Part 64 (1/2)
Blight of avarice
445:27 There is great danger in teaching Mind-healing indis- criminately, thus disregarding the morals of the student and caring only for the fees. Recalling Jeffer- 445:30 son's words about slavery, ”I tremble, when I remember that G.o.d is just,” the author trembles whenever she sees a man, for the petty consideration of money, 446:1 teaching his slight knowledge of Mind-power, - per- haps communicating his own bad morals, and in this way 446:3 dealing pitilessly with a community unprepared for self- defence.
A thorough perusal of the author's publications heals 446:6 sickness. If patients sometimes seem worse while read- ing this book, the change may either arise from the alarm of the physician, or it may mark the crisis of the disease.
446:9 Perseverance in the perusal of the book has generally completely healed such cases.
Exclusion of malpractice
Whoever practises the Science the author teaches, 446:12 through which Mind pours light and healing upon this generation, can practise on no one from sin- ister or malicious motives without destroying 446:15 his own power to heal and his own health. Good must dominate in the thoughts of the healer, or his demon- stration is protracted, dangerous, and impossible in Sci- 446:18 ence. A wrong motive involves defeat. In the Science of Mind-healing, it is imperative to be honest, for victory rests on the side of immutable right. To understand 446:21 G.o.d strengthens hope, enthrones faith in Truth, and verifies Jesus' word: ”Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Iniquity overcome
446:24 Resisting evil, you overcome it and prove its nothing- ness. Not human plat.i.tudes, but divine beat.i.tudes, re- flect the spiritual light and might which heal 446:27 the sick. The exercise of will brings on a hypnotic state, detrimental to health and integrity of thought. This must therefore be watched and guarded 446:30 against. Covering iniquity will prevent prosperity and the ultimate triumph of any cause. Ignorance of the error to be eradicated oftentimes subjects you to its abuse.
No trespa.s.s on human rights
447:1 The heavenly law is broken by trespa.s.sing upon man's individual right of self-government. We have no 447:3 authority in Christian Science and no moral right to attempt to influence the thoughts of others, except it be to benefit them. In men- 447:6 tal practice you must not forget that erring human opin- ions, conflicting selfish motives, and ignorant attempts to do good may render you incapable of knowing or 447:9 judging accurately the need of your fellow-men. There- fore the rule is, heal the sick when called upon for aid, and save the victims of the mental a.s.sa.s.sins.
Expose sin without believing in it
447:12 Ignorance, subtlety, or false charity does not for- ever conceal error; evil will in time disclose and pun- ish itself. The recuperative action of the 447:15 system, when mentally sustained by Truth, goes on naturally. When sin or sickness - the reverse of harmony - seems true to material sense, 447:18 impart without frightening or discouraging the pa- tient the truth and spiritual understanding, which de- stroy disease. Expose and denounce the claims of 447:21 evil and disease in all their forms, but realize no reality in them. A sinner is not reformed merely by a.s.suring him that he cannot be a sinner because 447:24 there is no sin. To put down the claim of sin, you must detect it, remove the mask, point out the illusion, and thus get the victory over sin and so prove 447:27 its unreality. The sick are not healed merely by declaring there is no sickness, but by knowing that there is none.
Wicked evasions
447:30 A sinner is afraid to cast the first stone. He may say, as a subterfuge, that evil is unreal, but to know it, he must demonstrate his statement. To a.s.sume that 448:1 there are no claims of evil and yet to indulge them, is a moral offence. Blindness and self-righteousness cling 448:3 fast to iniquity. When the Publican's wail went out to the great heart of Love, it won his humble desire. Evil which obtains in the bodily senses, 448:6 but which the heart condemns, has no foundation; but if evil is uncondemned, it is undenied and nurtured. Under such circ.u.mstances, to say that there is no evil, is an evil 448:9 in itself. When needed tell the truth concerning the lie.
Evasion of Truth cripples integrity, and casts thee down from the pinnacle.
Truth's grand results
448:12 Christian Science rises above the evidence of the cor- poreal senses; but if you have not risen above sin your- self, do not congratulate yourself upon your 448:15 blindness to evil or upon the good you know and _do_ not. A dishonest position is far from Christianly scientific. ”He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: 448:18 but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Try to leave on every student's mind the strong impress of divine Science, a high sense of the moral and 448:21 spiritual qualifications requisite for healing, well knowing it to be impossible for error, evil, and hate to accomplish the grand results of Truth and Love. The reception or 448:24 pursuit of instructions opposite to absolute Christian Science must always hinder scientific demonstration.
Adherence to righteousness
If the student adheres strictly to the teachings of Chris- 448:27 tian Science and ventures not to break its rules, he can- not fail of success in healing. It is Christian Science to do right, and nothing short of right- 448:30 doing has any claim to the name. To talk the right and live the wrong is foolish deceit, doing one's self the most harm. Fettered by sin yourself, it is difficult to free 449:1 another from the fetters of disease. With your own wrists manacled, it is hard to break another's chains. A little 449:3 leaven causes the whole ma.s.s to ferment. A grain of Christian Science does wonders for mortals, so omnip- otent is Truth, but more of Christian Science must be 449:6 gained in order to continue in well doing.
Right adjusts the balance
The wrong done another reacts most heavily against one's self. Right adjusts the balance sooner or later.
449:9 Think it ”easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” than for you to benefit yourself by injuring others. Man's moral mercury, ris- 449:12 ing or falling, registers his healing ability and fitness to teach. You should practise well what you know, and you will then advance in proportion to your honesty 449:15 and fidelity, - qualities which insure success in this Science; but it requires a higher understanding to teach this subject properly and correctly than it does to heal 449:18 the most difficult case.
Inoculation of thought
The baneful effect of evil a.s.sociates is less seen than felt. The inoculation of evil human thoughts ought to 449:21 be understood and guarded against. The first impression, made on a mind which is attracted or repelled according to personal merit or de- 449:24 merit, is a good detective of individual character. Cer- tain minds meet only to separate through simultaneous repulsion. They are enemies without the preliminary 449:27 offence. The impure are at peace with the impure.
Only virtue is a rebuke to vice. A proper teacher of Chris- tian Science improves the health and the morals of his 449:30 student if the student practises what he is taught, and unless this result follows, the teacher is a Scientist only in name.
Three cla.s.ses of neophytes
450:1 There is a large cla.s.s of thinkers whose bigotry and conceit twist every fact to suit themselves. Their creed 450:3 teaches belief in a mysterious, supernatural G.o.d, and in a natural, all-powerful devil. An- other cla.s.s, still more unfortunate, are so depraved that 450:6 they appear to be innocent. They utter a falsehood, while looking you blandly in the face, and they never fail to stab their benefactor in the back. A third cla.s.s 450:9 of thinkers build with solid masonry. They are sincere, generous, n.o.ble, and are therefore open to the approach and recognition of Truth. To teach Christian Science 450:12 to such as these is no task. They do not incline long- ingly to error, whine over the demands of Truth, nor play the traitor for place and power.
Touchstone of Science
450:15 Some people yield slowly to the touch of Truth. Few yield without a struggle, and many are reluctant to ac- knowledge that they have yielded; but un- 450:18 less this admission is made, evil will boast itself above good. The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen evil, disease, and death; and he will overcome 450:21 them by understanding their nothingness and the allness of G.o.d, or good. Sickness to him is no less a temptation than is sin, and he heals them both by understanding 450:24 G.o.d's power over them. The Christian Scientist knows that they are errors of belief, which Truth can and will destroy.