Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy [the dot read aloud .TXT] 📗

quackery.

Strict adherence to the divine Principle and 456:6 rules of the scientific method has secured

the only success of the students of Christian Science.

This alone entitles them to the high standing which 456:9 most of them hold in the community, a reputation experimentally justified by their efforts. Whoever affirms that there is more than one Principle and method 456:12 of demonstrating Christian Science greatly errs, ignorantly or intentionally, and separates himself from the

true conception of Christian Science healing and from 456:15 its possible demonstration.

 

No dishonest concessions

 

Any dishonesty in your theory and practice betrays a

gross ignorance of the method of the Christ-cure. Science 456:18 makes no concessions to persons or opinions.

One must abide in the morale of truth or he

cannot demonstrate the divine Principle. So long as 456:21 matter is the basis of practice, illness cannot be efficaciously treated by the metaphysical process. Truth does

the work, and you must both understand and abide by the 456:24 divine Principle of your demonstration.

 

This volume indispensable

 

A Christian Scientist requires my work SCIENCE AND

HEALTH for his textbook, and so do all his students and 456:27 patients. Why? First: Because it is the voice

of Truth to this age, and contains the full

statement of Christian Science, or the Science of healing 456:30 through Mind. Second: Because it was the first book

known, containing a thorough statement of Christian

Science. Hence it gave the first rules for demonstrating 457:1 this Science, and registered the revealed Truth uncontaminated by human hypotheses. Other works, which 457:3 have borrowed from this book without giving it credit,

have adulterated the Science. Third: Because this book

has done more for teacher and student, for healer and 457:6 patient, than has been accomplished by other books.

 

Purity of science

 

Since the divine light of Christian Science first dawned

upon the author, she has never used this newly discovered 457:9 power in any direction which she fears to have

fairly understood. Her prime object, since

entering this field of labor, has been to prevent suffering, 457:12 not to produce it. That we cannot scientifically both

cure and cause disease is self-evident. In the legend of

the shield, which led to a quarrel between two knights 457:15 because each of them could see but one face of it, both

sides were beautiful according to their degree; but to

mental malpractice, prolific of evil, there is no good as-457:18 pect, either silvern or golden.

 

Backsliders and mistakes

 

Christian Science is not an exception to the general

rule, that there is no excellence without labor in a direct 457:21 line. One cannot scatter his fire, and at the

same time hit the mark. To pursue other

vocations and advance rapidly in the demonstration of 457:24 this Science, is not possible. Departing from Christian

Science, some learners commend diet and hygiene.

They even practise these, intending thereby to initiate 457:27 the cure which they mean to complete with Mind, as if

the non-intelligent could aid Mind! The Scientist’s

demonstration rests on one Principle, and there must 457:30 and can be no opposite rule. Let this Principle be applied to the cure of disease without exploiting other

means.

 

Mental charlatanism

458:1 Mental quackery rests on the same platform as all

other quackery. The chief plank in this platform is the 458:3 doctrine that Science has two principles in

partnership, one good and the other evil, -

one spiritual, the other material, - and that these two 458:6 may be simultaneously at work on the sick. This

theory is supposed to favor practice from both a mental

and a material standpoint. Another plank in the plat-458:9 form is this, that error will finally have the same effect

as truth.

 

Divinity ever ready

 

It is anything but scientifically Christian to think of 458:12 aiding the divine Principle of healing or of trying to sustain the human body until the divine Mind

is ready to take the case. Divinity is always 458:15 ready. Semper paratus is Truth’s motto. Having seen

so much suffering from quackery, the author desires to

keep it out of Christian Science. The two-edged sword 458:18 of Truth must turn in every direction to guard “the tree

of life.”

 

The panoply of wisdom

 

Sin makes deadly thrusts at the Christian Scientist as 458:21 ritualism and creed are summoned to give place to higher

law, but Science will ameliorate mortal malice.

The Christianly scientific man reflects the 458:24 divine law, thus becoming a law unto himself. He does

violence to no man. Neither is he a false accuser. The

Christian Scientist wisely shapes his course, and is hon-458:27 est and consistent in following the leadings of divine

Mind. He must prove, through living as well as healing and teaching, that Christ’s way is the only one 458:30 by which mortals are radically saved from sin and

sickness.

 

Advancement by sacrifice

 

Christianity causes men to turn naturally from matter 459:1 to Spirit, as the flower turns from darkness to light.

Man then appropriates those things which “eye hath 459:3 not seen nor ear heard.” Paul and John

had a clear apprehension that, as mortal man

achieves no worldly honors except by sacrifice, 459:6 so he must gain heavenly riches by forsaking all worldli—

ness. Then he will have nothing in common with the

worldling’s affections, motives, and aims. Judge not the 459:9 future advancement of Christian Science by the steps

already taken, lest you yourself be condemned for failing to take the first step.

 

Dangerous knowledge

459:12 Any attempt to heal mortals with erring mortal mind,

instead of resting on the omnipotence of the divine

Mind, must prove abortive. Committing the 459:15 bare process of mental healing to frail mortals, untaught and unrestrained by Christian Science,

is like putting a sharp knife into the hands of a blind 459:18 man or a raging maniac, and turning him loose in

the crowded streets of a city. Whether animated by

malice or ignorance, a false practitioner will work mis-459:21 chief, and ignorance is more harmful than wilful wickedness, when the latter is distrusted and thwarted in its

incipiency.

 

Certainty of results

459:24 To mortal sense Christian Science seems abstract, but

the process is simple and the results are sure if the Science

is understood. The tree must be good, which 459:27 produces good fruit. Guided by divine Truth

and not guesswork, the theologus (that is, the student -

the Christian and scientific expounder - of the divine 459:30 law) treats disease with more certain results than any

other healer on the globe. The Christian Scientist should

understand and adhere strictly to the rules of divine meta-460:1 physics as laid down in this work, and rest his demonstration on this sure basis.

 

Ontology defined

460:3 Ontology is defined as “the science of the necessary

constituents and relations of all beings,” and it underlies all metaphysical practice. Our system of 460:6 Mind-healing rests on the apprehension of the

nature and essence of all being, - on the divine Mind

and Love’s essential qualities. Its pharmacy is moral, 460:9 and its medicine is intellectual and spiritual, though used

for physical healing. Yet this most fundamental part of

metaphysics is the one most difficult to understand and 460:12 demonstrate, for to the material thought all is material,

till such thought is rectified by Spirit.

 

Mischievous imagination

 

Sickness is neither imaginary nor unreal, - that is, 460:15 to the frightened, false sense of the patient. Sickness

is more than fancy; it is solid conviction. It

is therefore to be dealt with through right ap-460:18 prehension of the truth of being. If Christian healing

is abused by mere smatterers in Science, it becomes a

tedious mischief-maker. Instead of scientifically effect-460:21 ing a cure, it starts a petty crossfire over every cripple

and invalid, buffeting them with the superficial and cold

assertion, “Nothing ails you.”

 

Author’s early instructions

460:24 When the Science of Mind was a fresh revelation to

the author, she had to impart, while teaching its grand

facts, the hue of spiritual ideas from her own 460:27 spiritual condition, and she had to do this orally

through the meagre channel afforded by language and by

her manuscript circulated among the students. As for-460:30 mer beliefs were gradually expelled from her thought, the

teaching became clearer, until finally the shadow of old

errors was no longer cast upon divine Science.

 

Proof by induction

 

I do not maintain that anyone can exist in the flesh

without food and raiment; but I do believe that the 461:3 real man is immortal and that he lives in

Spirit, not matter. Christian Science must

be accepted at this period by induction. We admit the 461:6 whole, because a part is proved and that part illustrates

and proves the entire Principle. Christian Science can

be taught only by those who are morally advanced and 461:9 spiritually endowed, for it is not superficial, nor is it

discerned from the standpoint of the human senses.

Only by the illumination of the spiritual sense, can 461:12 the light of understanding be thrown upon this Science,

because Science reverses the evidence before the material

senses and furnishes the eternal interpretation of God and 461:15 man.

 

If you believe that you are sick, should you say, ” I am

sick”? No, but you should tell your belief sometimes, 461:18 if this be requisite to protect others. If you commit a

crime, should you acknowledge to yourself that you are

a criminal? Yes. Your responses should differ because 461:21 of the different effects they produce. Usually to admit

that you are sick, renders your case less curable, while

to recognize your sin, aids in destroying it. Both sin and 461:24 sickness are error, and Truth is their remedy. The truth

regarding error is, that error is not true, hence it is unreal.

To prove scientifically the error or unreality of sin, you 461:27 must first see the claim of sin, and then destroy it.

Whereas, to prove scientifically the error or unreality of

disease, you must mentally unsee the disease; then you 461:30 will not feel it, and it is destroyed.

 

Rapidity of assimilation

 

Systematic teaching and the student’s spiritual growth

and experience in practice are requisite for a thorough 462:1 comprehension of Christian Science. Some individuals assimilate truth more readily than others, but any 462:3 student, who adheres to the divine rules

of Christian Science and imbibes the spirit

of Christ, can demonstrate Christian Science, cast out 462:6 error, heal the sick, and add continually to his store of

spiritual understanding, potency, enlightenment, and

success.

 

Divided loyalty

462:9 If the student goes away to practise Truth’s teachings only in part, dividing his interests between God and

mammon and substituting his own views for 462:12 Truth, he will inevitably reap the error he sows.

Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian

Science must abide strictly by its rules, heed every state-462:15 ment, and advance from the rudiments laid down. There

is nothing difficult nor toilsome in this task, when the way

is pointed out; but self-denial, sincerity, Christianity, and 462:18 persistence alone win the prize, as they usually do in every

department of life.

 

Anatomy defined

 

Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-462:21 knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to

discover their quality, quantity, and origin.

Are thoughts divine or human? That is the 462:24 important question. This branch of study is indispensable to the excision of error. The anatomy of Christian

Science teaches when and how to probe the self-in- 462:27 flicted wounds of selfishness, malice, envy, and hate. It

teaches the control of mad ambition. It unfolds the

hallowed influences of unselfishness, philanthropy, spir-462:30 itual love. It urges the government of the body both

in health and in sickness. The Christian Scientist,

through understanding mental anatomy, discerns