Mary Baker Eddy - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

You should practise what you know well; and you will then advance in proportion to your honesty and fidelity, — qualities which insure success in this Science as in all others; but it requires a higher understanding to teach this subject properly and correctly, than to heal the most difficult case.

Motive and act are not rightly valued until understood. It is well to wait until those whom you wish to benefit are ready for the blessing. Science is changing individual character, as well as the material universe.

Self-love is a materialism, more opaque than atomic solidity. Yielding patient obedience to a patient God, I labor to dissolve, with the universal solvent of Truth, the adamant of error in self-will, self-justification, and self-love; for these war against spirituality and are the law of sin and death.

It is a question to-day, whether the ancient inspired healers understood the Science of Christian healing, or whether they caught its sweet tones, like the natural musician, without being able to explain them. So divinely imbued were they with the Spirit, that the letter could not hinder them; and the letter, without the Spirit, would have made void their example. There is no question but what Jesus understood Christian Science, and taught its Divine Principle to his students. The basis of a right action is right thought. Both should be understood, or you may lose both.

The point, beyond faith, is to find the footsteps of Truth, the way in Science to health and holiness, — to reach the Horeb height where God is revealed. The corner-stone of this spiritual building is purity.

The baptism of Spirit washes the body of all the impurities of flesh, and signifies that such as see God are approaching spiritual Life and its demonstration, — healing the sick and destroying error.

It were “as easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” as for a mortal to enter the kingdom of heaven, become immortalized, without spiritual baptism and regeneration. It is only a question of time “when all shall know this, from the least unto the greatest.” Denial of the claims of matter is a footstep towards the joys of Spirit, — man's freedom, and triumph over the body.

The sensualist's treasures are laid up “where moth and rust corrupt.” Mortality is their doom. Sin breaks in upon them, and robs their fleeting joys. The sensualist's affections are imaginary, whimsical, unreal, even as his pleasures are. Falsehood, envy, ambition, hypocrisy, malice, hate, steal away the treasures of earth. Stripped of its exteriors, what a mocking spectacle is error.

To unloose the sandals of Truth, error must grow meek. To ascertain our progress, we have to learn what is our God, where are our affections, whom do we acknowledge and obey. If we progress, God will be nearer, dearer, and more real to us. Matter will then yield its claims to Spirit. The objects we pursue, and the Spirit we manifest, reveal our standpoint, and what prizes we are winning.

Mind is the seat of motive. It forms character and produces every action of the body. If action proceeds from the unerring Divine Mind, it becomes harmonious. If it comes from erring mortal mind, it is discordant, producing sin, sickness, death. Those two opposite sources never mingle in fount or stream. The perfect Mind sends forth perfection, for its source is God. Imperfect mind sends forth its own resemblances, of which the wise man said, “All is vanity.”

Take away wealth, fame, and the organizations of society, — that weigh not one jot in the balance of God, — and we get clearer views of humanity. Break up clans, level wealth with honesty, let worth be decided by wisdom, and we get the better view.

The wicked man is not the master of his upright neighbor. Let it be understood that success in error is defeat in Truth. The watchword of Christian Science is, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.”

The voices of Sinai and the Sermon on the Mount are pursuing and will overtake the ages, demolishing in their course all error, and establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth. Truth has been uttered. It only needs to be practised.

Peals that should startle the dream of error, and waken the slumbering thought, are measurably unheeded; but the last trump has not sounded, or this would not be so. Marvels, calamities, sin, will much more abound, as the understanding urges its resisted claims on mortals. But the aggravation of error foretells its doom, — foreshadows the nearness of Truth; and that Truth will overturn, until “He whose right it is shall reign.” Longevity is increasing and sin will diminish, for the world is feeling the alterative effect of Truth through every pore.

The question convulses the world: “What is Truth?” Many are willing to meet this inquiry with the assurance of understanding; but more are trying to “give it pause,” blinded by their old illusions. The blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch.

The efforts of error to answer this question by some ology are vain. Reason and free thought, the accompaniments of approaching Science, cannot be put down; they will purge humanity and supplant the doctor's pills.

In the march of generations the banner of progress is unfurled. The kingdoms of this world will fight, and command their sentinels not to let Truth pass the guard until it subscribes to their creeds and systems. Truth, heeding not the pointed bayonet, marches on; and there is a little tumult and some rallying to its standard. How true the poet's prophecy: —

Thou must walk on, however man upbraid thee,

With him who trod the wine-press all alone;

Thou wilt not find one human hand to aid thee,

One human heart to comprehend thine own.

You may know that Truth is leading, by the fewness and faithfulness of its followers. Their work is quiet, like the “little leaven which a woman hid in three measures of meal.”

A higher and practical Christianity, capable of meeting the want of mortals in sickness and in health, stands at the door of the age, knocking for admission. Will you open or close the door upon this angel visitant, who cometh as of old to the patriarch at eventide?

Truth hoists the standard of freedom. It bears the elements of liberty. On its banner is the motto, “Slavery is abolished.” No power can withstand Divine Wisdom. What is this supposed power that opposes itself to God? Whence cometh it? What is it that would bind man with iron shackles to sickness, sin, and death? The power of God bringeth deliverance to the captive. Whatsoever enslaveth man is opposed to the divine government.

There is no power apart from God. Omnipotence is all-powerful; and to acknowledge any other power is to dishonor God. The humble Nazarene rebelled against the supposition that sin, sickness, and death have power. He proved them powerless. It should have humbled the pride of the priests to behold the demonstration of Christianity so excel the influence of their ceremonies and dead faith.

If Mind is not the master of sin, sickness, and death, they are immortal; for it is proven already that matter has not destroyed them; that, on the contrary, it is their basis and support.

I hope, dear reader, I am leading you into the understanding of your divine rights and heaven-bestowed harmony; that, as you read, you see there can be no power (outside of erring mortal mind and your own belief) able to make you sick or a sinner, and that you are conquering this error. Knowing the falsity of material sense, you will assert your prerogative to overcome the belief that you are sick.

The body is inanimate, inert, mindless. If you are believing and doing wrong knowingly, you can at once change your course and do right. So if you believe yourself sick, you can in like manner alter this wrong belief and action. Be faithless as to any supposed necessity for sin, sickness, or death; knowing, as you ought to know, that God never made, or caused to be obeyed, a law of sin, of sickness, or of death. Each of those the law of God destroys, for it is the law of Life instead of death, of harmony instead of discord.