.d.

Divine authority

395:6 Like the great Exemplar, the healer should speak to disease as one having authority over it, leaving Soul to master the false evidences of the corporeal 395:9 senses and to a.s.sert its claims over mortal- ity and disease. The same Principle cures both sin and sickness. When divine Science overcomes faith in a car- 395:12 nal mind, and faith in G.o.d destroys all faith in sin and in material methods of healing, then sin, disease, and death will disappear.

Aids in sickness

395:15 Prayers, in which G.o.d is not asked to heal but is be- sought to take the patient to Himself, do not benefit the sick. An ill-tempered, complaining, or deceit- 395:18 ful person should not be a nurse. The nurse should be cheerful, orderly, punctual, patient, full of faith, - receptive to Truth and Love.

Mental quackery

395:21 It is mental quackery to make disease a reality - to hold it as something seen and felt - and then to attempt its cure through Mind. It is no less erroneous 395:24 to believe in the real existence of a tumor, a cancer, or decayed lungs, while you argue against their reality, than it is for your patient to feel these ills in 395:27 physical belief. Mental practice, which holds disease as a reality, fastens disease on the patient, and it may appear in a more alarming form.

Effacing images of disease

395:30 The knowledge that brain-lobes cannot kill a man nor affect the functions of mind would prevent the brain from becoming diseased, though a moral offence is indeed the 396:1 worst of diseases. One should never hold in mind the thought of disease, but should efface from 396:3 thought all forms and types of disease, both for one's own sake and for that of the patient.

Avoid talking disease

Avoid talking illness to the patient. Make no unne- 396:6 cessary inquiries relative to feelings or disease. Never startle with a discouraging remark about re- covery, nor draw attention to certain symp- 396:9 toms as unfavorable, avoid speaking aloud the name of the disease. Never say beforehand how much you have to contend with in a case, nor encourage in the patient's 396:12 thought the expectation of growing worse before a crisis is pa.s.sed.

False testimony refuted

The refutation of the testimony of material sense is 396:15 not a difficult task in view of the conceded falsity of this testimony. The refutation becomes arduous, not because the testimony of sin or disease is 396:18 true, but solely on account of the tenacity of belief in its truth, due to the force of education and the overwhelm- ing weight of opinions on the wrong side, - all teaching 396:21 that the body suffers, as if matter could have sensation.

Healthful explanation

At the right time explain to the sick the power which their beliefs exercise over their bodies. Give them divine 396:24 and wholesome understanding, with which to combat their erroneous sense, and so efface the images of sickness from mortal mind. Keep distinctly in 396:27 thought that man is the offspring of G.o.d, not of man; that man is spiritual, not material; that Soul is Spirit, outside of matter, never in it, never giving the body life 396:30 and sensation. It breaks the dream of disease to under- stand that sickness is formed by the human mind, not by matter nor by the divine Mind.

Misleading methods

397:1 By not perceiving vital metaphysical points, not seeing how mortal mind affects the body, - acting beneficially 397:3 or injuriously on the health, as well as on the morals and the happiness of mortals, - we are misled in our conclusions and methods. We throw the 397:6 mental influence on the wrong side, thereby actually in- juring those whom we mean to bless.

Remedy for accidents

Suffering is no less a mental condition than is enjoy- 397:9 ment. You cause bodily sufferings and increase them by admitting their reality and continuance, as directly as you enhance your joys by be- 397:12 lieving them to be real and continuous. When an ac- cident happens, you think or exclaim, ”I am hurt!”

Your thought is more powerful than your words, more 397:15 powerful than the accident itself, to make the injury real.

Now reverse the process. Declare that you are not hurt 397:18 and understand the reason why, and you will find the ensuing good effects to be in exact proportion to your disbelief in physics, and your fidelity to divine meta- 397:21 physics, confidence in G.o.d as All, which the Scriptures declare Him to be.

Independent mentality

To heal the sick, one must be familiar with the great 397:24 verities of being. Mortals are no more material in their waking hours than when they act, walk, see, hear, enjoy, or suffer in dreams. We can 397:27 never treat mortal mind and matter separately, because they combine as one. Give up the belief that mind is, even temporarily, compressed within the skull, and 397:30 you will quickly become more manly or womanly. You will understand yourself and your Maker better than before.

Naming maladies

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