Part 43 (2/2)

him. Thus a mental malpract.i.tioner may lose his power to harm by a false mental argument; for it gives one opportunity to handle the error, and when mastering it one gains in the rules of metaphysics, and [5]

thereby learns more of its divine Principle. Error pro- duces physical sufferings, and these sufferings show the fundamental Principle of Christian Science; namely, that error and sickness are one, and Truth is their remedy. [10]

The evil-doer can do little at removing the effect of sin on himself, unless he believes that sin has produced the effect and knows he is a sinner: or, knowing that he is a sinner, if he denies it, the good effect is lost. Either of these states of mind will stultify the power to heal men- [15]

tally. This accounts for many helpless mental practi- tioners and mysterious diseases.

Again: If error is the cause of disease, Truth being the cure, denial of this fact in one instance and acknowledgment of it in another saps one's under- [20]

standing of the Science of Mind-healing, Such denial dethrones demonstration, baffles the student of Mind- healing, and divorces his work from Science. Such de- nial also contradicts the doctrine that we must mentally struggle against both evil and disease, and is like saying [25]

that five times ten are fifty while ten times five are not fifty; as if the multiplication of the same two numbers would not yield the same product whichever might serve as the multiplicand.

Who would tell another of a crime that he himself is [30]

committing, or call public attention to that crime? The belief in evil and in the process of evil, holds the issues

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of death to the evil-doer. It takes away a man's proper [1]

sense of good, and gives him a false sense of both evil and good. It inflames envy, pa.s.sion, evil-speaking, and strife. It reverses Christian Science in all things. It causes the victim to believe that he is advancing while [5]

injuring himself and others. This state of false conscious- ness in many cases causes the victim great physical suffering; and conviction of his wrong state of feeling reforms him, and so heals him: or, failing of conviction and re- form, he becomes morally paralyzed-in other words, [10]

a moral idiot.

In this state of misled consciousness, one is ready to listen complacently to audible falsehoods that once he would have resisted and loathed; and this, because the false seems true. The malicious mental argument and [15]

its action on the mind of the perpetrator, is fatal, morally and physically. From the effects of mental malpractice the subject scarcely awakes in time, and must suffer its full penalty after death. This sin against divine Science is cancelled only through human agony: the measure it [20]

has meted must be remeasured to it.

The crimes committed under this new _regime_ of mind- power, when brought to light, will make stout hearts quail.

Its mystery protects it now, for it is not yet known. Error is more abstract than Truth. Even the healing Principle, [25]

whose power seems inexplicable, is not so obscure; for this is the power of G.o.d, and good should seem more natural than evil.

I shall not forget the cost of investigating, for this age, the methods and power of error. While the ways, means, [30]

and potency of Truth had flowed into my consciousness as easily as dawns the morning light and shadows flee,

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the metaphysical mystery of error-its hidden paths, [1]

purpose, and fruits-at first defied me. I was say- ing all the time, ”Come not thou into the secret”- but at length took up the research according to G.o.d's command. [5]

Streams which purify, necessarily have pure fountains; while impure streams flow from corrupt sources. Here, divine light, logic, and revelation coincide.

Science proves, beyond cavil, that the tree is known by its fruit; that mind reaches its own ideal, and cannot [10]

be separated from it. I respect that moral sense which is sufficiently strong to discern what it believes, and to say, if it must, ”I discredit Mind with having the power to heal.” This individual disbelieves in Mind-healing, and is consistent. But, alas! for the mistake of believing in [15]

mental healing, claiming full faith in the divine Principle, and saying, ”I am a Christian Scientist,” while doing unto others what we would resist to the hilt if done unto ourselves.

May divine Love so permeate the affections of all those [20]

who have named the name of Christ in its fullest sense, that no counteracting influence can hinder their growth or taint their examples.

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