1930 Class Notes

by Bicknell Young




Table of Contents





First Day

“The terms Divine Science, Spiritual Science, Christ Science or Christian Science, or Science alone, she employs interchangeably, according to the requirements of the context. These synonymous terms stand for everything relating to God, the infinite, supreme, eternal Mind. It may be said, however, that the term Christian Science relates especially to Science as applied to humanity” (S&H) 127:9).

Mrs Eddy brought about a religious revolution the very moment she declared that “God is Mind.” God with a mind is the old religious thought. God is Mind, and we Christian Scientists do not believe it any too much yet. Self-existent Mind is the source and substance of everything that exists. Mrs. Eddy declares that “All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation.” We must think “God is Mind,” not of God as a mind. Everything is subservient to this basic proposition.

Mind is worthy of reverence. The Christ has something about it that is so much alive that it could not be killed by all the funny things said about religion. Old opinion gave you something that was wholly superstition. Infinity, without beginning and without end, could not possibly do anything or be anything imagined by the human mind.

Mind’s characteristics are limitless intelligence. Can good conceive of anything contrary to its own selfhood? Everything that Mind conceives of is perfect because it is everlasting. Nothing is everlasting that is not perfect. Perfection is the measure of immortality or self-existent Being. Perfection is the character of the one infinite Mind. It must be perfect Mind, — must be perfect, because it is without beginnng and without end. No element of destruction, and can never have an element of destruction. It would not be eternal if it had. Mind fills all space and constitutes space. If you accept Mrs. Eddy’s statement that “God is Mind,” Mind does not apply exclusively to any one person. One God, one Mind, is more enlightening than any other science. Mind must have manifestation. There would be no thoughts if there were no Mind, and no Mind if there were no idea. You have to have idea. Idea must manifest Mind, and always does.

Good

In some measure the divine Mind is of necessity good. There is no possibility of it having a conception of anything evil. Good scientifically means the same as God. Both mean Mind, — the only Mind there is. It reveals Truth for the purpose of bringing to pass the divine facts. Mind knows nothing but idea, or ideas. It is not conceivable that it could know anything other than ideas. The so-called human mind says it knows things, because that is its conception; but divine Mind that knows no limitation of space or obstruction, must of necessity know ideas. Why? Because idea is the only thing that is without limitation, and an infinite, unlimited Mind cannot know a limited thing. Everything it knows is without limitation. Every idea is unlimited infinitely; never finite.

The availableness of divine Mind is a blessing to humanity. Jesus illustrated that, but the world was not prepared to see it. Christian Science, Mind Science, based upon Mind, deals with Mind, and everything that it reveals as an actuality, it reveals as idea. Infinite Mind is always unfolding. Jesus did not perform a single case of healing without illustrating the availability of the Christ Truth.

Science and Health 316:20 — “Spirit constitutes man.”

Mrs. Young told of an experience with a patient, and the question was asked, “What constitutes this ring?” “Gold.” “What constitutes the Lake?” “Water.” “What constitutes man?” But the patient did not answer, and Mrs. young declared, “Spirit constitutes man.”

Treatment in a scientific way. Science and Health 411:3-12.

Truth disposes of error irrespective of persons. We are not reaching out to God, but we are thinking, out from God.

Two references from Science and Health verifying day’s work. First: Selfexistent infinity Mind, unfoldment, the expression of itself. The perfection of this divine Mind, and consequent perfection of its infinite expression or manifestation.




Second Day

S&H 208:25; 209:5, 10, 13; Mis. 275:20-24; S&H 114:23-29 — Causation mental.

There is no subdivision of Mind. What we are gaining here is selfhood — finding ourselves. In the scientific statement of being Mrs. Eddy says, “Spirit is immortal Truth.” The natural way to feel is spiritual. Feeling Spirit is not mysterious or unintelligible. Substance is enduring: nothing ever happens to it. Spirit is always action. Everything that is substance is action. Ideas are ever alive, all intelligent. In the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s works, Spirit has two meanings, — God primarily. Used in the secondary sense — understanding or sometimes belief.

Soul is the very substance of art; is art itself. It is not mathematics; it is more scientific than mathematics. Think of Soul as the substance of art as well as the incentive.

Infinite Calculus: Mrs. Eddy speaks of the infinite calculus of Spirit. So far as I can understand, as she uses it, it is to remove from your thought any sense of the finite in relation to that which is the accuracy of Science. Accuracy, or pure Science, is an unrestricted Science. Everything is restricted except divine Science. Remove the element of restriction from Christian Science because infinity has no beginning, or anything else of a finite character.

Calculating infinite belief calculates infinite knowing. Infinite Mind does not calculate: it is. Such a statement as “infinite calculus” serves to remove from thought the sense of the finite in relation to that which is the accuracy of Science. Accuracy, or pure Science, is an unrestricted Science. Christian Scientists must remove the element of restriction from Christian Science, because infinity has no beginning, or anything of a finite nature.

Two times two is four is an assumption. Nothing is absolute in mathematics. Research is being carried on because you can assume anything. The calculations of algebra and geometry, where one makes up a problem and then solves it, shows forth a wonderful sense of human intelligence and accuracy; but the accuracy of mathematics is an illustration, a hint only, of the great accuracy of the Principle of Christian Science. Mathematics is a human science and is founded upon certain conclusions of mortal mind. We as Christian Scientists use two times two equals four as a fixed fact, but many mathematicians say that two times two can be proved to be something else besides four in higher calculus. Christian Science teaches faith and kindness. Mathematics illustrates the certainty of Christian Science but not the faith and understanding of it, or the blessing of it, or the joy of it.

Absolute accuracy is the great fact illustrated by mathematics. One does not need to multiple two times two in the realm of Spirit. It is already accomplished. It is not in a process of becoming four; it is already four, if that is the answer. There is just one idea of two times two and that is of Spirit. The multiplication of them is the unfolding of them (conceiving and grasping) by an individual, and all may have this one idea, and no one can deflect an idea, or rob anyone from the use of it.

Mrs. Eddy says, “Material substances or mundane formations, astronomical calculations, and all the paraphernalia of speculative theories, based on the hypothesis of material law or life and intelligence resident in matter, will ultimately vanish, swallowed up in the infinite calculus of Spirit.” S&H 209:25

Soul, meaning God, is primarily consciousness, self-existent consciousness, the infinite One whom we call God. God does not radiate, — God is.

Everything you call an object is an infinite sense of something. Manifestation is not radiation. Infinity is itself, and being itself is expressed. There is no possibility of infinite Mind being misled. (Note: Discussing testimonies here, — accidents being avoided, and the expression, “I was led to do the right thing.”) There would be more character to the testimony to tell how the accident was prevented. A pure understanding of the spiritual fact becomes law. Infinity is not going somewhere; it is there. Truth is the eternal nature of God.

All Science is Truth and its law; Truth and its activity. Truth is the actual fact of everything. The actual fact is that every man is the Son of God. (When Mr. Young said this, he was speaking of criminals being killed under the law of capital punishment.) When they kill a man that way, they are getting rid of something that prevented, without ever gaining, understanding.

Principle is the being of life and everything. Life is Principle. Truth and Love constitute that Principle. A realization of Principle corrects all mistakes. Never ignore intuition when you have a sense of impending danger. When personal consideration comes in, then Christian Science goes out. Pride broke the nets of the fishermen. Value what you know. Do not personally gratify it. Let facts be vital. Maintaining facts means facts alone exist. Things, beliefs, and experiences contrary to facts are not existent.

The Truth that is God and man, not about God and man, is protection to man and the universe. Human affection is not lost and is to be redeemed. The world could not get along without it. There would be no human race; no humanity. It would be as the beasts that perish. Human affection is not objectionable, but ought to be improved. It is misleading and has to be redeemed. The true basis is infinite Love. Loving is not Love.

A sense of personality is gone when Love meets every human need. Reality can do everything the counterfeit would like to do. The fact again is Priniple and idea. Truth is an enduring and continuous state or quality of lasting love.




Third Day

Soul: S&H 481:28; Mis. 75:28

Soul is the divine Mind, for Soul cannot be formed or be brought forth by human thought, and must proceed from God. That has another meaning, “Spiritual sense must proceed from God.” Principle is absolute. A progressive life is that reality of life that unfolds its immortal Principle.

“Spirit is the life, substance, and continuity of all things;” and you cannot gain an idea of God without gaining everything.

“Ideas are tangible and real,” — spiritual tangibility.

“The myriad forms of mortal thought, made manifest as matter, are not more distinct nor real to the material senses than are the Soul-created forms to spiritual sense,…” S&H 306:21-24 Without tangibility Spirit is entirely mysterious. There is nothing spiritual when it is a mystery. Spirit is never mysterious. Things of Spirit are substantial because they are eternal. Nothing ever happens to them. It is mortality that fades out, not immortality. What occurred at the Ascension was that they could not see the real body. Sometime Christian Scientists, will know enough to live; that death never-was natural. Life is: never begins, never ends, nothing ever happens to it. We must stand in the presence of death unmoved because it is an error. It is only a privilege to do this, but we must stand for the fact. You cannot go to a case with the thought that after a while the patient will die. There is no possible way of overcoming death except by living.

Mr. Young told of riding in the park the day before, and meeting a child who said, “You will fall off; something is sure to happen to you.” Mr. Young said, “I did not think it was something to ignore. I had no sense of falling; I saw that here was a mortal mind expressing itself in a way unexpected. It was saying it because of the belief: it believed it was a law and appeared as a law of accident.” Little things sometimes become something if we should fail to recognize that mortal mind is the claim. “The basic error is mortal mind” S&H 405. Everything that appears as error is mortal mind.

All phenomena of the universe may be defined as ideas. Nothing exists except as idea. There is no such thing as a need in the universe. There is no object that has limitation. The universe is an idea. Wake to the fact that something has happened to us, — something scientific. Realization of that fact will dissipate a claim.

A realization of Life is realizing the tangibility of Spirit. As we see what has been accomplished already; that man already knows something, that knowing is as permanent as its source, then he has gained something in the way of Life, and has already passed from death to life. The old interpretation is passed through death. No belief can present itself contrary to that divine and only presence, — Life.

Humility, real humility, is the grandest thing in the world. Real humility is real understanding. Life is eternal, and is a fact already demonstrated. A discussion at University with student, and the remark was made as to the allness of Spirit. He saw that it was true, but said it had to be proved. God has proved it already. I have to know it. All our work is along that line. We are required to scientifically establish the fact that God has proved everything. To do this scientifically would be a good thing on behalf of humanity.

Compassion itself is not merely an emotional state of human thought. The real compassion is that of recognition of what really is before one, when he at any time tries to help someone in trouble.

Infinite perfection, — the idea, — is just as good as the Mind in which it has its being; absolutely uncontaminated, and uncontaminable. Life, to be understood, must be lived and maintained by understanding. The power to handle them is Mind itself. There would be nothing going on if there were no Life. We have established a fact which the average human would consider a theory. Life that establishes its own infinity is its own expression, so that everything that it conceives of is as scientific as itself. Life is the guardian of its own, because there is nothing to be guarded. Life is the Mind, Soul, substance, activity, the very source of all, and Life never knows failure, doubt, or fear. Divine Principle is Life, our Life, and the only Life there is or need be. Apprehension of divine Principle is eternal unfoldment or progression. Mis. 82.

You could not have God without manifestation. Christian Science leaves thought to the supersensible in order that we may understand man and creation. It is rather revelation than creation.

Depend upon character: not appearances. We perceive in the realm of Truth, or understanding, the real man, because of the enlightenment through endeavoring to understand the real God. As we consider what man is, we turn from the testimony of the material senses to this enlightening sense to gain man, as well as God.

The Bible is not the primal authority. Truth is authority. A great part of the Bible is a record of error. It is not possible for infinite Principle to conceive something not like Principle. Principle is the law of man’s being, and is his being. No man is corporeal any more than there is to God a finite form. You can think of your body, but it never thinks of you. Mortal mind experiences are projected on its sense of body. Body is included in Mind. The image of Mind, the image of perfection, the absolute image of good and real man, is the image of Mind or good. It is the actual manifestation of Truth. There is nothing about him contrary to

Truth. He is just as good as the real God. It is the real, undying, eternal, tangible Principle of all that exists, — the real man recognized by this Principle.

Indignation is defined by Mrs. Eddy as animal magnetism. The real man is not only discerned but established. It should be recognized in Christian Science. We have already gained something. The human race is a state of belief. Speaking scientifically, it is absolutely true that the human race is unreal. St. John says, “It doth not yet appear;” but here is the Science. Science must be maintained scientifically in order that the reality of being may displace anything that is unlike it, and we begin where we must begin, — with the Science of Mind.

“The prayer of faith shall save the sick.” There is more in this than meets the eye. I am a person in appearance. This understanding seems to be a personal possession, as if an understanding person encompassed understanding. Change it around. See that understanding is primal, actual, and real, and that you are getting along with the person for the time being; that you do not hate it, do not neglect it, do not ignore necessities of it, but realize from the standpoint accomplished in human good, and that you are getting along with human requirements as Jesus did. Always see that there is just one, — not two, of any individual. One perfect man, Spirit, understood, Truth lived, Love manifested.

What would be done with scars left from ulcers on eyeballs? We see each other; we hear each other speaking. It is important to understand that the faculties of being have their existence in Spirit, and are perfect and eternal. There can never be any loss of any of them. Sight, which obtains originally in perfection, is a spiritual faculty, and will see everything. Man is the expression of the faculties of being, never deteriorated or contaminated. What should be done? Establish the divine facts of being; maintain them and enforce them in his behalf. It is always done from the standpoint of perfect God and perfect man.

As we understand reflection it implies three things, — something to be reflected, and a reflector, and the reflection. Get a clearer sense of reflection. You look into divine Science for God; what you see is man, because you never get anything but manifestation in Science. Search more and more for the clear realization of what God is. What appears? Man. Belief is all there is to mortal man. Understanding is divine man. You will never find man by seeking man. You will find man by seeking God. As we grasp more and more clearly the meaning of reflection, we are not any longer disturbed by the word in its ordinary sense. The more our thinking approximates divine knowing, the more reflection there is. What you know of God is you.

Science and Health 515:23-6.

“Is there infinite progression with man after the destruction of mortal mind?”

Mis. 82:13. Concrete being is infinite progression.

All art, all beauty, all grandeur, is therefore more and more ever appearing and unfolding. This divine man, through understanding, would be the right idea of God, the right idea of God as divine man. The only selfhood there is, not two, just one. The belief that there is any other, requires our consideration. Science came to us to deal with that belief, so that aspect of it disappears. Establish the divine relationship of the real God and real man.

References for tomorrow. Bible and S&H. Study what Mrs Eddy says in regard to reflection. Also in S&H read the answer to the question, “What is man?”

You operate from Truth; it is not a theory about Truth. The Truth is. You do not really have to do something. It is already done. It is not reaching out to good, but operating by the immutable law of good.




Fourth Day

S&H 79:5; 271:22; 426:11; 471:17; 336:14; 306:18; 42:5; 325:32; 275:20-24

(Divine completeness); 244:19

Establish the facts of consciousness so firmly that they cannot be shaken. Idea exists already. Christian Science reveals in this way immortality as natural. It shows the utter impossibility of anything contrary to Life. Certain thoughts come up in the literature, showing that an idea is always going on. Mathematics illustrates that. Man is idea; not a thing with an idea. Human belief conceives man as a person with ideas somewhere inside of him; whereas that is a mistake. There are no ideas in matter, and matter does not involve ideas. Matter cannot explain itself. Christian Science explains or makes Truth clear. That which has a limited appearance is never infinite. Man exists eternally, exists perfectly, exists harmoniously. There cannot be a God without that fact to justify the nature of God. Truth gave us the Bible and culminated in Science and Health. It never was absent a moment. S&H 115:12-3.

The real man is like the real God. John: “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.” There is no restriction placed upon our intelligent investigation of Truth in books, and in the Bible in different translations.

The real idea of that which is true is always everywhere, and man is quite different from what we appear to be, because we are not everywhere. Control motives if you will redeem finite existence. The right idea of God is man. Spirit constitutes man. Nothing will ever happen to him, and never can because Spirit is uncontaminated, uncontaminable, undying, untouchable. To the extent that he is like it, he is it. We may resemble each other, but not be entirely like each other. We are like God, like good, like Spirit, like Life. There is nothing contrary to Life. You get God in one place and man in another if you are not watching. Man represents the real God, and stands as an absolute manifestation of divine power, divine presence, divine law of immutability of good. If you are not careful, you will have a big God and a little man.

When you condemn man, you condemn God, because man is God expressed.

Mrs. Young: “It is impossible for the infinite Being, the ever presence, to go somewhere outside of itself.”

The one rebuke to sin is to realize there is no truth in it. Infinity is one, and that oneness characterizes the infinite always. There is no other characteristic of infinity. One infinite idea must of necessity represent infinite in every instance. That oneness does not mean something different from infinity. The infinite One is infinitely expressed as one or individuality. Expression, ordinarily speaking, signifies something outside the source, but in Science that is found to be impossible. There is nothing outside of infinity. There is no separation possible.

There is nothing in material existence entirely good. Suppose your own thought could originate itself in Principle; suppose that your own thinking should go forth as, or from, the standpoint of absolute Principle, or divine Mind, just without any belief of its being a limited or finite conception of anything, and from the standpoint of infinity as the manifestation of the infinite Mind, if you could conceive of it to that extent, — now that is reflection. It is an inclusive sense, and excludes everything that could be finite, material, or mortal. Think as Mind, rather than about it.

What you know of God is you. S&H 115 — (Scientific Translation of Immortal Mind). Man the full representation of God. Infinite idea (man) is not infinite God. Read “One Cause and Effect” in Miscellaneous Writings. Words are not adequate when you see something in Christian Science.

S&H 281:7-16 — Real God — infinite individuality. It is the real basis of versatility. Infinite individuality means infinite individuality from the standpoint of God. Each individual, however, can have no restriction of intelligence, or achievement, or knowledge, or wisdom, or Life, or love, or anything; and all individuals represent the ideal of infinite Mind. Consider the infinite individuality of the divine man as infinite capacity, infinite inclusiveness, the divine embodiment of everything that is real, and you will be greatly enlightened.

There are no two things alike in infinity. There is no repetition; everything is unfoldment. Infinity cannot die; it is self-existent, eternal. Whatever is possible to God, is possible to man in His image and likeness. Understanding operates to do those things. There would not be completeness unless there was variety. It is just as if it were exclusively the Mind of every creature. You do not get the solution of human problems by asking where they came from. Know immediately that it never came; it is not anywhere.

Question: How is it evil seems to be? The answer is rather severe — what asked the question? Did God ask the question of how did evil happen to be known? Of course God did not ask that question. The one answer is, — Mortal mind, — the evil asked the question. Now you begin to distinguish between the real and the unreal, and relegate it to its nothingness.

Where does mortal mind come from? It did not come. Unreality did not come from anything. The mist is used in the Bible. It is a good illustration temporarily, and useful up to a certain point. If you have a mist, you have got an error. Be glad that you cannot explain mortality from the standpoint of mortal mind. “Who can understand his error?” (Psalms) How is it possible for anything to come and claim to be something?

Mr. Kimball, when lecturing, was asked the question, “Where did evil originate?” He said, “Suppose this room were infinite, infinite perfection, in which we saw the whole of God and the universe, and that this room was infinite perfection. Now,” he said, “suppose it were possible that a suggestion could knock at the door and say, ‘I am evil,’ — infinity would not take cognizance of that knock, nor hear that knock at the door, and that would show that there was absolutely nothing to evil, no matter what form it assumed. The thing that is best of all and most satisfying is that if you could answer that question, you would then find, just as philosophy has always found, that there is no hope in the world, for it is without hope and without God. If you could answer that question, evil could be explained as truth, whereas it cannot be explained from the standpoint of Truth. The answer always is that there is nothing here but infinite perfection, and that any supposition that could arise, does not have to be accounted for, because it does not really exist.

In Retrospection and Introspection, Mrs. Eddy says, “Sin existed as a false claim before the human concept of sin was formed.” Therefore, our concept of sin is not the whole of the belief. Beyond that, I do not think there is any explanation. When you have proved the unreality of evil, you have explained it.

I daily declare what God and man is, and I am going on doing that. I have been able to overcome many difficulties, suffering, etc., and every time that occurred, I proved the unreality of evil and the reality of good.

Irma Young: Demonstrating a better belief about something in Christian Science was really a definite fact established, a divine fact.

An improved belief is a divine event.

How did we begin? It did not happen. It always was. We are here gaining the Principle of Science so that we can differentiate. We are dealing with Science because we have a need of it.

Read Mrs. Eddy’s statements of terms to put aside error — “Error a denial of good,” — etc.

It is essential to establish the right idea of God as real man, and essential to see that the individuality of God has to have its expression infinitely, therefore you have infinite individuality. This understanding of individuality blesses not only the person who gains it and demonstrates it, but everybody with whom he is associated. One could not help realizing individuality for himself and the one you love. It need not tend to separation, but brings about the harmony of being. There is more unity, more oneness of thought, more oneness with demonstration, in the measure that each finds his realness in Christian Science and demonstrates the divinity of it. There is no accretion or absorption. Infinity does not absorb.

Study in Science and Health and other writings regarding the real man. Establish the divine fact; let it be the central fact so that you get the kernel of it.

The world has more or less agreed upon the perfection of God. The world says that God is good, but never has said man was good. Christian Science establishes it.




Fifth Day

References given on Real Man.

Man is subordinate to his maker. The real man is put on as mortals realize the Science of being.

Mrs. Young: John 17:10, 11, 12. John 17:23 “…that they may be made perfect in one;….”

One is the only measure of completeness or perfection. Divine one, infinite one, Principle, divine oneness, are the same thing expressed. A sense of exaltation is not real Science. There cannot be anything different in oneness. They are ever one — infinite or perfection — and completeness is perfection.

Man is not a state of desire but a state of possession. Do not picture something and then try to get it. Do not depict it, but you want rather to realize what is going on. Complete possession characterizes divine man, who includes reflecting the infinite one. In that reflection he includes the universe. “Identity is the reflection of Spirit.” S&H. “Desire is prayer.” S&H. Science and Health sets forth the Science of being. It gives to those who will see it, the power of God. It is not the ordinary human sense of exaltation.

There isn’t anything to the belief that that which has a beginning has some kind of an ending. Mortal mind says it ends in death. Death is an incident of mortal mind. It will go on dying unless it learns to live. The Science of Mind is unity of being. This state of human existence is a human belief. “I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness.” Material existence is a dream. The way to demonstrate over it, is to find out what is going on. There is only one infinite Mind. Maintain the scientific fact, and demonstrate it step by step. There is no convenience in dying. Redeeming consciousness always uncovers it. The purpose is always Principle; the only conclusion, — eternality. The present demand is that we shall heal the sick, save sinners, raise the dead, and prevent those who are ill from dying. Above all, do not permit your thought to fall in line with this gossiping condition whereby people indulge in thought or conversation wholly erroneous.

Mrs. Young: (John 17:10), “And all mine are thine,….” “What are body and Soul?” S&H 477. Divine man includes everything that is true. He is always in a state of activity and perfection. It is not conceivable that there could be a bodiless man, but it is conceivable that there could be no corporeality. Body, divine idea, includes activity of right ideas. “Rightly understood, instead of possessing a sentient material form, man has a sensationless body;….” S&H 280:25. Avoid the habit of condemning thought concerning present mode or existence. What takes place is the redemptive influence of Mind, and we can only agree in the measure that our work, or treatment, is like Mind, which means activity, and Mind condemns nothing. Mind has nothing to condemn. Consequently when we are working against the belief that we are material, we do not say this sinful body, or this old body, this flesh, because the treatment would then be contrary to Science. We affirm the fact of one spiritual, infinite, perfect body. Permit this fact to have its influence upon the belief to the end of an improved belief of body.

Organs must exist as an idea. If it does not exist, do not worry about it. It is a legitimate part of divine being, or it does not exist at all. Nothing exists outside of infinity. The object of every treatment is to bring about a better condition. There is always a belief of healing. God does not have to be healed, therefore man does not have to be healed.

Genuine and counterfeit: Appears same, resembles reality, so a healthful condition of mind and body. Mortal belief claims the separation; belief of the means by which separation shall occur. The belief of mortality, Jesus said, “is a murderer from the beginning.” Mortal mind is for the purpose of killing something. The remedy is in the mental realm — the Messiah. They did not recognize mentality as The Messiah. Our understanding of the real man, the understanding that operates as a healing influence, is exactly the same power that Jesus exercised, the same power the disciples availed themselves of. Good is greater than evil. Stand for a health body, because there is a healthy body. The human body improved is a better belief. Rise above the sense of a human being step by step, not through, death but through Life demonstrated. Stand for one absolutely perfect Soul, one absolutely perfect man.

Real body: Realizing this you are not so afraid to reject matter. The primal fact of body is all right. The only thing that needs to change basically is belief; you do not have to change matter, — a secondary form. You have to change mortal mind basically. Mr. Young mentioned recent decision by eminent physicians, especially mentioning Dr. Mayo, in regard to heart disease, stating that they had decided this condition entirely due to an emotional state. What would Dr. Mayo do with emotions? What we do has the value of omnipotence.

Heart disease will be healed in the measure that the practitioner knows that heart is eternal and perfect; can never be touched, affected, or inflated with anything that would make it abnormal. There is only one heart which is perfect as Mind or Spirit. Heart disease is a lie about something that is true. Everybody has everything that is real. Consider what is fundamental. Handle the belief of law. There is no enlargement; nobody’s heart is enlarged. First: a primary belief of a heart; second,

it is a belief to be healed. The effect of the treatment is that you bring about a normal belief so far as the testimony of the senses is concerned, but the fact is that something has occurred in thought that is just like the divine creation.

What has happened in thought, or human consciousness, which includes the sense of body, is something more than the testimony of the senses. Your foundation, the power that heals, the law that heals things, is operating in your treatment. That which is giving the treatment knows enough from the standpoint of metaphysics and Christian Science, and knows enough to give it.

Man has his identification eternally, and the real identity is body. It is a necessity that should always find its expression, and its expression is man in body, and this real man, or body, includes ideas in material functions or organs, and are all perfect and divine and harmonious. Their relationship is never disturbed or effected. No idea can ever disturb another in the infinity of ideas. Establish the facts of being, and make your denial and rest upon that. Every denial of error has its foundation in something that is true. Truth rejects and nullifies error.

We are establishing divine facts. We know that they operate scientifically through our understanding. A great thing is not to be at any time disturbed by what appears. There is a thing that constantly assails Christian Scientsts as law. There is no circumstance that will not yield to Christian Science. The less one regards time in these matters, the better. It is better for him to be doing something to establish something of the law to those facts. The very basis is a perfect Principle, perfect idea, perfect Mind, perfect Spirit, perfect Soul, perfect body, perfect heart. Divine idea is. Nobody knows what it is; he knows that it is.

There are no nerves in Mind, no mind in nerve.

Material science declares that if you have a correct nervous system, you have a normal body. Demonstrate a perfectly normal system, and not “There are no nerves.” Why are there no nerves? Simply because what seems to be a nervous system is only mortal mind’s way of accounting for its own influence on its own belief of body. In belief, the nervous system is a sort of telegraphic system, thought, organs or brain which communicates. The fact is that Mind is its own communicant, its own communicator, and because of this, it is the basis to its idea all the time in perfection and completeness. Divine idea expresses divine Mind. In that sense there are no nerves, nor are nerves a means of communication, because the communication is perfect idea, always Mind expressed. It does not have to send word.

Mortal mind says that the brain sends word, “I am going to walk.” The real idea that we call nerve is the presence of Mind; it is Mind itself, declaring itself in its own idea. Nerve is the falsehood about the oneness of Mind and idea.

Read references where absolute statements of body are made. Those in Miscellany are enlightening.




Sixth Day

References given on body and treatment.

(Remark) Somewhere in Mrs. Eddy’s works she speaks particularly of “man existing at zenith of being.”

Man includes the universe by reflecting God. Man will never be God. To save ourselves from a limited, finite corporeal form, what we are thinking is ourselves, is man, and, you see, that takes away all this sense of “my being,” man, somebody. What you know does not concern itself with that particular aspect of belief. The word man has a splendid meaning, and is without limitation. Man is the only reflection of the infinite that there could be, and that is an encouraging fact. There would be no limitation to scenes anywhere. There would be no difference if one found himself in a distant place, for he would know the inclusiveness of real being, and that is his real selfhood, the real man.

How is the real man visible to us? In kindness, unselfishness, and in characteristics that you do not see with your eye. The real man is not visible through the material eye. In the realm of Spirit, Truth changes material sense and gives us spiritual sense. In the realm of true Science we behold God, and beholding that, we see God. We are not quite able to encompass some things in our thought. The individual man, so far as that is concerned, is an individualized expression of divine individuality. There is nothing that individual man can fail to be, for being is always Principle and idea. Because God is, man is. There is no duality in this business. There is no evil to express itself, for it does not exist as reality. Give your attention to the statement in Science and Health (209:31), “The real man is a conscious, constant capacity to understand God.”

God is Life; man is living. God is Love; man is loving. That is true. Those are practical statements, because they force you to see that what you have got to do is to live and to love the Truth as if you were the Truth, and to be loving as if you were Love, because there is no possible separation between infinite Mind and its infinite idea. God expressing Himself as man could not possibly be merely loving in the human sense, because He would not know a thing about that. The divine and infinite Love does not have to exercise any particular will power in order to love. It is the nature of being. God must be Love, and the real man must be just that; nothing to him but love; could not possibly entertain a thought, there would not be any such thought to entertain, — a thought contrary to Love in realm of infinity.

In making the statement that “man is the presence of God,” I would say, “The eternal evidence of divine presence,” because while it is true that the presence of God would not be presence if there were no evidence, still in expressing ourselves we have to use certain terms that will not cause or not permit of any confusion in thought on the part of the person who might hear what we said. I would say that “it is the eternal evidence of ever presence.”

No person understands body entirely, but we do, as we understand clearly what man is, and we are getting it, — do not worry.

I know of an instance in which there was a very important meeting of quite a large concern, or several large concerns, engaged in some business, and those people who represented the different concerns were at variance, — each one wanted everything he could get. There was enough understanding of the one Mind and the real man there to bring about order out of that chaos in a very short time, and that which seemed to be a conflict of human opinions changed to a conciliatory sense. That could not have been done if somebody had not known one Mind, and that consequently there was no other expression, and that beyond a doubt there was one kind of man, one real body; therefore, there was unity of thought and unity of action. This is a practical thing, — learning the real man, and learning that he is no different from the real God.

The real man is absolute, present perfection. Receptivity is sometimes tremendously helpful, but when considering the divine, real man, he just has to be and is. It is beyond question that he will receive. If there is something to us in belief, and there appears to be, when that belief gives place to understanding, we will be less material.

A tree is an idea in reality. A flower is an idea. Mrs. Eddy speaks of this fact as forever being because of Mind. She does not mean that our present sense of a tree or flower is a spiritual idea, for it is a material concept. There are many trees, — a great variety of trees. All that we call variety, or varieties, is infinite, and is not limited in any way. There must be infinite variety to the one idea, — a tree, or anything else. We are dealing with ideas, not things. Thoughts are not material, they are not human, they are divine; therefore, infinite. Human thoughts are always infinite. “God gives the lesser idea of Himself for a link to the greater.” S&H 518:13.

Reference: “Human and divine coincidence of idea.” You gain the real man, and it is practical in this particular way, — that it enlightens you, or anybody, and enables the human being to be a Christian Scientist. In the measure that he becomes a true Christian Scientist, his thought, which is the only thing valuable about him, is taking on characteristics more and more of the divine Mind. The human race is the highest concept of material creation. Everything, in a way, is subservient to the human race, or this error. You see it more and more apparent that the human race, take it as a whole, has a certain sense of dominant power that it did not know anything about two or three hundred years ago, because human thought says that it has developed. That is the way it acts according to its own belief. This human race is gaining certain facts. The real man in the real universe already has it, and forever has it, and includes all right ideas, as the human race is inclusive of telephones and cables, automobiles and trains, radios, etc., all of which are a part of human consciousness. The divine man is conscious entity; he reflects, or is like, the divine Mind in his relation to the universe. He is the primal representative of Mind, the highest, as Mrs. Eddy says. We use material terms,

which are all finite, in order to express something infinite, but in spite of our handicap we are getting it.

A good many years ago, as time goes, this question of consciousness came up in some way or other, and some people were standing looking out of a window in Boston. There was a beautiful sunset, and they were all impressed. One said, “That is as much our body as anything else is a part of our body.” What you are conscious of divinely is the real body. The lesser idea is included in the supreme idea. We can define in a human way the greatness of divine Being; but be sure of one thing, and that is, that everything is satisfactory. The divine Mind is a state of supreme satisfaction. “No beauty canst thou desire.”

The first chapter of Genesis — the coming of Truth into consciousness. Years ago, after I had been in Science quite a while, I had not had as clear a sense as I wanted to have of the fact that the Bible is the history of human consciousness. If there were only one person in the world, it would still be his consciousness. In the first chapter of Genesis I heard somebody read, “The earth is without form and void, and God said, Let there be light, and there was light,” and I thought that that is me. God said, “Let there be light.” Mind revealed itself as light. Something occurred; darkness became intolerable, breaking away from it. That is just exactly me.

Nothing has been said about the real man, properly understood, that would give the idea that he is illusive; because in the light of what you know, you see that the real man is permanent being, perfect; and so far as coming or going is concerned, he is eternally present as idea; and this fact is equally true of everything that you can conceive of, in regard to real man.

You speak of a human being as a person, and that means a material form. Well, the real man is not to be less tangible. There must be identity, and he must exist in such a way that we will always know him, and he will know himself, and that, of course, implies what we call body in the right sense. If the real man includes, — and he does include right ideas, — then the individual real man is his real identity, and may be said to be the embodiment of the body or the activity of right ideas. Using this word body in this sense is somewhat universal, but we have to use some word, and there is no other, so in the older editions of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy very freely used the word body to indicate the real man, as well as to indicate the unreality about mortal man, as she does in presenting a condition in two senses signifying material body, and occasionally where it seems possible to signify the divine reflection.

As you go on in your demonstration of Science, you will find that the right sense of things has a certain tangible reality to you that is far greater than any material sense of existence; and you find that reality absolutely clear to you; and more and more you will see that the word body is a divine idea. “Even as we are called in the hope of his body,” etc. This important point, I think, is capable of becoming clearer; but hold to this, that the divine body is the activity of right ideas, and that the embodiment of ideas is the only body.

The Bible says, “There is no foundation that can be laid than is laid in Christ Jesus,” and this foundation that we are laying is exactly that foundation. It is to establish our understanding so firmly that we are equipped for what might be called a warfare. Do not misunderstand what this warfare is. We are not engaged in a fight, but we are face to face with the belief that there is a seeming existence quite different from that of Spirit, or Truth. We ourselves exemplify that in our belief of each one of us having a material body, and in the belief that man was born, grew up, etc. All of these beliefs are contrary to his real body, because body, the real man, was not born, did not have to grow up, but is already the image and perfect conception of his infinite Father-Mother Mind, Spirit. In the Bible it says, “Christ is the Son of God.” The word Christ in the Bible is very often a source of confusion, because the worldly belief of it does not understand its impersonal signification. The word Christ is used as identification of thought, as a personalization of the thought of Jesus. We have come a long way from that. When you say the Christ, do not think of Jesus at all; but have reverence for him and his work. We see that the Christ is not only what he knew but what we can know. The Christ man is what you can know, and also what he knew, and we begin to see more and more clearly all the time, as we study the Bible, that he constantly inculcated the idea that everybody could understand the influence of good, if he would learn to do it. He indicated that the only man there is, is the only begotten son. He understood that the power which he exercised, which was the Christ, was of necessity begotten of God.

Now the real Christ is our Christ, is everybody’s Christ. It is the truth of God and man, the truth of Mind and idea, the right idea of everything, and disposes of the wrong belief. It has power simply because it is power; and wherever the Christ, Truth, dominates consciousness, it is power among men. Act as God would act, as infinity would act, if it were right here. This would necessarily and inevitably dispose of any claim of evil. There is a belief of a Christ apart from God, but there is nothing to it but a belief. It has no actual being, no actual substance, it is not sustained by Principle, nor in any way known to infinity, but is its supposititious offshoot, or deflection, instead of reflection. Mrs. Eddy says, “…finite sense peers from its cloister with amazement and attempts to pattern the infinite,” and “Sin existed as a false claim before the human concept of sin was formed:….”

Much that we see going on materially is not wholly without its value. Of course, the Bible is largely error. There is comparatively little actual spiritual truth in the Old Testament. You can discern it as a light, if you look for it. It is covered over with materialism and rank error. “We take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide….” Now the spiritual import of, the Bible is to the effect that there must appear a deliverer or redeemer. The Jewish race was spiritually enlightened at these very early times. The coming of-Jesus became an expectancy through prophecy, and thought becoming more and more attuned to this, permitted this to occur, and there happened the immediate conception. It was not impossible that it should occur. The perception on the part of Mary was that God is absolutely the Father of man, and her spiritual intuitive sense brought about an event seemingly impossible to human experience; but the advent and birth of Jesus is not the real immaculate conception because Jesus had a mother, — an ordinary human being who was his mother. The real immaculate conception is Christian Science, and it is prophetically described and is spoken of by St. Paul in the 7th chapter of Hebrews, where he describes the meeting of Abraham with Melchisedec, who was “without father, without mother, without descent,…made like unto the Son of God.”

The thing that we see, therefore, more and more clearly all the time, is the impersonal nature of Truth, and, of course, the impersonal nature of error. It is absolutely essential that we should see this. Science is science and is not personal, but is always science. The moment that Science is mixed up with the thought of persons, you begin to lose the thing that makes it effective. In everyday life the great thing is to separate it from our thought of persons. Any tendency to condemn persons does not help at all. Every error is an impersonal error; Christian Science makes that clear. It may seem to be a person’s thought, but it is belief. He may be the victim of it. The human race is imposed upon, and it is not to be blamed, for it is always a victim, not a criminal. The criminal is mortal mind, and the victim is the human race. You do not help the victim by condemning him to damnation, or some other thing. You can condemn nobody without damning him.

Through the history of the ages, wherever Truth appears, it does not matter who said it, and it does not matter who thought it; it is the Truth that matters. It does not matter what is in the Bible. Truth existed before the Bible. It is self-existent and eternal; so you get a more distinct sense of things, instead of having everything in a jumble. The Christ was what Jesus knew mentally and spiritually. It was not his appearance, but it was his thinking, — a power entirely irrespective of his appearance. Anybody may be that power, irrespective of individual appearance. The Christ is the unrestricted, absolutely available, always present divine Truth, the nature of God revealed to us, and described in that definition of Mrs. Eddy’s, “Christ. The divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error,” and Jesus is “the highest human corporeal concept.” Definitions are not fundamental, but are explanatory of that which is fundamental. Truth is fundamental; is its own being; is irresistible in its own expression, and nothing stands before it. The revelation of Truth comes to you and me in Science. There must be a means of revelation, and so we have a book, — Science and Health. As through the study of the book, there comes to you the Truth itself, than you see the Christ; and the advent of the Christ is not a far off divine event, but a present unfolding event in your own understanding or consciousness. It is your Christ just in the measure that you will attain it or understand the exact Truth. There is an exactness about this that is impressive when we observe that the exactitude of Truth is not a limited thing. You see, in all things we are too superstitious. The old sense of things still beclouds us unless we refuse to have it do so. To be exact in this Science as we are in mathematics is desirable in practice, but it is not exactly the same thing. Mathematics is intellectual; Christian Science is spiritual; and the exact way in which to work cannot be defined in words so as to constitute a formula. The Scientific Statement of Being is used as if it were a formula, but it really is not, because your thought goes beyond that of the mere words, for “Christ…comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error,” and when that comes, there are no words to describe it.

(Discussion of description of healings in Bible): What they really said or did is rather difficult for us to understand, but they saw something beyond what they said. When they said, “In the name of Christ Jesus,” they, in their own thought, must have meant by that same power which he exercised. We might say that “Get up and walk,” signifies an understanding the same as that of Christ Jesus. They did as well as they could in expressing themselves, and in their own thought they must have seen something far beyond what they said.

Comparison: Suppose five centuries from now somebody were to find a daily paper, and the English language was a dead language, and he read an account therein of a baseball game.

Mrs. Eddy reconciles the religious thought of the world in regard to the Trinity. It is not beyond us to see what Christ is, for the Christ is your available understanding of God, Mind. Jesus meant that it should be everybody’s Mind; he tried to get everybody to understand that. The immaculate conception is God’s idea of Himself. The immaculate conception must be an idea with its being in God, its nature in God, its substance in God, and nothing about it that is not like God.

Sin does not exist at all. There is no sin in the infinity of good, for that would be impossible. The suggestion that there is sin is all there is to it. Man is the immaculate conception of divine Love When you begin to describe something that happens humanly, you do the best you can. Say it is the revelation of Christian Science, because that is the most impersonal thing that has happened in the world, and it is idea. The immaculate conception is of no value if we do not understand it; it becomes valuable according to its usefulness. Everything that happens to us in the way of truth is the immaculate conception: the power of Truth; its being is Truth; there is nothing to it but Truth.

This does not belittle anything that occurred in the advent of Jesus. This had to happen so that other things might happen. Christian Science never could have happened if something of that kind had not proceeded it. Human history takes on a different aspect when you become a Christian Scientist. From the understanding of the Christ, however dimly understood, comes the thought of chemicalization, the experience of hardships; but gradually we get out of this, and are freed from selfimposed bondage, and this occurred, historically speaking. History culminated in the discovery of Christian Science, for it has established a new dispensation. Christian Science is beyond anything that has ever occurred in the history of the world.

You cannot separate Christ and man. The nature of God is Truth: Christ is a word that signifies that. You cannot possibly think of the infinitude of individuality without thinking of the perfection of individuality; and therefore, you cannot possibly have what is called generic man separate from the Christ idea. So in a sense, it must be the same thing. It might not be synonymous. Therefore in the Bible, and in the New Testament particularly, the use of the word Christ sometimes signifies Jesus, and we have to recognize that. The writers did not always clearly distinguish. They sometimes said Christ when they meant Jesus. We have to see clearly that there is a little confusion there, and we should not be confused by it. We must keep a very distinct realization of the word Christ, and we must see that it does not signify Jesus as a personal figure in human history, but signifies something that exists eternally. “Before Abraham was, I am,” — that is what is going on today through Christian Science. The Christ is made alive through the healing power of Christian Science, which is the truth about God and the universe, the truth of everything made understandable, and practical, and valuable in every walk of life. The value of the Christ is its valuableness to humanity.

A universal error is “I wonder how I will take care of it.” In the supposition that you are taking cognizance of this universal error, you would say, — Here is the Christ that represents infinite Mind, the only Mind there is, the same Christ that Jesus manifested. The Christ does not care about this thing called universal error, and establishes its own law to the utter extinction of this error. Anybody who realizes the truth of God and man so absolutely that the law of that truth operates to extinguish the false claim opposed to it, is then in that very instance the Christ; and it does not destroy a person who perceives it, but redeems him. Christ saved Jesus just as much as the Christ saves us. In some places in Science and Health you might think the word Christ is confused with the word man. That is perfectly all right, because you cannot have man without the divine nature, for that is what he is; therefore, he is always the Christ man, the true man. That is Truth itself showing forth itself.




Seventh Day

Principle and rule of healing invariable. S&H xi:9 (other references)

Question asked about treating the mind of your patients: You must remember that Mrs. Eddy says a lot of things in which she says nothing about treating the mind of the patient. Take the references on page 411:2-12. Science and Health is a book intended to instruct people in metaphysics, and it touches about every phase of human consciousness.

(Not in original — Current statement is you never have patients; only cases, and you work from this point that you heal yourself.)

Begin to know what God and man is, and from that standpoint you proceed to handle whatever claim is voiced. The patient’s name is the Son of God. The first step in treatment is that of rejoicing, and it is absolutely essential. It is only a belief that somebody is ill. The divine fact is that nobody is ill, — otherwise a practitioner would be loaded up with work. Keep on with your rejoicing. Do not get into a false sense of responsibility.

In Science and Health, page 395, line 21, Mrs. Eddy says that “It is mental quackery to make disease a reality” and then try to treat it. It is equally quackery to think a patient is mortal and then try to treat him. The rule of healing is the operation of Principle. One must guard his thought regarding himself and the patient. For the same reason it is bad ethics to talk about patients, or to mention a patient by name.

Human and divine coincidence: That means this, — That there is no particular reason why you should discern something divinely true unless it has some human value. We are not so much concerned with an ideal, as much as we are concerned with our own so-called problems, or with our own existence. We get fed up on the idealistic phase of things. The thing, you see, that really interests humanity is itself. That is where Christian Science is unique, for it teaches us to discern as much of Truth as possible, and then affirm it, and in the light of it, reject or deny anything evil which might appear to be. The most affective way of doing that, therefore, is the most scientific way; and in gaining more understanding of that way, we find ourselves engaged in an endless task, — that of progress from the standpoint of Principle. Infinite progress cannot cease to progress heavenward. Progress is perceiving and understanding Principle, permitting thought to express the divine nature and law.

The same thing is said in I Corintians 3:16-21. II Corinthians 3:18 confirms that “Infinite progression is concrete being,…” Mis. 82. To progress is infinite unfoldment of divine Principle in one’s own understanding.

Story: Someone received a telegram, — “Treat Holman.” It came to the practitioner clearly that man is a whole man, and all the treatment Holman needed; but what if the patient’s name was Brown? That was merely a play upon words. Anything that tends to help the practitioner is good, but may not be scientific. There isn’t anything small about God. Nothing works through queer notions of Mind. It would be better if we left queer notions out, because then Principle would be more absolute in the thought of the practitioner. You are asked to believe something when a patient sits before you, but remember, he comes with the hope that it may be done away with. It is well to omit unnecessary words.

In the belief of an accident, if there is anything in the way of cuts, handle infection. It is always perfectly proper to take cognizance of it. Always deny a socalled belief as a law.

Receiving a telegram: Before you open a telegram, know that you cannot be mesmerized by anything in it. There is nothing going on here but the kingdom: of God. Master the situation every day and all the time, and before anything happens, so that it cannot happen. Jesus was a man of joys. Even at the very last, if he had believed something was happening to him, he would not have raised his body from the dead. In every instance, if you are knowing what Science is, no matter what the case may be, you will know what to do. You have to know in that moment that your understanding is master of the situation, no matter how great the patient’s understanding might be, for there would be such a sense of respect for the help and for the one who gave it in a secondary position.

Case of a person burned: Immediately, before opening the telegram, you handle the claim that you might believe something untrue. You open it, having known that animal magnetism is deceiving you. This awakens you to the realization of the fact that nothing in the kingdom of God has ever happened to the welfare, happiness, or comfort of man; that no thing has happened or can possibly happen; that there is no accident in the realm of Truth. Know what God and man is, and stand for that. If you do not immediately find that you have met it completely, then know that fear is not an element in the case that can operate contrary to the welfare of anybody or anything. Establish the fact that there is no such thing as fear; that the only Mind is not afraid of anything He ever made, consequently you could not be afraid. There is nothing outside of infinity. Fear is a myth. There is no such thing as fear. Fear has no influence in this instance, nor does it operate as a law in this or any case.

The only body there is, exists as a spiritual idea, and there is nothing in the infinitude of God that could burn off. It is a false claim, without entity or identity, and without any being to justify that claim in any way. There is no matter. “All is infinite Mind, and its infinite manifestation.” This is true about any man, anywhere,-any time. Keep your treatment holy. When you finish a treatment, that is the Sabbath Day. Keep it holy. It is the power of God that did it. It is merely a belief when you think you have an actual case. It is a dream of this material existence; and those other dreams of accident, disease, death, are dreams within the dream. We dispose of a false belief, never treat matter. If you find yourself treating a material body, stop there. Science is the Science of Mind, and it handles or disposes of false beliefs, but it does not handle matter, or do anything to matter, because there is no matter.

Acidity: A mesmeric state that has to be broken. Deny specifically what is said.

Your understanding is the basis of denial.

Typhoid Fever: One of the things concerning this, is that this is a belief supposed to be brought about by conditions of water, food, or milk. Incidental to this belief is the claim of typhoid bacillus. What you might have to know might be forthcoming. Bacteria denial consists of this: The divine body is entirely exempt from anything destructive to it. The belief of bacillus in the body is a false claim that it exists and can operate through a law to destroy the body, or man, and is a false claim which Christian Science sets aside, annuls, and nullifies. No kind of life can destroy Life, for it is the perpetuation of itself. The claim that there is life in an invisible form that can operate to destroy man is a false belief, and a false law of belief. Christian Science destroys its influence or power. The practitioners who handle the belief of influenza most successfully were those who saw clearly that it was absolutely mesmerism. There must be proper care of a person who is ill, otherwise you are not a Christian Scientist. Sometimes, in a specific instance of mesmerism which needs a specific denial, you have a case manifesting some improvement, although some particular phase of it hangs on. If your realization of the truth of that particular phase of the case is not clear enough to dispose of it at once, I would then make a denial of it.

Fear of Scarlet Fever: The claim of relationship is a false claim. Make a special denial of scarlet fever. The only Life there is, is God, and is self-sustained. There is only one Mind, consequently there are no minds or bodies by which anything can be transmitted that is injurious to man or being.

Foot and Mouth Disease: It is a contagion in thought in every instance where it appears. Where it appears to take hold, sometimes they do foolish things in order that the germ may not be carried. In any case of contagious disease, socalled, when it develops beyond the first stages and is not immediately met by a practitioner, should be reported. Vaccination is a relic of barbarism.

Broken Bones: The important point, in the beginning of a case of this sort, is to realize the perfection of being. The right way to take hold of any case incidental to this belief of broken bones is the passage in Science and Health, sometimes “leave surgery and the adjustment of broken bones and dislocations to the fingers of a surgeon.” This is sometimes wise, and even then you have something to do, and that is to know that there can be no mistake on the part of the surgeon.

Scars left by cataract on eye: Eye sees perfection, absolutely. The claim of anything that could obstruct the faculty called vision or sight is a false belief without entity, source, substance, or law with which to exist or continue, and this statement is a law of annulment and removal of the belief of obscured vision under the name of cataract.

General Belief that Middle Age Requires Spectacles: God is the absolute power that prevents deterioration of the belief of sight. The law of Mind is an entire restoration to the belief of sight, or to the belief that eyes see. The law of the divine Mind, God, would be that faculty of seeing.

Man is perfect in Truth; but seen as a human being, you have got to know that there is not any human experience, or so-called condition of matter, that can interfere with the law of that perfection. The law of that perfection is the law to that belief. The real rejects the unreal, Soul rebukes sense, Truth overcomes error. The belief can be reached and brought to light by spiritualization on the part of the practitioner when you discover some fault in human character. The thought of the patient is a mere manifestation of the universal belief. He is not at fault because he is wicked: that is unfortunate. The secondary belief is the material affliction: the primary belief is that it had its origin in a fault of human character. It is always a fault of human character. The line of procedure in treating is to begin with the fact and proceed, and in this way dispose of the primary belief that seemed to be the cause of the affliction.

As we go on with this practice of Christian Science, we necessarily come face to face with certain phases not ordinarily called disease, but phases of human belief that may be called sin. It is quite evident that that belief exists. Mortal mind includes within itself all the elements we call sinful. It is animal magnetism — malicious animal magnetism. “The basic error is mortal mind.” There is hate in the world, malice, envy, jealousy. These constitute opposition to the Christ in human consciousness. A belief of opposition to the Christ is seen in religion as much as anywhere else, and will do anything to prevent its own destruction. The destructive tendencies of mortal mind are seen as hatred, malice, envy, revenge, pride, etc. Mortal mind was a murderer from the beginning, and opposes itself to the greatest thing we possess, — our consciousness. We are fulfilling the commandment of Christ when we heal disease, for a human being is less erroneous when he is well than when he is sick. We are setting aside destructive elements in belief, that so long as they exist, tend to perpetuate sin and disease, and the belief that man is material. We attain our spiritual identity in good.




Eighth Day

S&H 540:5-16, 21-24

The belief of mortal mind sees something that threatens its own existence, and that is a claim of personality. Matter is no part of true being, — matter is the unreal concept. Matter does not like its nothingness. We must take cognizance of the phases of evil, and of all hidden forms of evil. Animal magnetism is a mystified sense, and all error is mysterious. You cannot always explain or account for the forms of evil, or say how it is working, or through what particular channel, but your understanding of its nothingness is the great thing. Without that nobody can handle the claim of evil. Every uncovering of evil is the uncovering of its nothingness. The correct attitude is to assume all the way through that no form of evil ever has reality. Consequently, every form of mental malpractice is nothing but a belief. Never give any form of evil any tangibility. Always call it a belief. When handling malpractice, know that it is nothing but a belief.

Question: If there was a new book being written by intellectuals against Christian Science, and that came to your thought, would you do anything about it?

Everything is not according to law. Infinite Mind does not formulate law; infinite Mind is its own being and virtually law. To give it a term, we call it a law primarily, but it is infinite being, Principle and idea, one being. Mortal mind always says it does everything by law; that it moves its sense of the earth by material law. It says the human body is governed by law. It says evil belief works by law. Establish the fact that the divine law is the only law to practice. Very often Christian Scientists have made a reality of certain things, but all evil is unreal, and never the reality of being.

Roman Catholicism: This treatment, which is the Christ now as much as it ever was, is the power of God to establish health and harmony for mankind. It is acting and operating by the law of its own perfection to set aside any claim of interference or malpractice on the part of Roman Catholicism (RC), or anything else that might claim to be opposed to the Christ. Someone asked Mr. Young if he did not think some Christian Scientists were inclined to be severe and exacting in their attitude toward RC. Mr. Young replied: You do not tinker with RC; you handle it directly. It is the Christ that is healing, and you will notice that he was quite definite in what he said in regard to evil. You cannot express love for evil. The only thing is to see its unreality. The truth about error is that it is unreal. The truth about RC is that it is unreal. It is all error from the beginning to end. It is wholly a political organizations organized to dominate the human race and keep it in slavery. Such being the case, while we are not arraying ourselves against people, we find ourselves at variance with people who believe in that faith. We can love them in their real being, but we cannot love the error which they manifest. Establish the law in behalf of the case before you. It cannot dominate human thought, disturb it, or influence it.

Judaism and RC are not handled in the same way in the same sense.

Question re reports that RC created the stock market crash to discredit Mr. Hoover: As a matter of belief that appears to be a cruel fact. There are influences, silent and audible, at work contrary to the present political Administration in this country. You cannot doubt that. The work was only half done when we won the election. I do not think that we should sit around spending our time making more of it. The correct handling of error makes nothing of it. Understanding God is the Saviour, the Christ. It gives us constant assurance of its own presence and power to handle or dispose of anything that confronts us. Handle RC daily, and handle the belief of malpractice every day. Certainly we are face to face with it as a claim, and the object of our instruction is that we should free ourselves and others from any interference on the part of mortal mind, no matter what form it may assume. If we are going to be really scientific, we must do something about it. Do it with confidence, cheer, and joy! You may not do it every day in the same way. I would not voluntarily form an intimate connection with RC, so that that thing could find a channel to know everything that was going on in my business. The thing we are learning about is Christian Science.

Answer to question: Working on a case with a doctor, there would be a belief that a mental influence was on the case. You will have to consider the belief that the doctor is operating according to human belief as law. Establish the fact that God is the only physician, and the only Mind going on. The doctor is only observing and reporting to the family, and in a case of this kind, see that the Christ is greater than the belief or opinion of the physician. You are knowing that the divine

Christ is operating by the power of God and is immutable. The divine Christ is the only influence going on. It is Christian to do right. Do the best you can for someone when circumstances have brought him under this condition. Take cognizance of the fact that materia medica may intentionally interfere with your case. Be careful to keep on and not stand still. Your thought must be open to progress. Real progress is from the standpoint of Mind, or Principle, and is not working up to it. The thing that needs to be done in every case where the argument is not met, and where it is not as it ought to be, for the practitioner to be perfectly sure he is working from the standpoint of Mind, rather than if he were thinking about Mind. There is no retroaction, relapse, or reversal. When we gain something, hold it. The power that brought it to pass is there, and is maintaining that improvement when you know there is nothing to heal. Spiritual sense is the power of the Christ.

Hypnotism: The thing that we must see is that our understanding of the Christ, operating through Science, breaks and, utterly annuls the belief that there is a mind here that can be hypnotised by another mind. The divine Truth about God and man is a law that annuls the belief that there is a mind that can be hypnotized mortally, materially, or in any way. You handle it by establishing the only influence there is, and know that it operates as law to annul the belief that this patient, or anybody, is mesmerized or hypnotized by the belief of another mind. Handle this particular error that this is where Christian Science falls down. If your realization is enough to know the utter nothingness of material existence, if you found such spiritual perfection, then you could not even think of matter, and you would not have to do anything else. It would be a law of expulsion, a law of extinction, to the belief of wrong mental influence. In gaining Spirit, do not neglect the fact that we are still engaged as workers and practitioners, and that we must help the human race. We have to be practical but scientific all of the time. Christian Science, not only declares the good that has been done, but it shows the ever presence of God in the thought that is Godlike: and then it does something else, — it requires on the part of the one whose thought is Godlike that he shall make it practical. Handle pain as animal magnetism, not as induced by malpractice. The pain is the malpractice, and sometimes it is just the prejudice on the part of the human race, or a superstition.

In the case of helping another Christian Scientist, I would be pretty sure to see and recognize that the suffering was malpractice. The Christ is the annulment to that belief of malpractice.

God’s Child: (Mr. Kimball’s story four pieces of paper.)

In all work, if handling malpractice, you see that the thing that takes care of it is that thought or understanding that is one with infinity, only that Mind that acts exactly as Mind acts. The so-called domination of man, and the power of Christ, all centers in Science, and Science is one with its Principle, and its rule operates exactly as Principle, acting in its own manifestations as omnipresence, so when your thought is engaged in a treatment, and a necessity or call for handling evil comes, handle it with the serenity and security and absolute certainty of divine power, which actually nullifies it and puts it out of business. It is nothing but malpractice, and handle it as nothing else. It does not mean that one may be personally the actual object of malicious endeavor, but it is some belief of a general law of opposition to Christian Science. Something bonds itself to the situation sufficiently to admit the action of malpractice. We need to remember that we are always exempt from malpractice in the measure that we are sure there is only one Mind. When thought drifts a little, and the constant demand upon us is to believe that there are many minds, and they become irksome, and then you get a little indignant, or there is something you would like to do, then, you see, you have opened the door. Christian Science is never indignant. We do not need to be stirred; we need to be awake.

Thought of protection for church against RC. Of course, it has been going on, but we know that the government is of God. Consciousness is inclusive, and in a way we can think of our country, and we think that we are in it, and that that is all there is to it. In the measure that our consciousness approximates infinity by the educational work of Christian Science, in that measure it will influence the things we are conscious of, and will dominate and be a law even to our country. Our country exists in belief, rather than in matter. The Truth can have an influence upon it that nothing else can exercise. The thought of the Christian Scientist should be an inclusive law to the country in which he may reside, because he includes his country in his thought.

Re Destruction of Error in Italy: If thought is chemicalizing under Christian Science, the reading of Christian Science, on the part of the individual, or the thought that is wholly unprepared, does not cause so much commotion as you might with public lectures and distribution of literature. That appears to be more active than just reading the book.

Directors of Mother Church: You begin with yourself, and you go on with yourself because that is the thing to do.

What is the church? Is there anything about the universe of God that does not “rest upon and proceed from divine Principle”? Is there anything that is not the “structure of Truth and Love”? The church and the universe of good means exactly the same thing. The only church is the infinite expression of infinite Principle, is the structure of Truth and Love, and is the only church you need to have all the time, and when you go to church, take the church with you. All church problems begin to iron out in a very happy way if you always have the only church there is. The organization is a human thing, but has wonderful value just because it is that betweenness, — something that Jesus was in human experience, representing the Christ. It is sometimes disconcerting that we find the Christian Science church not altogether harmonious, and it is quite common to find it inharmonious; but the only church there is, is all right. Get to know what it actually is, and then what it seems to be comes under the law of what it really is. “The church affords proof of its utility,” etc. The more your realization of the real church constitutes your membership, the better member you are. And as this membership constitutes your membership, you may take cognizance of anything that is going on in the church, and you may be helpful in so doing. The most prolific source of inharmony is the annual election for a board, or the election of readers. “As the Sons of God gathered before Job, Satan came before them.” Take cognizance of this, but never in a wrong way. Two or three standing for what the church is spiritually can do more than a majority who are disturbed. When Satan appears, there is a chance for the Christian Scientist to prove the church and what it really is. When thought is disturbed, it is not the Christ.

If you were to attend a meeting for the election of readers or directors, and somebody told you there was a great deal of electioneering going on by someone, reject the belief that there is a mortal mind operating in this person. Establish and know what is really going on. There cannot be any such a mind, and establish the fact that the divine Mind is not a theory. This instant, if I were seated in a church meeting and needed to know something, this instant, without a moment’s delay,

that realization would come, and you would know exactly what to do. If one relies wholly on the divine Mind, he will invariably find himself doing the most practical and wise thing to do. The absolute remedy is to see that there is only one Mind: that there is nobody with a different mind; that nobody is madly ambitious and trying to accomplish something by material means, — only the divine Mind. See it as false belief. No matter how bad it is, this is the way to do it.

In church work very often we go along with the majority, or with what has been established, not because it seems to be the best but because the thing itself is so unimportant that it does not matter which way it is done. If it comes to a question of Principle, then stand, no matter what is against you; but if it is a matter of slight importance, let it go rather than begin futile opposition. Talking in groups is a case of mere animal magnetism, and not the way to do it. If affairs that come up before a board of directors are taken outside and discussed by some of the members of the board with others, it is a bad thing. It is error. Know that God governs; that all there is, is His government, and have the realization of divine presence. If we go with that thought, it is sure to be a good meeting without unnecessary delays and without ill-feeling.

A gentlemen had an Irish valet, and he had bean troubled by a caller. The gentleman said, “The next time this man comes, give him some excuse. Tell him something because I do not want to see him.” The man did not call for a long time. Finally the gentleman asked the valet, “Did that man call?” “Yes sir, he did.” “Well, did you give him an excuse?” “When he asked if you were in, sir, I told him it was none of his business.”

Our church work is important, as it is vital to the welfare of the world. As they sow for Christ, they are doing something that needs to be done. Even if there are only a few who stand for what membership actually is, and do so through thick and thin, and are conciliatory about other certain things, they are a wise membership.

Speaking of church work, I knew of a person who just by pure, metaphysical, Christlike thinking and knowing, accomplished a change in a large church without saying anything at all. It proved unmistakably to me that it can be done, and it does not take many people to do a good thing. Big thinking is great stuff, and bears resemblance to the infinite Mind.

Slump in Business laid at door of RC: I would make a definite statement that the claim of an organization by the name of RC could not operate to perpetuate a belief of deprivation in business. The inflation of the market is part of the claim. Mortal mind was easily mesmerized in the hope of sudden gain. If it was their desire to discredit the present Administration and bring it into disrepute, that institution operating in relays would be to that end, — to bring about inflation to the extent that when it collapsed, it would be a terrible collapse. It has not succeeded in entirely discrediting the present Administration at Washington. At any rate, it is our government, and is worthy of our thought and support, and there are certain ideals in the thought of the President that are worthy of support. As a matter of fact, the claim of malpractice to interfere with something that ought to go on legitimately, it is our business to handle it. If the situation is unchanged, it makes it more incumbent upon us to know there is no continuity to the false claim of depression. The activity of the infinite Mind is the only business of the infinite Mind which man reflects. The expression of activity is the only business there is. The law of that relationship is the law to business, provided our treatment makes it a law. It is a law of harmonious activity, progressive activity, uninterrupted activity. There is no intervention of an hypnotic influence.

What to do with children not wanting to go to Sunday School: Man does not go to get; he is there already, and we know the seeming power of mortal mind could not take him away from Mind. It is the fear of mortal sense of parenthood that the child is away from good. You must realize that everybody has the instinctive sense of how to explain things, but it seems to be a gift to teach in the Sunday School. The desirable thing would be to find teachers, or have them revealed rather, who have that faculty. That only comes about through the demonstration that one Mind is doing the only teaching. The actual presence or realization of the one Mind in behalf of the Sunday School would unquestionably provide teachers who have an instinctive sense to teach. The child should be allowed to follow his inclination, rather than be forced to go to Sunday School. Sometimes, however, it is a suggestion that the child does not want to go to Sunday School. The unity of good cannot possibly be touched; it is intangible; it cannot be touched; it cannot be broken, separated, or anything done to it. That is the law to the case.

(Give citations about animal magnetism and malpractice.) Read chapter on animal magnetism in Science and Health. There is a helpful citation in the 51st chapter of Isaiah. We are now beginning to realize how broad it is.




Ninth Day

(References on animal magnetism and malpractice.)

The term animal magnetism properly designates certain mental characteristics or belief which constitute mortal mind, and makes Christian Science practical to mankind. The belief must be recognized and rejected.

Sometimes a person says that animal magnetism never bothers them, but the necessity is to recognize something that may come our way is mere suggestion that does not belong to us. Those references, which admonish us to beware of thoughts superimposed by direct intentional work, are to be seen as nothingness instead of somethingness. The claim sometimes asserts itself as one’s own thought and conviction. A rumor of mortal belief is entirely unreal.

Lecture Committee: Everything that is done in Christian Science by way of public or private instruction, has its being primarily in one infinite Mind, so really what is taking place is the word of God. It is finding its own utterance through its own Principle or being. As the very utterance of Truth itself, it necessarily is the law of Truth to the occasion, and there is no other law operating. A belief of interference is a false belief, entirely contrary to the only power and presence. If there is a claim of storm, or of anything else, know there cannot be interference with the utterance of Truth, or the acceptance of it; that it is a suggestion which has no Principle, or power, and no evidence to justify the claim of interference. Then there is something else, and I have brought this up on purpose. I have traveled a good deal, and have had occasion to handle this question. Very often I have found that where there would be a threat of interference, that you do not have to handle outside malpractice, but that if you handle the belief and fears of Christian Scientists, and the very work that they had done on the weather, almost in every instance where you took care of the work they did on the weather, the whole thing straightened out. The question of weather is not to be outlined. Rain might be good in California. It is not desirable to outline, but it is desirable to know. It is what you know that works, and not a human desire. How would you work for an audience? The more you see clearly that infinite already is, the more success you will have in this respect. The actual fact is this, — that the only man there is knows God, and is knowing God, and there isn’t any such thing as a lack of knowledge of God in the whole infinitude of good. The only consciousness there is, is infinite, is infinitely expressed, and is infinitely manifesting itself. The lecture, in belief, is bringing to light this divine fact, and this fact is fundamental to the lecture. “The completeness of being is already accomplished.” That fact prevails as law; it is immutable, and in operation in belief to awaken human consciousness to the importance of the occasion. Nobody can escape that divine influence. Be as fundamental in this as you would in healing. Think, — “All shall be taught of God.”

Protect the lecture against antagonism. That would be covered by the realization of what was actually going on, — the divine Mind, the one Mind. The suggestion that there was any other mind, or minds, that could possibly exercise any influence, or have an opposing influence to the lecture is wholly a myth, a false claim without expression, power, or law, No sort of error could act upon the weather, or is there any other thing directly or indirectly associated with the occasion to interfere with the complete success of it, or a normal and natural attendance at the lecture.

Avoid doing things in a little way. Take the stand that here you have gained something of the law of divine power. It is bigger than the whole universe, and is the only ruling, governing element that exists. Get the lecture where it belongs. It must be a demonstration on the spot. In working for services, take your stand for God as God, looking for the majesty and the grandeur of God as the law in dealing with a little building and audience. Here the enlightenment of Truth is of such a nature that its power is beginning to be recognized.

Directors: Handle the belief of what might be called inharmony between two Christian Science churches. Handle it fundamentally. The Church of God, the structure of Truth and Love, is intact, immortal, perfect as God, who is the infinite idea; that there isn’t a thing the matter; that it cannot be subdivided or depleted in any way at all. Whether there are one, two, or ten; at any rate, they are established with the idea that here is the “structure of Truth,” and Love constitutes the church. It is the law of establishment to the Christian Science church, and is the law of irrefragable unity. It cannot be touched or interfered with. The claim of or belief that two churches are not in agreement is a suggestion of mental malpractice, and is a part of the opposition of mortal mind to the Christ, and it is nothing at all but that. The fact is that their unity is established in the one fundamental idea, and it is law to them. The claim that jealousy, rivalry, misunderstanding, can separate them, or induce them to malpractice on each other, is part of the claim of malpractice as described in the Bible as the “red dragon.” It has no power of itself, and through my realization of its utter nothingness, its seeming influence is entirely destroyed, and cannot appear in belief. This claim, that on account of mental malpractice, that there is a dearth of so-called funds of the church, is no longer operating as law, or belief of law, but is annulled by this treatment. The actual state of a human being is to be healthy. It is peculiar for him to be sick in belief. Therefore, when your treatment establishes the divine law, it results in the appearance of an improved belief, and the treatment itself is the divine law, and is the operation of divine law in behalf of the belief called a human being. So it is in church. The visible church is a belief; the divine church is an infinite idea. The relationship of Mind and idea, true being perceived, becomes the actual influence you exert in behalf of what you call church. The divine idea is the law to the belief of church or organization.

Church Building: The element of pride among Christian Scientists is one of the things that people rarely consider. They have very often themselves thought it is something else, but it is generally pride. One says, “We will have a better one.” That is not necessary. In large cities it would be preferable to have more churches of moderate size, and as attractive as possible. I think this idea that you have got to have a big church is an exceedingly bad idea, and it nothing but error. The building is something to be considered where the Christian Science movement has no church building, — the feeling of opposition on the part of the clergy, etc. However, if a building is partly paid for, and the workers are doing good healing work, the thing will be taken care of. The whole thing hinges upon the healing work.

If we give to injustice any power, then it has power to the extent that we do that. Many things in human experience are unjust. Mortal mind does not know how to be right. It never is right. Injustice is contrary to Truth. One of the first things to do is to see that as Scientists that we do not give power to evil. If an evil belief in any form appears, the first thing is not to feel in any way about it. Feeling is wrong, the only thing that helps is to know. Feeling resentful you are combating error, the very thing you would destroy. One must recognize that, and if he is fully alert, he will see that it is animal magnetism, and has no proper place in the thought of a Christian Scientist, and cannot assert itself. One denies it instead of condemning it, until he no longer feels resentment.

Your work must start from Principle, and establish in your own consciousness the fact that the only church there is, is already established, is complete, and exists as the idea of God eternally, and is without an element of lack, nor does it have any erroneous feature. Start with your affirmations as to what is the church of God, and then establish it in your own consciousness so that you are free from a sense of material church, organization, or audiences. Get above all that in the realm of Spirit, and establish the spiritual sense of church, the divine fact. Keep at that until you have lost sight of the belief of it, and then your thought is helpful to the situation, and when your thought turns again to what appears to be the church, it has the nature of divinity, and will act that way. Affirm the divine fact for everything we call a problem, and you will no longer have a sense of disturbance. Mr. Kimball said that the new birth was an entirely altered sense of existence. Get the habit of daily work in Science. In the morning realize the one infinite Mind, and that there are no other minds, no other expression, no mortal minds, and no human influences.

Indignation is always unrighteous.

Every time you abolish a belief of disease, you have abolished the belief of death. Every time you heal yourself, or anybody else, you have overcome death. All sin and disease culminate in death in belief. When a difficulty is overcome, let it be recognized as a permanent realization of extinction to the thing that was troubling you, and that it is as permanent as heaven itself. It is important for us to heal ourselves. In the measure that we heal ourselves, the church begins to be all right.

Claim — there is a large city — many RCs, — also enough Christian Scientists. In finding itself stagnant in its growth, it comes to light that the head of the RC church made the assertion there were enough churches here. The treatment is to see that there is only one city, — the city of God, wholly spiritual. Nothing could interfere with the expression of the divine law. Deny the law of malpractice.

How about treating RCs? I do not take RC patients. In some cases superstition is very strong, and people who have been in the Christian Science church, and supposed to be quite faithful Scientists, in instances where extremity arose, have reverted to the priest.

In the case of church members, be cautious. If he has the consent of his priest, you certainly would not treat him. Membership in the Sunday School goes rather on its merits, as hard and fast rules are impossible. If the parents are unquestionably interested in Science long enough to have broken away from it, and are not mixed up with it through relatives, why not admit their children? Admitting them to church membership you subject them to a crossfire. Let them wait until they reach maturity. We can still reach the Protestant thought or agnostic thought. (Explanation agnostic: He sees he exists and is not self-existent. He has to admit that there is a cause for existence, something fundamental, or there would not be any existence. The agnostic says there is the unknowable; that there is nothing knowable. They do not know anything that agrees with what they call God. Read the book of Job, the latter part: it is enlightening).

Study Science and Health. I took six months to read it. Read so many pages at a time. I didn’t try to read one chapter. Finally after years of study, I read the words, “God is Love” understandingly. If you cannot explain correctly what you have read, you do not understand it. We are inclined to read and never study. Few people study Science. Read a sentence in Science and Health, and study it. To carry this work forward, and to establish it so that it will stand on its healing work, it must be done intelligently. There are people in the ordinary walks of life who are far more intelligent than those who have great education. Be alert, awake, alive.

The affirmation of Principle and its idea is the intelligent way of starting a treatment. Questions are put to a practitioner sometimes because of mental arguments or controversies. Know the divine presence; rely on it; be it. Mind is already concentrated. Let your realization be from the standpoint of infinity rather than concentration, and then you will not experience sleepiness. Any effort of the brain is contrary to Christian Science. It should be effortless, consecutive thinking from the standpoint of infinity. See that it is the “unlabored motion of the divine energy.” Concentration is a belief of effort of the brain. The thing that is going on is infinite Mind. Absolute faith and confidence in that one infinity is Christian Science. The malpractitioner works mentally; Christian Science works spiritually. Enthusiasm makes us talk too much.

There is a belief of a want of unity among Christian Scientists. It is a belief that is more or less universal, that is, speaking on a human plane. Thousands become interested in Christian Science. They come into the movement with all of their peculiarities hard upon them. We did. We do not shed all of our faults immediately; nobody does. We find ourselves engaged in work, and begin to rub up against each other; it rubs the corners off if we stick to it, but we become restive in doing it. Remember, in work there are thousands upon thousands of minds in belief, and we need to exercise the greatest possible patience. There is only one course of judgment. Wait rather than have them forced into consenting. Decision is a God-given quality. Do not resist, and then decide. From the standpoint of the perfection of God you will always be right, and when the time arrives, and it is based on Principle, it is a wonderful thing, and things will go forward rapidly.

Committee on membership in a church? Would you handle animal magnetism at all? I would say this committee is established for this purpose: that it can act only in accordance with the judgment and law of the divine Mind, which is a law to this committee, the law of Mind, the law of extinction to any kind of mental influence contrary to the very presence and power of the divine Mind, and the law of extinction to any influence exerted mesmerically or hypnotically, the law of extinction to any influence of doubt that could be exerted on a human plane. That animal magnetism has power to take part in any decision made here is met wholly from the standpoint of divine Principle, for intelligence is infinite. The only Mind there is, is the author of the only Science there is. There is no other science. The only Mind there is, is divine. Consciousness has no other being. There is no claim that there is a mortal who does not want Christian Science.

I call your attention to the necessity of handling everything scientifically. Divine Mind is the way. The standpoint of Christian Science is the perfection of being, the perfection of Principle and its idea. Instantly express yourself from the standpoint of Principle.

Look up some statements on the words clairvoyance, astrology, and hypnotism, and what is called esoteric magic, or the hidden ways of mortal mind. Observe this, that these things are always error, or phases of error. When you find citations, consider them in relation to what Mrs. Eddy has written of the reality of Truth and the unreality of error. Be scientific in your work.

Declare every day and affirm the fact that Mind, the only Mind there is, is God; is infinite in expression and infinite in accuracy; that the expression of infinite Mind, the only Mind there is, is adequate, comprehensive, comprehensible, and it is this that is taking place when we individually give our treatments here, for this is the law of the unfoldment of divine Mind in this class.




Tenth Day

(References given on clairvoyance, hypnotism, esoteric magic, astrology).

Incurable Beliefs: Always bear in mind that there are only names. They seem real because the fear is deeper than the presence of the so-called disease. It is in human consciousness. Consequently metaphysical healing is the only thing that holds out hope. It is the only thing that gets at disease fundamentally. In handling these things the work of the Christian Scientist is not that necessarily of probing the consciousness of the patient, which is an improper thing and unnecessary, but is rather that of so clarifying his thought that this pure spiritualization throws light upon it and reveals the underlying belief of such so-called diseases as tuberculosis, cancer, etc. It is not always necessarily the patient’s own thought wholly. It may be, and very often is, imposed upon him, sometimes by hereditary beliefs, and in other ways. However, we do not always get at the root of things by assuming that the patient is a victim. If we think he is a criminal, we are off the track, or that he is really to blame for his own wrong thoughts, because we have to discern and never lose sight of the fact that mortal mind is the basic error. The human being is merely imposed upon. He is a victim rather than a criminal. Understanding is the extinction to the belief of penalty, which is only a belief.

Now, in handling this claim of such a disease as I have named here, what would be your work? Would you deny any corporeality? If you treat a case in that way, and there is no objection to it, that is, where one says “this person,” and you treat the person, then make the statements between the idea and person very distinct so that there is no confusion of statement at any point, and establish the fact of the divine law and divine idea for what you call person. The true fact of being is permanent and perfect. That fact realized is what your treatment is. I would make a clear and distinct denial of mental malpractice if the patient has been subjected to a medical examination, and somebody has said they could not get well. That wants a specific denial.

Business Situation: Suppose your hear that a political scheme is going on. You need not have a mere supposition that things of this kind are occurring in belief, or that they are imaginary on the part of Christian Scientists. There is something quite contrary to normal thought and action that appears to be going on today, especially in this country in regard to this particular thing. It is extraordinary that in this country, which is flowing with milk and honey in abundance, that there are thousands of people who do not know which way to turn. That sort of thing is absolutely outrageous. It shows clearly that there is a screw loose in belief, and Christian Scientists have not done their work. It is up to them to control situations like this, and to prevent any such things from going on and occurring, and to reestablish the law of divine Principle, not only in behalf of their own fears, but for the whole situation. Mrs. Eddy says in Miscellaneous Writings, “The noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity.” Wisdom is ever justified of her children. In giving, it is human wisdom to provide defense for yourself as well as help for another person. It is human wisdom never to give at the door; use cards of a charity organization. On the street it does not matter so much. Where you have a home, and people coming to it, you have to use something beside kindheartedness.

Market Losses: Deny the evidence and testimony of the senses. Never give power to evil. If you see that all the bonds you ever possessed going down and down, as a matter of metaphysical correctness you could not possibly believe it. Anything that is legitimately good can be maintained in a normal state by Science. We must be faithful and establish that fact. When you think of the extraordinary inflation that occurred, and people did not think that they should handle inflation as an abnormal condition, for people were quite happy as long as the inflation lasted. The inflation was the danger, a condition like fever.

Patients sometimes manifest extraordinary cheerfulness, while really it might be intense fear.

The RC church is arrayed against anything contrary to itself. The fear it has of Christian Science has not diminished in recent years. Inspite of what they have done, Christian Science has spread, and is still arousing the attention of mankind and gaining adherents. This belief of poverty is all to be handled from the standpoint of the perfection of God and man in all its aspects.

The claim and belief of astrology is incidental to this belief of mental science. It is very strange that that which is regarded as mere superstition, but which prevailed in ancient times and has seemed to be a part of human ignorance, that in these times it should have gained acceptance by intelligent people. There are people today who seem to believe in astrology and horoscopes. Now, from the very evidence of things, astrology is an abstract and self-hypnotic state of the human mind. When astrologers observe certain conditions, they themselves, if they are intelligent, have to recognize that those conditions do not really exist according to belief. Their observations in ancient times were all incorrect, they saw only with the eye. They took cognizance of apparent relationships, when according to modern astronomy, which is an extraordinary science, no such thing was going on, and what to them appeared to be relationship between planets was often not a relationship at all. What seemed to them to be close together was millions of miles apart, and that which constituted their seeming relationship and position, and which was the foundation of the astrologer’s theory, fades out entirely in the light of the science of astronomy. Therefore, the whole belief is a superstitious belief. That it should be accepted today is extraordinary.

Clairvoyance says the same thing, that is, that it sees something. Mrs. Eddy very clearly explains it in that chapter “Science versus Spiritualism.” It all resides in belief. It is a part of wisdom to utterly reject the claim made in behalf of astrology, clairvoyance, and mysticism. Some of them seen to be scientific, but they are none of them true, because they rest on the proposition that there are many minds. The moment that you have one Mind, where is astrology?

Practitioner reading the human mind: Put it this way, —the practitioner does not really search or make an endeavor to read the human mind. What he does is to trust Spirit as light to uncover error, to get at the fundamental error, and heal the case. You cannot handle the claim until you see the patient in his true spiritual being. You uncover error by finding its utter nothingness. Should a practitioner say anything about it? Sometimes it is necessary to audibly uncover error in a manner that seems cruel. Mortal mind is queer stuff.

Spiritualism: Nervous prostration is a claim of self-mesmerism, fear. This fear in a case where the person has been under the illusion or suggestions of spiritualism, seems to be augmented in peculiar ways; consequently, in handling fear, you handle and reject the belief of spiritualism. Reject the belief that it has become a part of a person’s mentality. That claim is annulled by the affirmation of the one Spirit and the rejection of any possibility of fear. There is quite a belief about spiritualism in Christian Science practice to the effect that practitioners say that these cases are difficult. Handle it as a part of malpractice. That belief that they are difficult to heal, undenied constitutes malpractice.

Discussing Cases: It is an erroneous procedure to discuss your cases with anyone else. On the other hand, if you felt it necessary to have some support, and you knew a friend who would stand with you, and if both of you could handle it wholly as error, and thereby gain an enlightenment from the standpoint of pure Christian Science, then you would be justified. It is legitimate to ask for help for oneself if you are working in the same way. I cannot admit that there is somebody sick somewhere; I cannot admit somebody sinning, in want or trouble. Nobody can admit it if he is a Christian Scientist. If there is a belief of illness in the family, the family should stand for the Truth instantly, constantly.

A belief in many spirits, and the possibility that when they go somewhere else they can still exercise influence over human beings here, is utterly impossible. The belief of passing away means a belief of another consciousness and ends the belief of communication. Handle the belief in that theory. All the phenomena of spiritualism are mesmeric and hypnotic, very often those who think they hear things are mesmerized or hypnotized by somebody, or they are mesmerizing themselves. When they realize this, the belief vanishes. It is a case of self-mesmerism. It is always hypnotic suggestion. There are no influences or sounds, or anything mysterious going on. Sir Oliver Lodge did not have sense enough to see that he was hypnotized. Houdini did not know anything from the standpoint of God.

The claims of Theosophy are in accordance with spiritualism and astrology Theosophy is a system of religion including a great many things. They say they include Christian Science; they claim to include everything. There are many phases to the theosophical belief. It is always in the nature of mystery, — a belief in matter; that matter eventually evolves and becomes spirit. Matter does not become Spirit but disappears, with all its false beliefs attached to it. The suggestion that there is a mental influence apart from Christian Science, and that that mental influence is inherent in human experience, Mrs. Eddy denominates animal magnetism. That belief is never correct in any of its forms, and so it happens that offshoots of Christian Science are not to be confused in any way with the true practice of it, and if we have patients who are new to this Science, then we have to instruct them clearly in this difference so that they see that Christian Science bears no relationship to occult systems or endeavors to heal mentally. Mental treatment is not necessarily Christian Science treatment by a long shot. Sometimes treatments are given that are called Christian Science treatments that are only mental treatments or a mortal claim. Differentiate and distinguish clearly between the mortal and the divine Mind. These beliefs have no relationship to the actual operation of Christian Science, and I think that if you wanted to classify them in any way, classify them as hypnotism, for it is always illusion. There is nobody in the universe of God that could possibly hypnotize anybody else. There is no necessity for it; we are not called upon to exercise an influence. One divine influence prevails and constitutes all the phenomena of being. Establish this influence as treatment and have it operate as immutable law; that is all there is to treatment. Do not treat patients unless they realize that it’s not hypnotism. The correct work destroys the claim; it takes absolute knowing that there is one Mind, and that is enough.

Animal Magnetism: It is the specific term indicating the activity of mortal mind. Malpractice and mental suggestion are synonymous. They are always erroneous thinking. Animal magnetism is a very convenient term in our work, because sometimes just seeing that a claim is nothing but animal magnetism heals. These terms are interchangeable (malpractice and animal magnetism), but they also have something in the nature of a specific meaning, and what I said is this: In a case of a practitioner or Christian Scientist where there appears to be suffering going on, and the practitioner doing the work sees clearly that the suffering is malpractice, and so designates it, he meets the claim. Malpractice is the sum total of the belief in materiality. If you say, “When this thing comes on,” you are providing for recurrence, and are malpracticing on yourself.

Testimony Meeting: The testimony must be primarily a testimony of healing, and there must be some healing ones at every meeting. When there are not, Christian Scientists, who are real Christian Scientists, ought to be there prepared to say something when necessary and break that claim of animal magnetism, which is out of keeping with the grandeur of Christian Science. The workers in a church should watch and help a meeting, so that there is always some good testimony. The remarks should be -based on absolute demonstration. The protection that operates more than anything else in your understanding of the inclusiveness of Mind, of the one infinite Mind, and that being inclusive could not possibly condemn any event of the day, or the occasion. Every outlet of it is included and governed by the perfection of its harmonious law. It is Spirit that constitutes the work. “It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.” The important matter is that workers should be ready to help, not always to be giving testimonies but ready to give them, so that if a meeting goes wrong to give a testimony and start it going right. Support the Reader.

Unity (Someone inquired regarding this movement): I would not be too kind towards it. Here is Christian Science, and here is what you say is the same thing, but it is not Christian Science. Be very clear in this: there may be points where you think statements resemble one another, but as you understand more clearly, you will see that Christian Science is the scientific way, and this applies under all circumstances.

Look up references on the human mind as Mrs. Eddy speaks of it. It is not a pleasant theory but a divine fact that there is one Mind. “The more I understand true humanhood, the more I see it to be sinless, — as ignorant of sin as is the perfect Maker.” (Unity of Good p.49) There is something there worth considering, and it corresponds to what Mrs. Eddy says on page 12 of Science and Health, “…nor is it the human understanding of the divine healing Principle as manifested in Jesus, whose humble prayers were deep and conscientious protests of Truth, — of man’s likeness to God and of man’s unity with Truth and Love.” True humanhood would mean a sinless human being, and in a certain way some people approximate that, — those that are free from malice, envy, hatred, revenge: free from pride and mad ambition. There are people in the Christian Science movement that have gone forward far enough so that those things do not touch them. If one is entirely free from fear, the exemplification of true humanhood, — manhood in Christ, — is humanly manifested. Jesus showed us the thought that is primal, and that will do all in behalf of humanity to establish a better humanhood, free from sin, and free from ourself, which is the aim of our practice, and that being the aim of our practice we have to take cognizance of dreams in order to clarify our thought about them. (Madam Matsukata told of a dream of an effort to protect her family, and of actual need of protection later). Mortal mind is a dream.




Eleventh Day

References on human and divine consciousness, church building, brief statements as to the basic idea.

A great deal in the way of coincidence is described in Science and Health without using the word coincidence. Where Mrs. Eddy speaks of angels in Science and Health, there in the latter part of that passage, (she made a change in the later editions), she shows that she regards a human being who has actually demonstrated Science from the standpoint of pure Spirit, as representing the word angel. In the definition, which I called your attention to some time ago, of “Children of Israel. The representatives of Soul, not corporeal sense; the offspring of Spirit, who, having wrestled with error, sin, and sense, are governed by divine Science; some of the ideas of God beheld as men, casting out error and healing the sick; Christ’s offspring.” — that is human and divine coincidence, divinity embracing humanity.

Man has always been spiritual, and is so now. After all, humanity is not hopeless. There is some way in which divinity reaches humanity, and Jesus illustrated it. If he had not, his life would have been impossible. Some of the holy writings prior to the time of Jesus were especially inspirational. They indicated that there would be and must be a Saviour. Personality does not represent humanity. It is what one knows, what one’s character is that represents a better phase of humanity. So, you see, the realm that we call mental, the realm of thought, is the field, and there takes place therein man’s redemption. The moment that human thought turns away from itself, either in despair or inspiration, as the case may be, just in that moment there is the human and divine coincidence. If it is in despair, then there is reaching out; if it be inspiration, then there is more than hope, more a measure of realization that one can rise above the sense of the futility of despair. The thing that is actually true is that there is a divine coincidence between the man Jesus and the actual power of God, just as if there had been no claim of anything contrary to it.

An understanding of the human and divine coincidence enables us to help each other. It enables us to realize and is actually the way in which we do everything that we do in Christian Science. It enables us to carry on the churches properly. It enables us to do the work that we are called upon to do, whatever it may be; and the recognition of that fact gives us definite support, — the support of that which is invisible, which is the only real power in the universe.

Sunday School: Manual, p. 62. The teaching in the Sunday school is necessarily different from what we are undergoing here. We have covered a tremendous amount of ground here; we were prepared to do that. In Sunday school you teach divine Principle always. Try to make that clear. You do not go beyond the basic teaching, except to show how it is applicable to every girl and boy. Do not try to analyze mortal mind in advance to the pupils in the experiences met day by day. Inculcate the right idea, — God is, and when man understands that, it is valuable to him, no matter what he may be doing or where he may be. The idea of true teaching is to awaken thought, rather than imposing thought upon the person whom you are teaching. Consequently, the teacher of a Sunday School class, while he may prepare himself every week, must see that the great preparation is not that of study and reading, but it is rather that of turning daily to that thought of the Sunday School, or Sunday, and part of the work is getting the realization that the only thing that can teach that class is the one infinite Mind, which is ever present, and ever available through my understanding: and then avoid mere superstition and continue in this work.

Because things have been done in a certain way, does not mean that they have been done right. Nearly all the teaching done in the primary classes is done in the wrong way. They are taught the Ten Commandments and are forced to learn them by heart. Teach them the Ten Commandments, not merely to say them by heart, for that is not teaching. Illustrate what you are doing with the child. They are learning some things that they do not know anything about. Teach them in a simple way such a thing as “right,” then use a big word, Principle, and that means “just right, straight, square,” and then they get some idea. The First Commandment means that. Take, for instance, the little children. You cannot say very much to them, and then you have to stop and wait to hear their little sayings. It is quite a job, but a wonderful thing, because there is something going on, provided it is demonstration. If they are forced to learn the Ten Commandments, it is not teaching. In Miscellaneous Writings, Mrs. Eddy speaks of the Commandments, and gives an interpretation of them; and while interpretations can be used, all of the Ten Commandments are contained in the First. In Miscellaneous Writings Mrs. Eddy declares that there was penalty under the law, and consequently the law was at fault. The Bible says that “the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh unto God.”` The Ten Commandments do not make anything perfect. Christian Science reveals perfection “by bringing in a better hope,” the true Christ. So they that teach children the Ten Commandments, must get at the root of them and show what they really mean. You must keep at it year in and year out, but do not give them class instruction. As they grow older and advance, they ought to have the advantage of better instruction, so that they are well grounded in Christian Science when they leave the Sunday School. Through ten years of it, he ought to come out not only prepared for church work and class instruction, but wonderfully prepared and a very helpful factor in church, class, or anything else in which he might be engaged.

Read anything that helps you meet the difficulty, as it is part of the demonstration, and learn something of new methods of teaching, for that is part of your demonstration. Anything that will make us more intelligent in the work we have to do, seems to me to be perfectly legitimate in the line of demonstration. If you were in a foreign country you would have to learn the language, and so you would have to study it. It is up to you to read some books, but do not take in every word just because it is printed.

Lesson: Let them study it, and let them talk about it and say what they are getting out of it. Encourage them to do that. Lead thought along without imposing too much upon the class. (Suggestion: Study the Lesson a week ahead; pick passages that would be especially helpful to members of the class). If I were teaching small children, I would not assume that you could teach the Scriptures without interesting the child. To have too many stories like David and Goliath, then they would not be satisfied with anything but stories, but use them occasionally and show what they mean. It seems to me that is teaching the Scriptures.

Sunday Lesson: Some lessons in the Quarterly are better than others, and some Lessons upon the same subject in one part of the year will be better than the other one. We cannot avoid that. There are some passages that are not usable for the Lesson-Sermon. They would not mean anything. In making selections we are somewhat restricted, and Lesson-Sermons vary. It is important for us to maintain the fact, or rather to stand by those who are doing the work at headquarters, and to realize that they are devoting themselves wonderfully and splendidly to the work at hand. Whatever may be their shortcomings, still there is the fact, that there at headquarters, that they are devoting themselves to accomplish the best results for the Cause of Christian Science. Theirs is a sincere desire to do the right thing, and to do it in the right way. That should not blind us to their shortcomings, for we must be intelligent in the study of Christian Science. The references for the Lesson-Sermon vary; some are absolute and some are relative.

At the time the Bible was written, it was a time of spiritual perception, but some statements are not always definite. You do not find so many absolute statements in the Bible as you do in Science and Health. Sometimes references in Science and Health deny what the Bible says. There is that going on in our Lessons, for they are teaching you and me how to get there, but there are absolute and relative statements. In studying the Lesson, we want to be awake to these things, for there is a lot to be gained thereby. We are becoming students, and are doing research work. Much comes by way of inspiration. The thing is to find the science, and it is in Science and Health.

In that very frequent reference used from the Bible, — “Let that mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” — (this is from the King James version) — the word “in” is not scientific, and in the Glossary of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says that it is a “term obsolete in Science if used with reference to Spirit.” The German translation is as follows, “Let each one be so minded as also Jesus Christ was.” Another version, “Let the very Spirit which was in Christ Jesus be in you also.” Another version, “Have in you the feelings or sentiments which were in Christ Jesus,” and in the Protestant Italian translation of this reference is to consider his divine quality. Another German translation is, “Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Though he manifested the nature of God, he did not grasp at equality with God. He laid it aside to take on the nature of a slave. “Let the Spirit of Christ Jesus be yours also,” — the divine nature was this from the beginning.

Translators have thought that Jesus, as a person, was God upon earth. The thing that is valuable in the reference, “Let that mind be in you,” is the statement that Jesus saw the value of divine consciousness. He did not include the divine Mind as a person, even though that would be the impression. It means something spiritual, and has been so interpreted.

In your study of the Bible it is important to recognize the difference between a spiritual statement and something that is mere padding. With all the copying of the Bible there was an inevitable changing of words, and we have to look through and see what the meaning is. One of the things that helps in the study of the Bible is to remember that the value of the Bible is the spiritual truth of it. In the light of truth there is this which is of value, — it brings to light the material error. Whenever you are in doubt, if you will remember that Spirit is all and that there is no matter, and you get that clearly, you will find the interpretation of every passage. In the Bible there are certain words used that mean certain other words, and this is so a great deal of the time in the Old Testament. David nearly always means Christ.

It is now known that the book of Hebrews was not written by Paul. Some say it is written by John the Revelator; some say by another John; some authority ascribes it to an enlightened woman, but they do not know for sure who wrote it. In Hebrews 1:58, there is a distinction between angelic inspiration and the actual idea that constitutes demonstration.

Hebrews 6:13 — Incidentally, the writer of this Epistle saw clearly that Abraham was something wonderful, for when he was put to the test, he arose to the highest sense of the availableness of divine power.

The study of the Bible is the discernment of something spiritually real. Wherever it speaks of God as a corporeality, it means Mind or Spirit. Substitute the word good, or Mind, for God when reading the Bible. The old sense of God then gives way to the presence of good and the naturalness of divine power. All references from Isaiah, which is one of the most wonderful books in the Bible, are to be interpreted impersonally. It may interest you to know that Isaiah is not the work of one man. Some say two and some say four different persons wrote it.

In Isaiah, almost everywhere, there are promising assurances of spiritual power. The 26th chapter — some of this is erroneous statement. Remember in the passage in Science and Health, page 540:23, Mrs. Eddy says, this is to teach mortals never to believe a lie.” The purpose of the allegory is a moral chemicalization to teach mortals never to believe a lie.

The 41st chapter of Isaiah is an assurance of exemption from fear. When you think what it says, then your thought is as if you had written these things. You cannot pay a greater compliment to any author than to read his works with the same interest that you would have if you had written it yourself, with the same attention and the same deep interest. Read the Bible with deep interest, and you will find things in it that you would not otherwise find.

Books: It is all right to read books that are intelligent. We are interested in what is going on, but do not be mesmerized by anything. When you read books dealing with material things, be very alert, and realize that you are above the conditions and the situation, and look at it instead of accepting all that is said, and do not lower your point of view. Read with a sense of discrimination, with justice, and right, and wisdom, but do not yield your thought to every statement that is made. Take this same attitude if the book happens to deal with the Bible, and tries to tell you what the Bible means. To the extent that the prophets could foresee evil that would happen, they were only half prophetic, for if they had been truly prophetic, they would have been able to forestall evil. True prophecy is that Science, where one perceives what is in mortal mind and prevents it from happening. That is today important because of the beliefs of occultism and spiritualism, for they say that the world is gliding toward many disturbances, — earthquakes, and troubles for this country, etc. It is our business to see that their prophecy does not operate as a law of malpractice to bring to pass the things they think they see. If we see, in the light of Science, some possibility of trouble because of the condition of human thought, we ought to begin to take care of it, and establish in our consciousness the divine Principle, which is the basis of all true government. There is no one that is awake who can possibly look at conditions of human belief and not see that there are according to belief many dangers. When you think that in this country, which has an abundance of everything, that there are thousands of people not knowing which way to turn for their next meal, it is absolutely absurd. It seems that with all of the advancement, all of the civilization, and discoveries of every kind, that the world has not learned to take care of itself. There may come a time when human conditions will become so intolerable that there might be a revolution in human thought, the like of which has never been dreamed of. There is only one thing to do, and that is to realize all of the time that the government of God can set aside the dangers that seem to confront the human race and civilization.

Handle the belief of government. “Human hatred has no legitimate power and no mandate,” and this meets the prophecy of evil. This is a law of protection to government. What one has to see is what Mrs. Eddy says, — that eventually Christ will govern. In the measure that we succeed, it will change things that are wrong and will make them less wrong, and will make some of them immediately right. The object of our work is not merely to uncover the error, but to see it is not. Widespread ignorance has something to feed upon when that which is called intelligent does not provide justice. Today one of the dangers to organized government lies as much in the lack of wisdom on the part of those at the top, as in the lack of understanding of those who are at the bottom. There are claims of beliefs which we are all the time reading about, but we are not doing a thing about them. Mrs. Eddy says that “man is properly governed when he is self-governed.”

Look up references on self-government. When you begin to see what Christian Science is doing, you have greater respect for yourself, oven though we are doing this in ways not as complete as we would like to do, but we are doing something that nobody else is capable of doing, and that nobody else can do, for we are doing something that will mean more harmony to the human race than they have possibly conceived of, for there seems to be certain difficulties between classes and conditions, and different groups of mankind.

The claim of the belief of time in reference to demonstration enters into our thought, and seems to be a part of our problem. Time is not a reality, and that is discerned from the standpoint of higher mathematics. In our work we sometimes labor a long time on a given case, but I have found it helpful to see that there is no element of time in omnipresence, and that omnipresence is the nature of all action. Omniaction is omnipresence. It does not begin in a little while and then vanish; it is all the time itself. Its infinite selfhood is its infinite presence, omniactive; therefore it does not take time to do a thing. The realization of omniaction will break the law of time. This is very useful in handling the belief of deficiency in elimination. The only thing there is that is the matter with anybody is the belief of the human system. The handling of this claim is to know the law of Mind is the law of infinite perfection to its own infinite creation, and is a law which is immediately in operation to all of its characteristics. It does not take time; it does not take space, is not restricted, it is simply omnipresence. That law is the law of a normal belief of complete, normal, and harmonious elimination to the belief of retention of impurities, or to the belief of morbific poison, which is glandular in certain instances.

Thyroid: In the first place, it is essential to know that there is nothing obstructed, and that there cannot be any obstruction in the whole realm of infinity. Establish the divine fact; know that the spiritual idea is ever active, and cannot be anything also; that it exists as a harmonious idea of the infinite and perfect body; that there is consequently no cessation of activity, and no possibility of it being obstructed, and that is the law to the belief of thyroid gland, and a law of annulment to the belief that there is any obstruction to it, and is a law of removal to the belief or claim of obstruction; that it is a law of removal and entire recovery to the belief that some other part of the human body is affected through this claim of obstruction of the thyroid gland. Indirectly what is called that in appearance, is the effect of obstruction. That is what they claim.

In other instances where glands are affected, it is nearly always caused by something mental, and they never can operate on that. The belief is in human thought, not in the human body. These beliefs always relate to some sentiment of the human mind, — sensitiveness, or some element of that nature; that it resides wholly in the realm of thought, and so when you are uncovering a claim of inactivity of a normal organ, you find somewhere, hidden away in human thought or consciousness, either of that of the patient or another, something that accounts for the belief fundamentally. You cannot always say it is incurred because of hatred.

There is no tabulation of disease. It is erroneous to do that, and Mrs. Eddy says it is unscientific. There is nothing happening to the human system except in belief. Handle the belief always, never matter. The specific belief may not appear. Know that what does appear is a false belief and cannot have any evidence.

Give some references from the Bible that indicate Mind and idea, and that indicate clearly to you the availableness of Mind and idea; that give you, as you read the Bible, the assurance of the actual presence of spiritual power, and its naturalness.

Treat a case as if you never had to treat it again, for that is omnipresence. The only thing you eliminate is a false belief, and that as you change the belief you heal the patient of a belief that he is ill, or relieve human consciousness in doing it, it is permanent and perfect. God’s work is always perfect. Give a treatment with the understanding that one is enough. Never permit the thought to enter your consciousness that “I will treat the patient now, but some day he will die.” See that here is the operation of Science, or Truth, which is disposing of error; that there is no person in it. The power of God is not dependent upon any human being, and the thought that is in accordance with that power is divine. It may seem to be your thought, but it is God.

This movement has arrived at a point where there is a tremendous opposition to it that we do not recognize and do not meet. We will meet it the moment that we know there is only one Mind. This belief that we treat a person gives an opportunity, and has always given an opportunity, for opposition. In the measure that this thought can be left out, and thought shall assume the grandeur of its source, which is the one infinite Mind, and shall assume the power of its source, then it complies with the demands of Science. The alert practitioner should establish his consciousness daily in omnipractice, etc., so that he shall be already fortified, so to speak, and then his treatments for individual cases are less prolonged. The practitioner’s complete healing of himself will cover cases successfully. In every case consider that personality may assume to be individuality. Personal characteristics cannot be met in a wholesome way, and they have to be denied specifically.

Belief of Operation Necessary: Reject as a belief of law resting on the patient. The claim is that they operate through a belief of law. Jesus saw the real man. He did not reject in words, but he knew that the belief was not there or anywhere, and that the only thing that could be there or anywhere is the divine image of perfect Mind. In the measure that it comes with the discernment that love is necessary for the healing, then those cases have been healed. Sometimes you will hear a practitioner say, “Well, I know the case was healed,” but the patient may be still having an awful time. I do not believe in things like that. He might be so spiritually-minded that he can see that the patient is healed, and rest in that, but I would not say it to the patient. The thing to do is to know it, and then when the patient is at the point where he can be sure of it, the case is healed. Superficial remarks on the part of superficial practitioners do not get far with me.

Though there seems to be a mental cause, and you discern it, and you begin to see the basic cause of the trouble, but the patient is feeling pain, I would not hesitate to see clearly that the whole thing is basically the element of hatred, and therefore reach a realization of its utter nothingness. It is no part of man. At the same time that the patient says he is suffering from pain, know it is impossible, and deny the claim.

Dental Work: It is not scientific, but it is more scientific than to lose your teeth. We are doing the best we can with what we know. An ideal demonstration is a tooth that is perfect without using a brush; a face that never needs to be washed. Keep the body clean inside and out. Keep the thing mechanically right.

Overweight: A man and wife of unusual weight called on a practitioner for aid, and she told them, “I will treat you on one condition, — that you follow my directions; and that is, that you are to feed your hunger but not your appetite,” and that moment their hunger stopped. In the back of their thought was their belief of eating because they tasted it, just like people who drink because they like the effect. Seeing that, they reduced. Look for the spiritual idea.

Look up in Science and Health the definition and statements in regard to Ego, and in the Bible find what you can as to that subject.

We are still in that state of human consciousness where we cannot ignore entirely the material demand. The human body is a belief, and as a belief it involves itself in beliefs of mortal mind laws of healing itself. The law of the human body is, that it has to have air, food, exercise; that these are actually necessary to the human body. They are material, and the body is a belief of materiality. The thing that happens in the way of demonstration is not to get rid of the belief that we have to breathe, for that is assuming that body or man is material, but we breathe better knowing there is no restriction to it, so that breathing may improve under Christian Science treatment. Breathing will not disappear at present, but to know that we do not breathe to live improves our breathing.

In a case of insomnia, know that man does not sleep because God neither slumbers or sleeps, therefore he is eternally conscious. If he has indigestion, that is another claim. Insomnia is a belief of the brain and nerves, and absolutely know that man neither slumbers nor sleeps any more than God does, and the patient will never have insomnia again. The demonstration of Christian Science is to have an improved opportunity for rest and exercise. No Christian Scientist can afford to sit seven or eight hours a day and never move out of his chair.




Twelfth Day

References on Ego and government.

Infinity is its own government. That treatment that is without a thought of personality in it, is the most effective treatment. That is what Mrs. Eddy implies when she states that “governing himself, he governs the universe.”

Self-government is a right idea. The belief that asserts itself contrary to that in human experience is interference. We have been meeting some difficulty, and there seems to be a claim of interference; in fact, it is not an uncommon belief. The belief of opposition is that of interference. It is often met by denying clairvoyance. Nearly all of the mysticism of the world is mixed up in the belief of clairvoyance, which is a belief that somebody can find out what is going on mentally without asking. A good plan, when interference is going on, is to handle the belief that somebody is trying to find out something that is none of his business. I knew a person who had a ringing in his head, and he handled clairvoyance, and it was met, because he knew he had a right to his own thinking. Be alert to suggestions and do not make a reality of them. There is only one Mind, which is perfectly at peace with itself.

Self-government is actually the ideal of all governments, that is, of democratic governments. The United States is established wholly upon the theory that our forefathers entertained, to the effect that man could be self-governed. While they recognized the difficulty, they finally arrived at certain agreements or concessions, and evolved the Constitution of the United States, which has been pronounced the most remarkable document ever given to the world. And it is. Although they worked with difficulty, they finally arrived at this conclusion. It has worked pretty well, and would have worked perfectly if human thought had been able to rise to the ideal of it. It is based upon the teachings of Jesus without mentioning them. If everybody behaved himself according to divine Principle, they would not have any trouble. That must happen invariably with Christian Scientists or they will never be self-governed. They are the people who can see that it is the right thing to do; but they are not all doing it. Until something like that occurs in our churches, — everybody striving to be governed by Principle, — they are not quite straight. The government that is to prevail over the world must start in the Christian Science church.

A great deal more can be done by our insistence upon the fact of selfgovernment through divine Principle. If we maintain that, and call attention to that which Mrs. Eddy says, we shall accomplish a great deal. In Exodus 3 the unknown voice became to Moses the voice of God. In the Bible you have to see that the unknown voice is the voice of God. They were always wrong when they said, “Thus saith the Lord,” when that which appeared seemed to be evil. You will get great help if you think of this when reading the Lesson daily.

The claim of clairvoyance is not troublesome when we are cognizant of the fact that one body destroys the belief of two bodies, for there is no sensual body and no interference. I think you see clearly what we are holding to here, — that one Mind, one God, and one Mind as the only consciousness, is all that is going on in the way of actual thought.

Pests: There is just one way to handle this belief. Because I have proven it, I can speak from experience. (Mosquitoes in mountains) They do not bother me because of what I know. It means that you cannot hate anything, not even a mosquito. To the extent that they are a pest, they manifest hate. In the present state of human belief we surround ourselves with all sorts of things to offset these experiences, or suggestions, and we are seemingly quite wise in doing so, because people have to work according to their light, but if one cares to, he can daily and constantly prove the value of Christian Science in overcoming any inconvenience from such beliefs, and thereby gain greatly. At any rate, when any thought of that sort of thing, or suggestion, comes, we must see the unreality of anything in the way of a pest. In the realm of infinity nothing preys on something else. Everything exists because of its divine Principle, and it manifests the nature of that Principle because God is infinite. The seed is within itself. Seeing that, as you handle that sort of belief, you can remember that the basis for handling it is just what it is doing for any sort of Christian Science work. Realize the infinite universe is your thinking; that nothing is manifested but Love, and as Love is omnipresence there is no person that can hate, and that makes evil impossible, and there you have your demonstration.

Athletic Foot is sheer mesmerism and nothing else. It is not like the flu but has some resemblance.

Snakes: If you are where there are snakes, you do not have to be disturbed at all if you do your work correctly. Your demonstration of Love will protect you, and anybody else that you are working for. The belief about it is, that it is selfprotection to them. If their realm is not invaded, they do not harm you. If you do invade it, then you have to handle it. They are out of the way if you do your work right.

Mad Dog Bites serum administered: In that case it would seem to conform to the law, and that is about all you can do. It does not prevent you from handling the case.

Prohibition: The fact is that Christian Scientists were Prohibitionists before the Prohibition law. They are so by the grace of God and not by law, and so they remain Prohibitionists. We do not use intoxicating drinks for the reason that it is not proper to do so, and we see that it is far better not to do so. Some Christian Scientists may question the wisdom of the Prohibition Act, but I do not think they would defend anything contrary to Prohibition. In the infinity of good nothing is ever prohibited; everything is expressed and unfolded. As infinity is infinite good, the very realization of that in our experience acts as a defense against evil, and sometimes that defense takes the form of rejection under all circumstances of a particular form of evil.

Question as to difference between human mind and mortal mind? It is just the difference between one word and another. “Mortal” implies death, but there are some aspects of human experience that do not necessarily imply death. There are certain things that have been perceived intellectually which are wholly in the realm of thought, but they have never died. Scientific thoughts in mathematics have that aspect of being immortal; we cannot possibly conceive of their ever ceasing to exist. That has to do with the human mind. You might say it has to do with mortal mind, because mortal mind is an inclusive term. Human mind helps a lot in the way of making distinctions between the worst and the less bad. They are distinctions without any fundamental differences. “Human mind” includes all thoughts by human beings. On the other hand, a human being enlightened, who begins to seek Truth is not the same thing, and what is called his mind is less mortal and becomes more humane, and so that might be human rather than mortal.

Some extraordinary questions are asked along this line. Really what is going on here, is one infinite Mind. Everything that takes place in human consciousness that bears resemblance to God has its origin in God. Anything that is absolutely unselfish, impersonal, or of universal good is an effect of God. One Mind, that is where you rest. Infinite Mind is never engaged in any kind of a controversy with error.

Mental Assassins: In belief mortal mind has its expression or manifestation in what might be called “wicked people.” Mrs. Eddy defines Satan as “abused capacity.” Here is the capacity to think, and that misused is Satan. In the case of persons so perverted as to wish to injure another, we see that going on in criminology, and criminals seem to be hurt, and they do not hesitate at anything, so there is that belief. Then there is the belief of murder. Now it is conceivable that they could do it mentally, for that is what is said to take place in many instances in

Egypt, and through occultism in India, where castes are at variance, and where hatreds arise murder is accomplished by mental means only. It has been said with considerable authority that Mrs. Eddy herself was threatened in that way many years ago. The evidence was unquestionable, and she handled the claim with perfect success. What we need to see is that it is wholly a belief, and that the realization of the divine Mind, or divine presence, is not only an offset but an utter extinction to that belief. Where work is going on scientifically, that sort of thing cannot be done. There is no effect from the supposition that Mind can do anything like it.

Don’t use the word “destroy” if it gives you a sense of having a fight. There are words that are more effective. There is nothing opposed to God except in our consciousness. There is a belief that there is. God is not contesting with anything, and is not really destroying anything; as His presence is the only presence that exists, no other experience of a presence is permanent. Divine presence, consequently, never kills or destroys anything, but brings to light something that appears to be destroyed. Science and Health 518 — “God gives the lesser idea of Himself for a link to the greater, and in return, the higher always protects the lower.” That is exactly what is taking place in the demonstration of Christian Science. It refers to what is happening in human life, so to speak, through the realization of the allness of God. That which is happening is happening by reason of the human and divine coincidence. Mrs. Eddy uses certain expressions which do not always make a clear-cut differentiation, but she shows how the divine is all the time redeeming the human. She says, “The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood.” In the order of absolute being, in the order of eternal perfection, it is not possible that any idea could enrich another idea. Consequently, every idea in this order must not only be blessed, but blesses a Christian Scientist in proportion as he blesses. His own experiences illustrate the divine nature in its infinitude, and all ideas must constitute their true nature in divine being and harmonious blessedness.

The human and divine coincidence you must claim for your own. “The word was made flesh,” — the word was made practical. It is certainly practical with us: and notwithstanding that we appear as Jesus appeared to be, a material personality, it is the word and the divine idea that has to help human beings. Never use “channel for good.” Do not be a channel for the Word; be it. We are all the time assailed by the belief that we are not reverent enough; that we assume too much. Everybody that makes advances, wonders if he is all right. It is like climbing a high mountain, and then looking down. If you wait just a moment, then the path seems to be all right. You have not been accustomed to the view. Being really earnest, and desirous of seeing certain facts and to understand then practicality, then you are the Word.

There are some other things to be spoken of. You know that the Manual says that teachers should not solicit students. That means that they should not do it directly or indirectly. You are now members of my Association, my students.

Everything is alive in infinity, and the only action there is, is infinite, and infinity is always active and is the only substance or Spirit.

Use great care in asking me to countersign applications for The Mother Church.

Christian Science stands by itself. Make them see their responsibility.

Distribution: Foolish things have been done in distribution work. I believe that committees today display much more wisdom than in the past, and are going on in a better way. If it is done wisely, it is a good thing. If done without wisdom, it is a bad thing.

Circulation of Monitor: Zeal without judgment has been exemplified in the Monitor. Place it before the public. We have a paper, — the best in the world. It will pay eventually, and everything about it will be all right, but we get so impatient and want it to be everything; we picture it to be.

The motive in distribution work is everything. There are some things about it that are most undesirable. That committee lays itself open, that is being influenced by the suggestion of an advertiser. Do not use list of advertisers among the membership. Personal calls are very undignified and improper, and wholly unnecessary.

Committee Meetings: There is too much silent prayer and ritualism about the work. Have the prayer without the reading. Too much reading is unnecessary. If you have a reading, have it very short. When you see something is not right, do not get too wrought up about it. The ways in which we distribute the literature are sometimes unwise, but we may have to be a little patient. Do not kick too hard. What is called system is sometimes very much overdone, and it seems that it is being overdone in regard to advertisements in the Monitor.

The thing I would like to have you do is to teach in the Sunday School. That is the greatest work, — the most interesting and the most helpful. It means more to mankind than anything else.

“Matter may be defined as that which occupies space.” Matter makes itself known to us by the testimony of the senses, — see, hear, feel, taste, touch. Material science has nothing to say about the ultimate nature of matter. It leaves all such problems to metaphysics.

The basic error is mortal mind, consequently the belief that we are material must cease, and that error can only cease in the measure that we discern the substance of our own understanding and permit it to manifest itself in human experience by improved beliefs. All of this work that we are doing in the church is perfectly legitimate if done in a legitimate way, but do not lose sight of Spirit. Jesus said, “Suffer it to be so now,” when he was baptized, for he did not need to be baptized; so we have to do many things that seem to be essential humanly. Let us do them faithfully, well, and wisely, and always wisely so far as we see, but if we find them not good, well, perhaps if it is a demonstration of wisdom to bring about a change, then say something. In church work sometimes a little tact, or a great deal of tact, is helpful.

Sometimes we accomplish things that somebody else gets the credit for, but what do we care; it does not matter. The main point is to have the thing done right, no matter who gets the credit. Remember that much that appears to be serious is not serious at all. Much of it does not matter no matter how it goes; in five years nobody may remember it. It is just a passing thing. What is it to the kingdom of- heaven? Do the important thing. Demonstrate Science, and never mind the details, for they will work out. Go along making the demonstration without unnecessary detail.

Bear in mind that our work in Science is done in the realm of our own thinking and is the all important thing. Although we may do outward church work, or something of that kind, but it is all important that it be in the right direction and it must be subservient to what we are doing inside of ourselves; otherwise it cannot be done. The great thing now is, from time to time consider what we have been doing here this fortnight. One thing you will observe, — that the constant iteration and reiteration of the fact of one infinite Mind, one Principle, manifested infinitely in absolute perfection should be the basis of every thought and action.

We are sometimes, as has already been mentioned, fearful of our own advancement, and we tremble at the advancing footsteps that we are forced to take through experiences, but we must learn to face them and not be disturbed at all, because we have found something we did not have before, and especially not to be disturbed if we discover that what we have seen is somewhat at variance with what somebody else tells us. The question always is, that when you perceive an absolute fact, or think you do, to ask yourself if it coincides with Mrs. Eddy’s teachings, and is it justified according to the true import of the Bible, and is it, therefore, in accordance with divine Principle?

The thought of life and death is, of course, very much to the front with every human being, and we are trying to live while we may be confronted with that which is contrary to life. The belief of suffering because of sorrow is a common belief which we are obliged to consider and to meet for many people in our practice of Christian Science. It would be met much more quickly if human prejudice did not concern us so much. The feeling is to the effect that we are inhuman if we do not feel badly under certain circumstances; that if you do not manifest sorrow, you are not human in your view. I have known people who have really met this claim wonderfully, but were assailed by improper criticism because they were considered heartless. Nobody who meets this false belief in the right way is heartless. He may have to exercise wisdom in what he says, or in how he acts or looks. Death is not a happy event, and at a funeral is not the occasion where people should be smiling, for it is not something to smile at, but it would be improper for a Christian Scientist to be downhearted even on an occasion of that kind. They have to maintain the fact that Life is, and that fact must be more or less apparent in their coming, which should be that of dignity, but not of sorrow. Why? Because there is no such thing as sorrow, and when we yield to it, we yield to something that is an illusion. In the realm of infinity nobody is sorrowful. Life is God and has not died, and not anything that ever represented it has passed away. A false sense of Life is all there is to coming and going. Read Unity of Good, “Is there no death?”

The chief element of sorrow is self-pity. We are not sorrowful for the person who has gone, but we are sorrowful for ourselves. We must recognize that anything of that kind is wholly unwarranted, and in the light of Science unnecessary. Sorrow is self-mesmerism and self-pity. It is not wise to entertain it, and it is not scientific, and yet to exercise human will to suppress one’s will is also contrary to Science. Rather than shed tears, I would rather see one understand so clearly the unreality of the whole event that it would be unnecessary to express sorrow. When your realization of what Life is, and the fact that nothing has happened to it, and that nothing can, and that nothing has happened to any of the evidence of it, when you realize the spirituality of the universe in this way, then the person under this claim will go away absolutely free and happy, and in the right way, understanding the omnipotence of good and the unreality of the human aspects of life in matter.

Mrs. Young: “All is infinite Mind infinitely manifested.” This must be clearly seen. Christian Scientsts are willing to say that man is the manifestation of Mind, but are not willing to say that man is Mind manifested. Your friend comes to see you; you see him and hear him; you know he is there. In other words, he is manifested to you. You enjoy his visit, and then your friend takes his leave. Would you ever think of saying to your friend, “Goodbye, but please leave here your manifestation to keep me company.” The manifestation of your friend was simply your friend present and manifested, and so the manifestation of Mind is Mind present and manifested.

Beasts in Apocalypse: Mrs. Eddy in her chapter on the apocalypse in Science and Health, ,gives the essential thing about this. Study it. It will solve any doubt about many things. The fact is that nobody, so far as we know, can say what those things therein symbolize. Those who have tried to do it in a way, perhaps have been mistaken.

The “I” means one consciousness, and the Bible uses that expression to indicate Spirit, God, the only Mind there is. Mrs. Eddy defines it in terms that coincide with that in the Glossary “I AM. God; incorporeal and eternal Mind; divine Principle; the only Ego.” An important feature of human development and aspiration of today is involved here. The world is very much stirred and greatly concerned because of changes that are taking place in human consciousness. I read an article just recently by a philosopher, a very dear writer on the subject, but he said that the error that is fundamental to everything today, and has always been fundamental to all bad human experiences, is the ego. He spoke of the young people who rant about freedom, and getting rid of restraint, and rejection of discipline, and said it is nothing but a phase of ego; that every living creature manifested that. And then he said that the only system that would ever bring salvation to the race would be that which would deal with the ego. Christian Science is exactly that system. What he said was excellent so far as it went. As a matter of fact, we Christian Scientists are yielding up the false ego, or sense of personal materialism, because we have seen something that is the real ego, and we see that we cannot be separate from that reality. Then, as we begin to read the Bible in the light of that greater understanding, we see that everywhere. And so we may begin to read the Bible in a different way. Very often these expressions, — “I am the Lord,” or “I am your God,” become clearer when you insert a comma. The Lord said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM,” and Moses saw something. It was not a separate power talking to Moses. What happened was Moses’ thinking. In the realm where thought was awakening, it came clearly to him that the only I AM there is, is this infinite power called God. All you read that transpired there is only mental.. He did not go up onto any mount other than that of thought. “Get thee up into a high mountain” simply referred to his own consciousness. When you begin to interpret these symbolism, however, do not elevate the symbolism and lose the thing for which you use the symbols.

Some passages that are helpful: Psalm 50 — some of it. Isaiah 44:6 — “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

Jer. 23:23,24 — “Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

“Before Abraham was, I am.” — Jesus.

John 17:24 — “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

Rev. 1:18 — “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen.”

The only I AM there is, is Life for evermore, and Jesus revealed it to John, and nothing ever happened to it and nothing ever can. It is important for us to claim it. God’s admission to Moses, according to Moses’ perception, is that there is no one separate from the infinite One, so that our thought must rise to the thought of perceiving that and standing for it. It is most interesting and helpful to do this.

Read “Spirit and Law,” Miscellaneous Writings, 256.

One Ego indicates unmistakably that we are to have greater clarity of thinking and more absolute scientific revelation. There is no place where man can stop and say that he has arrived. “Infinite progression is concrete being.” His mission is that of endless progression, is conscious, endless unfoldment of divine power, and having attained something of that consciousness, he cannot afford at any time to come back and imagine or believe, because of what somebody says to him, that he must forsake that which he has gained. As one thinks more clearly according to the divine Mind, just in that measure it is the divine Mind. Get rid of that old belief concerning Jesus, that he came between or was the mediator between God and man, and observe, in the light of Christian Science, that he did remove all things that seemed to be between God and man, and showed that there could be no separation. Mrs. Eddy, in her revelation of Christian Science, makes it scientifically clear and demonstrable. It is demonstrable as it is understood. I AM THAT I AM is attained step by step.

Eventually Christian Scientists will be less afraid to think as God thinks, and will see as God sees. The fact is that the grandeur of your thinking is in keeping with the divine Mind. If the statements we make are in keeping with that Mind, then let that Mind be the only Mind, and let that I AM be the only I AM.

We are not to think about God, but to think as God; we are not to think about Mind, but to think as Mind. Let thought proceed from the infinite. Let your thought have its source there, its being there, and do not be afraid of that. No man is separate from God.

You discern something as light reveals objects to you. Instead of saying that heart keeps you alive, begin to see that you keep your heart alive. The only consciousness there is, is the only man there is. The thing that has been needed, and that need has been met very well indeed, is that we should work from the standpoint of Principle.

After all, you cannot do everything for people, and when you begin to practice Christian Science, you will see that you can treat people and that you can heal them, but you cannot live for them. They must think for themselves. You can do much for them, but that is their job. Part of the work is to get them to realize that. Get them to see that there is something they must undertake, and a great deal more can then be accomplished.

Let us undertake this mission with great confidence, and assume its responsibility by realizing that the government is on His shoulders. We do not have to do something humanly, we only have to know something to be as it really is. Happiness, joy, great peace, all that really we could desire, all that heaven means, will be found step by step, and is actually appearing in improved conditions, in better outward appearances, in better surroundings, in better everything that seems to be human existence, and it calms the atmosphere, but we do not make the demonstration by looking at things calmly; we find it accomplished in the measure that our thought is the “I AM THAT I AM.”




About the Author

Copied directly from original

May 1969 by dpb

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bicknell Young was an outstanding teacher and lecturer during the early years of the movement. Reading his papers is like sitting down and having a long talk with a very fine practitioner and teacher. As a rule, his papers are not focused on any special subject, but cover a wide range of information that answer many questions one has about Christian Science. Mr. Young was often very absolute in his teaching, and yet very practical in his insistence on our demonstrating this Science.

He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1856 — the youngest of eleven children. His father, Joseph Young, was a brother of Brigham Young, and his family was prominent in the Mormon Church.

As a boy, Bicknell Young was a brilliant student. He was also gifted with a beautiful voice and a natural talent for music. He studied voice and piano with the best teachers in Salt Lake City, before traveling abroad to study. In 1879, he was granted admission to the National School of Music and then the Royal College of Music, both in London, England. While at the Royal College, he met Elisa Mazzucato, a talented and cultured woman whose grandfather was Alberto Mazzucato, of Milan, Italy. Alberto was a composer and the director for many years of La Scala, the Conservatory of Music in Milan. During his tenure, La Scala became the center for gatherings of many young composers from all over Europe.

While studying piano in London, Elisa taught music and on occasion was an accompanist for the Swedish soprano, Jenny Lind. After Mr. Young completed his training, he and Elisa were married. They later had three sons.

Mr. Young’s career included concerts and operas. While in London he performed several times before the Prince of Wales. Reviews gave highest praise for his performances.

Mr. and Mrs. Young left England in 1885 to open a music school in Salt Lake City. They remained there for the next two years holding classes and giving concerts. The review of one of Mr. Young’s performances in The Salt Lake Tribune reports: “The house was awed to silence by his masterly rendition of this glorious piece of vocalization. His rich, resonant rounded notes came forth with a purity and sweetness and cadence that always bespeaks at once the greatness of the artist.”

The talents of Mr. and Mrs. Young brought unusual style and grace to Salt Lake City. But despite the adulation of the music patrons there, the couple moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and then, in 1890, to Chicago, Illinois. The Youngs were widely acclaimed as both teachers and performers. They held chairs at the Auborium Conservatory, and toured the country giving concerts.

Shortly after arriving in Chicago, Mr. Young became gravely ill. When the doctors were unable to help him, someone referred him to a Christian Science practitioner, and he was completely healed. As a result, Mr. and Mrs. Young took up the study of Christian Science. Although raised in the Mormon faith, Mr. Young separated himself from the church at an early age and claimed to be an agnostic until his healing in Christian Science.

The Youngs became members of First Church in Chicago, where Mr. Young was appointed soloist. When Second Church, Chicago, was organized they transferred their membership, and Mr. Young was elected First Reader. In 1895, the Youngs had Primary Class with Edward Kimball, and Mr. Young was

appointed Committee on Publication for Illinois. In 1901, they attended Mr. Kimball’s Normal Class and Mr. Young became a teacher. During the 1890s, his mother and many of his sisters and relatives were converted to Christian Science. His mother was a member of his first class.

In 1903, he was appointed to the Board of Lectureship. From then until 1928 Mr. Young lectured throughout the world, except for the three years when he was First Reader of The Mother Church (19171920). Mr. Young lectured in the Albert Hall in London to 9,900 people. He was the first lecturer to make a round-the-world tour.

In 1909 Mrs. Eddy requested the Youngs to take up residence in England, and they remained there for four years, visiting every church and society in the European Field. He returned briefly to Boston to teach the Normal Class of 1910. He resigned from the Lecture Board in 1927, but he was recalled four years later and served until 1936. In 1937 he again taught the Normal Class. At the time of his passing in 1938, he was known as the “Dean of Christian Science Teachers.”

Mr. Young’s tremendous work for the movement left a wealth of material in the form of class notes, Association Addresses, letters, and lectures. After leaving England, he sent a special paper to his students there to be read on their Association day held every year in London.

Always Mr. Young stresses the need to demonstrate Christian Science, and his works are especially helpful on how to do this. He usually covers a broad range of subjects in each paper.

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Love is the liberator.