Part 66 (2/2)

465:12 _Answer_. - They are. They refer to one absolute G.o.d.

They are also intended to express the nature, essence, and wholeness of Deity. The attributes of G.o.d are justice, 465:15 mercy, wisdom, goodness, and so on.

_Question_. - Is there more than one G.o.d or Principle?

_Answer_. - There is not. Principle and its idea is one, 465:18 and this one is G.o.d, omnipotent, omniscient, and omni- 466:1 present Being, and His reflection is man and the universe.

_Omni_ is adopted from the Latin adjective signifying _all_.

466:3 Hence G.o.d combines all-power or potency, all-science or true knowledge, all-presence. The varied manifesta- tions of Christian Science indicate Mind, never matter, 466:6 and have one Principle.

Real _versus_ unreal

_Question_. - What are spirits and souls?

_Answer_. - To human belief, they are personalities 466:9 const.i.tuted of mind and matter, life and death, truth and error, good and evil; but these contrasting pairs of terms represent contraries, as Chris- 466:12 tian Science reveals, which neither dwell together nor a.s.similate. Truth is immortal; error is mortal. Truth is limitless; error is limited. Truth is intelligent; error 466:15 is non-intelligent. Moreover, Truth is real, and error is unreal. This last statement contains the point you will most reluctantly admit, although first and last it is the 466:18 most important to understand.

Mankind redeemed

The term _souls_ or _spirits_ is as improper as the term _G.o.ds_. Soul or Spirit signifies Deity and nothing else.

466:21 There is no finite soul nor spirit. Soul or Spirit means only one Mind, and cannot be rendered in the plural. Heathen mythology and Jewish 466:24 theology have perpetuated the fallacy that intelligence, soul, and life can be in matter; and idolatry and ritualism are the outcome of all man-made beliefs. The Science 466:27 of Christianity comes with fan in hand to separate the chaff from the wheat. Science will declare G.o.d aright, and Christianity will demonstrate this declaration and 466:30 its divine Principle, making mankind better physically, morally, and spiritually.

Two chief commands

467:1 _Question_. - What are the demands of the Science of Soul?

467:3 _Answer_. - The first demand of this Science is, ”Thou shalt have no other G.o.ds before me.” This _me_ is Spirit.

Therefore the command means this: Thou shalt 467:6 have no intelligence, no life, no substance, no truth, no love, but that which is spiritual. The second is like unto it, ”Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

467:9 It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one G.o.d and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love.

Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact 467:12 becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brother- hood of man will be established. Having no other G.o.ds, turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide 467:15 him, man is the likeness of G.o.d, pure and eternal, hav- ing that Mind which was also in Christ.

Soul not confined in body

Science reveals Spirit, Soul, as not in the body, and 467:18 G.o.d as not in man but as reflected by man. The greater cannot be in the lesser. The belief that the greater can be in the lesser is an error that 467:21 works ill. This is a leading point in the Science of Soul, that Principle is not in its idea. Spirit, Soul, is not confined in man, and is never in matter. We reason im- 467:24 perfectly from effect to cause, when we conclude that matter is the effect of Spirit; but _a priori_ reasoning shows material existence to be enigmatical. Spirit gives 467:27 the true mental idea. We cannot interpret Spirit, Mind, through matter. Matter neither sees, hears, nor feels.

Sinlessness of Mind, Soul

Reasoning from cause to effect in the Science of Mind, 467:30 we begin with Mind, which must be under- stood through the idea which expresses it and cannot be learned from its opposite, matter. Thus we 468:1 arrive at Truth, or intelligence, which evolves its own unerring idea and never can be coordinate with human 468:3 illusions. If Soul sinned, it would be mortal, for sin is mortality's self, because it kills itself. If Truth is im- mortal, error must be mortal, because error is unlike 468:6 Truth. Because Soul is immortal, Soul cannot sin, for sin is not the eternal verity of being.

_Question_. - What is the scientific statement of being?

468:9 _Answer_. - There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor sub- stance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for G.o.d is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal 468:12 Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is G.o.d, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore 468:15 man is not material; he is spiritual.

Spiritual synonyms

_Question_. - What is substance?

_Answer_. - Substance is that which is eternal and inca- 468:18 pable of discord and decay. Truth, Life, and Love are substance, as the Scriptures use this word in Hebrews: ”The substance of things hoped 468:21 for, the evidence of things not seen.” Spirit, the synonym of Mind, Soul, or G.o.d, is the only real substance. The spiritual universe, including individual man, is a com- 468:24 pound idea, reflecting the divine substance of Spirit.

Eternity of Life

_Question_. - What is Life?

_Answer_. - Life is divine Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit.

<script>