Watching Point 235

235 — WATCH lest you forget that malicious animal magnetism is merely a name for the human mind chemicalizing under the touch of Truth, and seeking to retaliate in order to prevent its own destruction. Thus animal magnetism is always error on the way out; not on the way in. It is mortal mind in the throes of self-destruction, the wounded beast trying to strike back.

It is the mother in sweet cider, working, that causes it to turn to sour vinegar. As Mrs. Eddy reflected the motherhood of God, it caused the carnal mind to foam in hatred and bitterness, and to become sour and vicious. She denominated this phenomenon malicious animal magnetism, not because she wanted us to become afraid of it and so be its victims, but because she knew that we must be alert to this phenomenon in order to meet it.

Once she told a student to walk softly by a dog kennel. Her words were, “Do not shuffle by a bulldog’s den; tiptoe by.” Would it have been a lack of courage on our Leader’s part, had she done this herself? Was her reason for so doing metaphysical? Yes. She knew that she reflected so much Truth, that mortal mind was apt to chemicalize at any time. Where a mortal might pass a dog kennel safely, Mrs. Eddy had to watch. The effect of her thought was so powerful that even a dog would be moved to an unusual affection toward her, or a violent viciousness, and she could not tell in advance which it would be.