Address on Christian Science

by Gilbert C. Carpenter, Jr.
Committee on Publication for Rhode Island




Table of Contents




Introductory Note

During the winter of 1930-31, a group of students attending Pembroke College in Brown University, Providence, R. I., were studying a course in the Philosophy of Religion, taught by an ordained minister of the Gospel. When the class reached the subject of Christian Science, the teacher expressed conceptions which were so disturbing to a member of the class who was becoming interested in Christian Science, that she protested. The outcome was that the decision was made to call an authorized representative of the Christian Science Church to answer questions formulated by the class with the aid of the teacher. The Christian Science Committee on Publication for Rhode Island was approached and asked to do this work. The Christian Science Board of Directors in Boston, Massachusetts, kindly gave him the necessary permission, with the proviso that the answers be formulated and submitted for its revision and approval in advance. When the day appointed arrived, which was January 13, 1931, the College authorities put the general assembly hall at the disposal of the Committee, so that the giving of the address was made an event open to all of the students in the college as well as the public. The Committee was introduced to the audience in a very kindly way by the instructor through whom the address was made possible. Later the Committee showed the manuscript to the Editor of the NEWPORT COUNTY SENTINEL, who is a graduate of Brown University. The manner in which the subject was handled so impressed him, that he asked permission to print the address in full. It appeared February 5, 1931. The demand for copies was so great that this issue of the paper was soon exhausted, and it became necessary to reprint the address in pamphlet form.




Question I

Free Discussion

Why do Christian Scientists repudiate free discussions? What would happen to our universities if they did not have discussions?

This question evidently refers to Article X of the Church Manual of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, by Mary Baker Eddy, which reads, "A member of this Church shall not debate on Christian Science in public debating assemblies, without the consent of the Board of Directors." No one who understood the reason for this By-law would question the wisdom of it. For the purpose of illustration let us imagine a public debate being held in a desert with regard to a mirage that is plainly visible.

The arguments of one group are based on the fact that the mirage can be seen and hence it must be real; while those of the other side assert that, although the mirage is visible, it is not a reality, since what it outlines is merely an illusion.

Such a debate could not possibly bring any agreement, or unity of thought, since each side starts with an opposite premise — one accepting the evidence of the material senses, the other repudiating it as untrustworthy and unreal.

Public debates between those who accept the age of this world as determined by geology, and those who accept the words of Holy Writ on this subject literally, have only served to widen the breach between material science and scholastic theology.

No Christian Scientist will ever hesitate to discuss in the freest possible way the subject of Christian Science with an honest inquirer, nor will the Board of Directors refuse permission for a public debate on Christian Science when it is convinced that it would be productive of good results, because an open mind is to be the judge. But there is wisdom in the adage, “He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still.”

In colleges and universities discussions are a valuable adjunct in teaching, since they tend to throw more light on any given subject. The reason for this is that those who take part have diverse opinions regarding the same topic, which may be harmonized by bringing out all the points of difference. The difficulty in discussing the subject of Christian Science, however, is illustrated by the parable of Dives and Lazarus. The Bible tells us that when Lazarus had attained a spiritual standpoint of thought, there was an impassable gulf between himself and Dives, because Dives represented a material basis of thought.

Christian Scientists do not repudiate free discussions of their religion, but when an opportunity arises, they seek the consent of the Board of Directors, whose greater knowledge and experience enables it to determine whether the holding of such a public debate will result in needless controversy, or in bringing light on the subject of Christian Science to those who desire it.




Question II

The Process of Healing

What is the process of healing and what causes the cures?

Let it be understood at the outset that anyone who possesses a correct knowledge of Christian Science necessarily gained it from the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy. Therefore, anyone desiring such a knowledge must gain it from this same source. Although it may not be apparent from a casual reading, the fact is that this book does contain the answers to all questions concerning Christian Science. Whatever answers are given in this address are based on Mrs. Eddy's teachings, which in turn are based on the Bible and the doctrines of the Master.

One of the most difficult parts of Christian Science for the public to grasp is embodied in the absolute statements made by Mrs. Eddy in Science and Health to the effect that Mind is All, and there is no matter; that good is All, and there is no evil; that man, as the reflection of God, is perfect, eternal, harmonious, and in reality is now in the kingdom of heaven, despite all material evidence to the contrary.

Entirely apart from any discussion as to the truth of these statements, let it be said that in actual practice they constitute the weapons of the Christian Scientist in accordance with the statement of St. Paul, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." These declarations assert the complete perfection of God and His reflection, man, and are not carnal because they do not take mortal existence into consideration. Their use may be understood to some extent by an illustration.

Many years ago at Cornell University, one of the professors had a class difficult to work with because of the persistent dishonesty, or cribbing. Later this class was put under the care of another teacher, with the hope that he might remedy the situation. It was then discovered that the former instructor assumed at the outset of his effort that the boys were dishonest by nature. In spite of all precautions, the professor found that in practice his assumption was proven true.

The second professor admitted the evidence of dishonesty, but started in with the assumption of the boys' inherent honesty, with the hope that this attitude on his part would cause the underlying honesty of his scholars to become manifest. He was an advocate of the honor system, and it is significant to record that under his tutelage the standard of honesty markedly increased, until the class approximated his high ideal.

One might say that the assumption of the boys' innate honesty by the latter professor, was the weapon of his warfare against dishonesty, and that in a measure he illustrated the practical application of Mrs. Eddy's absolute statements of Christian Science in their relation to healing the sick. The demonstrator of Christian Science takes as his ideal, the perfect man of God's creating, spiritual, harmonious, and eternal — an ideal which does not agree with the material testimony regarding man. Hence, first it must be held and established in thought. This perfect ideal constitutes the weapons of the student's warfare against evil and disease.

The professor, by holding in thought a conception of his pupils as honest by nature, caused them to approach his ideal. In like manner, the student of Christian Science, by holding man in thought as spiritual and perfect, puts into operation a power that serves to improve the physical and moral status of his patient, until finally the disease disappears.

This illustration of how the healing work in Christian Science is done, is based on the generally unrecognized belief that the human mind governs the body. Yet, this would not raise the ministry of Christian Science above the level of what is termed mind-cure, or mental suggestion, were it not for the fact that Christian Science unfolds that no true healing can be brought about by the human mind, since through its sickly thinking it is the cause of disease. To bring out a true healing, this human mind must be replaced by something greater, more intelligent, more real and less limited, that has a greater embodiment of truth, than the so-called human mind ever could be, or have, under its best development and education. This must be the divine or infinite Mind which is God, and which the true man reflects. Hence, it is the divine Mind alone that restores health.

Therefore, the Cornell professor who took a stand against the testimony of the material senses with regard to the honesty of his pupils, pointed to an important lesson in metaphysics, which declares that the real man is pure at his source. To a limited extent he followed out the injunction of the Master, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." The "I" in the case of the professor was the ideal which held his pupils as fundamentally honest, and as capable of freeing themselves from the earthly evidence of dishonesty, when put on their honor. The correctness of this method was demonstrated by the outward results which followed, namely, the lifting up of the whole class to his higher ideal.

Similarly, when the Christian Science practitioner takes his stand against sense testimony, and strives to realize the innate perfection of man because he is fundamentally spiritual, the healing which follows is the proof of the spiritual rightness of this process of healing disease, as well as of its being that which the Master employed nineteen centuries ago. As Mrs. Eddy writes on pages 476 and 477 of Science and Health, "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick."




Question III

Jews and Christian Science

Can Jews be Christian Scientists?

Christian Science is founded on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ, who was a Jew. Yet no Jew would accept Christian Science so long as he held the Master to have been an impostor, because of questionable character or parentage.

Many orthodox Jews have had their misconceptions of the Master corrected, and have become ardent Christian Scientists. Christian Science is a scientific knowledge of the Christ. It presents not only an understanding of God, which restores man to his rightful relationship as a son and heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ, but also a proper appreciation of the fallacy of evil, and so of man's control over it as a false belief. Once this is perceived, it will be realized that there is no person of whatever creed, color, or mentality, who might not eventually attain this Christian Science, or knowledge of Truth.




Question IV

The Mental and the Physical

How is it possible to say that everything is mental and at the same time admit the physical?

It is a common experience of man to see objects and people in his dreams. Although they seem very real to him, yet it is accepted as a fact that they are as mental as the thought that produces them. Let us consider, in comparison with the spiritual realities of existence, that this so-called human sense of life is a dream. Would not this supposition carry with it the implication that what is called the physical universe, is merely an outward expression of what Christian Science terms mortal mind, and hence, in the last analysis it must be mental?

On page 114 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes, "Christian Science explains all cause and effect as mental, not physical. . . . Science shows that what is termed matter is but the subjective state of what is termed by the author mortal mind."

The flickering shadows on the screen in what we call the cinema, are but the outward expression of the film that is passing through the projector; yet it is customary to call both the seen and the unseen by the name moving pictures. The outward is but the resultant of the inward. Thus Christian Science classifies the physical as mental in reality, as if mind were to be classified as both cause and effect, as having two strata, one more ethereal and unseen, the other more gross, more inactive and visible.

Having made this explanation, however, Christian Science hastens to state that the divine Mind is the only real Mind, and that the old, false sense of mind must be relinquished for the true, divine sense. In proportion as this is done, it will be found that the divine Mind is expressed in forms that are as real, tangible, and visible to man's spiritual senses, as is this material universe to man's physical senses, although the underlying spiritual cause remains unseen.

At this point it must be stated that Christian Science does not teach that there are two existences, one material and imperfect and the other spiritual and perfect, but one alone — the perfect expression of the perfect Mind, God.

A humble illustration will serve to clarify this point. Let us consider a beautiful painting which seems a daub to a certain young man who is entirely ignorant of art. After he has completed a course of instruction in the art of painting, he returns to see the same picture. This time, however, he can appreciate it and see the great beauty in it, not because the painting has changed, but because his ignorance of art has been replaced by understanding. Reasoning tells us that the daub never had any real existence. It was merely the way the painting appeared to the man, viewed from his standpoint of ignorance.

This corresponds with the assertion of Christian Science that this daub, or materiality in the world, does not really exist. What seems to be a material universe is the spiritual universe viewed from a finite standpoint, seen by man whose thought is so darkened through mesmerism, that everything is distorted and reversed.

From this explanation it follows that what is needed is a spiritual education or enlightenment, that will enable man to perceive and appreciate the beauty, the immortality, the permanence, and the perfection that the great artist, God, has put into His creation, including man and the universe; but which, from the point of view of mortal ignorance, appears to be imperfect, material, and finite. Through this process of spiritualization, God's perfect universe will appear to man.




Question V

Testimony of the Senses

Given that your faculties testify to the existence of the spiritual and the material, how can you disbelieve in them when they testify to the material existence and believe these same faculties when they testify to the spiritual existence?

At no place in her writings does Mrs. Eddy state that man's faculties testify to the existence of both the spiritual and the material. Such a proposition is as unthinkable as a fountain sending forth both sweet water and bitter, or as a fig tree bearing olive berries, as is stated in the Bible.

Christian Science unfolds that the five material senses give man no evidence of the existence of a spiritual world. Therefore, a man who will accept no other testimony than that which comes to him through his physical senses, can never be anything but a materialist. How is it possible to argue with such a man concerning the existence of a spiritual world with any convincing effect, any more than it would be possible to argue with a savage in equatorial Africa, and convince him that the atmosphere which surrounds the earth's surface teems with radio waves, which carry music and voices all over the globe? Yet, with a radio receiving set, you can give the savage positive proof of this fact in a few moments.

In like manner, if the non-believer can be encouraged to accept on faith that part of the teachings of Christian Science which relates to the development of man's spiritual senses, and to apply it to the point where he himself is able, at least to some degree, to receive an influx of the wisdom which comes from God, the eternal Mind, then such a man will be convinced that there does exist a universe which is spiritual and perfect, here and now, although not palpable to the material senses.

Christian Science founds its teachings — that man does not need to die in order to attain this reality of existence — on the Bible record which describes how, when John had sufficiently released his spiritual senses which were opposite to his material senses, he saw a new heaven and a new earth. He had not yet passed through the experience called death. Hence, this new vision was merely a correct conception of the old heaven and earth, which had passed away because John saw through faculties which bore no testimony to any material sense of existence.




Question VI

Birth, Death, and Marriage

Do not the acts of birth and death and marriage prove that Christian Science is a theoretical religion, and is actually replaced in practice by a dualistic religion? For example: Why say there is no food when we all eat?

In answering this question, let us take as an illustration the case of a child, born of refined parents, who give it the best of human inheritance. It is kidnapped and raised by a family whose manners, morals, and conversation are coarse. Although we will assume that the child believes that it belongs to this latter family, is it not possible to conceive that the fine inheritance might remain as an impulse in the child, though faint, and might become an inspiration helping to lead it out of the squalor in which it finds itself, to better morals and manners, to more refinement in thought and conversation, that is, provided the weight of the evidence of the senses did not overwhelm and discourage the child? History records such cases, where men and women have risen out of a lower environment into splendid development and achievement.

This illustration does not indicate a dual existence for this child, in the sense that it is both a child of the slums and of high parentage. The child merely happens to grow up in sordid surroundings in which it does not rightfully belong. The necessity for yielding temporarily to the demands of its pseudo-parents, does not necessarily prevent it from striving to better itself in thought — an effort which would eventually express itself in an improved outward condition. It would be possible for the child to yield outwardly to the demands of the family, while inwardly it anticipated a status to which it had not yet attained, but might attain in time.

Because Christian Scientists "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's," that does not make their religion theoretical, nor their practice of it dualism. If a man was in jail, the question as to whether it would be necessary for him to learn the laws which pertain only to free citizens, would depend entirely upon whether he were in jail for life, or only for a short term. Evidently Jesus considered this bondage of mortality, in which man finds himself, to be of finite duration. He declared himself to be under the law of God, and showed forth the vital necessity of man's becoming acquainted with spiritual law, advocating the above-quoted statement as not being inconsistent with his teachings. His rendering unto Caesar, however, was only outward, while his submission to divine law was inward.

Is it not a logical premise to state that the source of all action is to be found in thought, and, therefore, if man thinks right, he will be right and act right? Christian Science is a religion that encourages and teaches spiritual right thinking as the only way to consistent right action. It proves that all other seeming right action — action used as a cloak to hide inward error — is inconsistent and deceptive.

One of the important differences between Christian Science and scholastic theology is to be found in the following point: old theology holds that man starts from beneath, but that he may work out his own salvation, if he conforms his acts to certain standards of ethics and morality. Christian Science reveals that man is from above and has his origin in Mind, or God; and that through this realization man will eventually return to the apprehension of his true selfhood, even as in the Biblical parable, the prodigal finally returned to his father’s house. The keynote of his return is found in the statement, “when he came to himself,” or when he realized who he really was.

This realization is the acme of right thinking which leads man to the recognition of God as his Father. It shows what man, as God's offspring, or reflection, must be. Any doctrine or religion which brings to man this fact of being must be a knowledge of Truth, and, as has been stated before, a scientific knowledge of Truth is only another name for Christian Science.

On page 461 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes, "I do not maintain that anyone can exist in the flesh without food and raiment; but I do believe that the real man is immortal and that he lives in Spirit, not matter." Jesus said, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on." He also quoted from the Old Testament, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Thus, while it may be necessary for mortal man to eat material food while he is in the flesh, yet Christian Science maintains that it is the more important task to endeavor to feed and develop the spiritual nature or selfhood in man. Certainly, in the above statements, Jesus draws our attention to the necessity for a greater effort on man's part to meet the needs of this spiritual nature, than to attempt to satisfy the demands of his so-called material nature. Finally, it must be said that this effort by man to supply the needs of both his spiritual and material nature, is not dualism, since in reality this material nature is not man — the man of God's creating — nor is it any part of him, and it will be laid aside as an old garment as soon as man, through his understanding of the true man and his relation to God, ceases to accept the false belief that he Is mortal; he will then be sustained spiritually.




Question VII

Malicious Animal Magnetism

Explain malicious animal magnetism in Christian Science. If it has been dropped, why? Was it ever true? If it is true, why was it dropped? If it was not true, why was it included?

One difficulty in presenting the subject of animal magnetism lies in the fact that so many investigators, outside of Christian Science, have written extensively on the subject. Many of these writers either have been fascinated by the fear which it aroused in themselves, or they have taken a certain morbid pleasure in endeavoring to frighten their readers. In his book, Mary Baker Eddy, Lyman P. Powell states that in the Boston Public Library there are over one hundred books on this subject, of which number seventy-seven bear dates previous to 1870, which was five years before Science and Health was written.

Most of these writers leave the impression that animal magnetism is something fascinatingly or dangerously real, and they offer no intelligent explanation of how to overcome it, nor do they apparently even consider the question of its being overcome.

In contrast to this, Mrs. Eddy deals with it understandingly, by pointing out its unreality, and thereby enables man to reduce it to its native nothingness. Her purpose in uncovering this phase of opposition to Truth is merely to call attention to what should be destroyed. She shows that, in its last analysis, evil is powerless when opposed promptly and persistently by Truth, because Truth acknowledges and admits of no opposite.

The teachings of what animal magnetism is and of how it may be destroyed, have not been dropped from Christian Science, nor will they ever be. There is no way whereby the following explanation from page 103 of Science and Health can ever be abrogated, "As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind. It is the false belief that mind is in matter, and is both evil and good; that evil is as real as good and more powerful. This belief has not one quality of Truth. It is either ignorant or malicious."

Critics of Mrs. Eddy have assailed her on this point as much as on any other of her teachings. Yet it is not surprising that the layman should fail to comprehend this teaching when some of her own students found it difficult to understand. Among her earliest students was one who wrote of animal magnetism, "This was Mrs. Eddy's 'bête noire,' and it was apparently more to be feared than sickness, sin and death, and was capable of producing either or all of these, unless it could be overcome by Christian Science."

First of all, let it be said that in summing up all of the enemies of man's spiritual growth under the term animal magnetism, Mrs. Eddy defines these enemies in such a way that man is awakened to see the error as impersonal. It is similar to hard times. When a man recognizes that his own lack is merely an individual expression of a nation-wide condition, then he forgets his own suffering in an effort to help the country as a whole. So Mrs. Eddy sets forth animal magnetism in such a way that it makes man's motive for attacking it much more impersonal and imperative. He recognizes that the warfare must be waged impersonally. He must strike at the claim, thereby freeing the channel through which the claim is being put into activity. Such an endeavor proves the truth of Mrs. Eddy's statement on page 103 of Science and Health, "The destruction of the claims of mortal mind through Science, by which man can escape from sin and mortality, blesses the whole human family."

Mrs. Eddy also reveals that animal magnetism is not a personal enemy of man, although that suggestion seems to be true. Animal magnetism is the enemy of Truth, or God, and assails man because of the Truth he reflects. It is like a bull chasing a frightened man. He fancies that the animal is his enemy until he discovers that what incited it to the chase was something he was wearing that was red. So man finds himself confronted with the claim of animal magnetism because he has pledged himself to uphold the standard of Truth. This illustration, however, is not intended to imply that Christian Science teaches that animal magnetism is aught but an illusion, that loses its seeming power in proportion as man understands its claims.

Christian Science defines God as Mind, or Spirit. Therefore, man must approach Him through his thinking. From this it follows that animal magnetism must be the enemy of man's effort to reflect God, and the only offence against God can occur when man permits error to prevent him from reflecting the divine Mind. On page 8 of Miscellaneous Writings, Mrs. Eddy writes, "Simply count your enemy to be that which defiles, defaces, and dethrones the Christ-image that you should reflect."

Part of Mrs. Eddy's discovery was the fact that in each individual there exists a latent desire for Truth and Love, a longing for that which will bring eternal happiness and satisfaction. In seeking to discover what interfered with the right recognition and releasing of this spiritual yearning in man, Mrs. Eddy uncovered deterrents which included phases of experience which are commonly considered to be more or less harmless, things of such a simple nature that the tendency would be to overlook or to endure them, — the little frictions, the unkindnesses, the irritations, the distractions of man's ordinary human life, the demands to which man yields so thoughtlessly because habit has blinded his perception. Early in her experience Mrs. Eddy felt and recognized the opposition of animal magnetism to Truth operating through the little annoyances and contacts of daily routine. Therefore, when Truth prompted her to name all that opposes the development of man's spiritual being, malicious, ignorant, or fraudulent animal magnetism, she saw the need of stressing the fact that this classification includes the little things as well as the big, because she saw the danger and possibility of students overlooking them if she did not include them.

How many times a faithful student in college is tempted to believe that all the petty distractions and interruptions of college life are a malicious conspiracy to make constructive studying impossible! Why malign Mrs. Eddy or students of Christian Science today, for calling by the name animal magnetism, all thought-disturbing experiences, in their struggle to combat them? Mrs. Eddy well knew that the tendency of man is to look for some great enemy to fight, in his spiritual warfare. So she adopted a term that would help to call the attention of students to what most people would consider insignificant, a term that would put everything that comes under the classification of being a deterrent to spiritual growth, into one basket of equality, lest the world's conception of what is important or unimportant, tempt the student to leave the greater part of his work undone.

Yet the fact that Mrs. Eddy has included in her classification some of the deterrents which are often overlooked and neglected, should not frighten the earnest student, especially since she gives a simple method whereby we may handle these bugbears and render them harmless.

If a gardener was training an assistant to do his work, one might fancy him as saying, when introducing the newcomer to his tasks, "Do you see this innocent-looking worm? Well, let me warn you to watch out for him. He digs down and cuts off the roots of some of the finest plants; while here is a little mite which eats the green leaves, which you should destroy. Then this tiny weed will choke the plants if you permit it to grow unmolested."

This would not be a process of magnifying danger and arousing fear. It would merely be designed to open the eyes of the neophyte to what he did not appreciate, in order that he might do his work successfully. When the gardener calls the harmless-looking worm a root-cutter, he does not intend to frighten his assistant, any more than the student of Christian Science is endeavouring to arouse fear when he calls an accident the result of animal magnetism — the term meaning in this case that condition of being out of tune with God which results in human thinking. Every Christian Scientist can tell of experiences which give irrefutable proof that by keeping his thought scientifically right he has avoided what might have been an accident.

It will mean a great increase in spiritual growth for the world, as it comes to appreciate the wonderful thing which Mrs. Eddy has done, by summing up all the phases of thought which attempt to interfere with man's spiritual growth, and classifying them as animal magnetism, or something to be overcome mentally. In so doing, she has unfolded to man just what his enemies really are, and has set forth a concrete knowledge of just what must be overcome before the problem of life can be solved.

When the United States entered the World War, it was found that there was a wide-spread belief that the Germans did not constitute a very formidable foe in comparison with the strength of the allies. Furthermore, the prospect of killing their fellow-beings did not appeal to many peace-loving Americans, who were suddenly called upon to fight for the first time. Something had to be done to induce the Americans to fight whole-heartedly. To meet the emergency an effective campaign of propaganda was inaugurated by the newspapers with the purpose of making the German soldiers appear to be veritable inhuman monsters. This so incited our army that they willingly went to war, with a determination to win at any cost. After the conflict was over, it was established that the Germans were not inhuman monsters. Yet, if some such method of arousing the fighting spirit of our men had not been utilized, we might find ourselves at this moment under the system of Kultur, which would mean the end of the freedom on which this country was founded.

In a measure this illustrates the difficulty confronting Mrs. Eddy: She recognized the enemy, but she found it a difficult task to convince students that, hiding behind what is called natural law and mortal thinking, is a definite opposition to spiritual progress. She perceived that, unless students could be awakened to the point where they realized the necessity for fighting and mastering this claim, they would find their spiritual efforts overwhelmed and rendered abortive.

Although part of what Mrs. Eddy named animal magnetism may seem to her critics either a harmless or a nonexistent thing, when once the true danger was brought to light, or felt by such a one, he would never deny the devastating effects of animal magnetism unconquered. The reason animal magnetism is so misunderstood is because, as a problem to be solved, it touches only those who are endeavouring to reflect God. Hence, those not making such an endeavour cannot understand what the spiritual worker is confronted with, when he claims to feel a definite opposition to his spiritual efforts.

In the story of Ulysses and the successful plan whereby he was able to outwit the beautiful sirens, he must have realized in advance the magnetic drawing which he would feel, in listening to their seductive singing, which might tend to turn him aside from his goal. Therefore, he ordered his sailors to bind him and to put wax in their ears. In this way, through his knowledge and foresight, he sailed safely by.

Many a man has been temporarily side-tracked in his effort to attain his heavenly salvation, by yielding to the allurement of seemingly innocent human pleasure, because he had not the insight to recognize its stultifying effect upon his heavenly aspirations. A right understanding of animal magnetism as taught in Christian Science would forestall such a mishap.

In reading of Gulliver's visit to the land of the Lilliputians, or the little people, as written by Jonathan Swift, one can imagine the scorn and ridicule with which Gulliver would have met any attempt to convince him of the danger that lay in the ropes of these people, which to him were merely like silken threads. Nevertheless, while he was asleep and off guard, they bound him so securely that he could not move.

When Mrs. Eddy endeavoured to arouse the world to the dangers resident in the baneful influence of animal magnetism, she did not intend to arouse fear of some terrible power opposed to God, but to call upon students to keep awake mentally and spiritually, well knowing that when the student is awake to this influence, he is in no danger from it — even though it is evil in its effect when it is neglected and not overcome.

At one time the mosquito was a disagreeable pest in Panama. No organized effort to remedy the situation was made, however, until the medical profession agreed that this insect was a germ-carrier. The new name aroused thought to such an extent, that at once there was inaugurated a wide-spread and successful campaign to combat the pest.

Through reason and revelation Mrs. Eddy discovered that the chief agents for the action of animal magnetism in its deterring influence, are to be found in the common experiences of daily life with which we are all familiar, and which tend to distract man's thought from the effort and desire to improve spiritually. She found that the greatest subduing power animal magnetism has over man comes through those simple, human demands which carry no noticeable punishment, and hence, which are the last things in the world man would think of as agents for the devil. She learned that the reason animal magnetism flourishes is because man is ignorant of it, and of the true nature of its effects upon his hope of heaven. She discovered that animal magnetism can never operate directly, and so must always find a channel or agent. The less the channel is suspected of being such an agent, the greater is the deception. Animal magnetism is like false gossip, that requires support by being believed in and circulated in order to exist. In fact, in Christian Science man is required to relinquish all belief in animal magnetism as a reality. Hence, no student talks or thinks about it except as it may be necessary to expose its false claims and uncover its subtle methods — methods whereby that which is spurious succeeds in getting itself accepted as something not only genuine but of divine origin.

In spite of the calumny heaped upon her as a result, Mrs. Eddy took the commonest phases of man's experiences — those which produce irritation, depression, fear, as well as those which bring apathy, satisfaction, self-righteousness and so impressed students of Christian Science with the action of animal magnetism operating in the dark as the enemy of spiritual good, that today there is being made a successful effort by Christian Scientists everywhere to combat this influence — an influence which Mrs. Eddy called malicious because it would if possible kill the germ of spiritual inspiration, whenever and wherever it appears.

This new name which Mrs. Eddy gave to evil operating as a subtle deterrent has so aroused Christian Scientists that they see the necessity, not to submit themselves to it, not to fear it, but to overcome it, and so they are finding themselves freer and freer from those contacts and demands which, if unopposed, would keep them in a state of either irritation, depression, or apathy, a large portion of the time. This absence of deterring mental suggestion in the minds of Christian Scientists, because they have been successful in overcoming much of the influence of animal magnetism, accounts not only for their spiritual growth, but also for the reputation which they enjoy of being such a happy people.

With her spiritual insight Mrs. Eddy detected that no matter what its manifestation may be, great or small, error or animal magnetism is always the same as cause, namely, man's belief in it. When a man sees a large manifestation of evil, he logically surmises that the cause back of it must be large. When he sees an insignificant manifestation, he concludes that the cause must be minute. A right perception, however, unfolds that the fact that error as cause is always the same, a false belief, and, no matter how great Goliath may seem to be, the stone of spiritual completeness or the "grain of Christian Science" — the recognition of the allness of God and the nothingness of any power apart from Him — is all that is needed to vanquish it. With this recognition comes man's determination never to neglect any manifestation of error, no matter how small it may seem, since the error back of it is the same as that back of the greatest Goliath.

The attitude of Christian Science towards the evils embraced in the term animal magnetism, may be illustrated by the safety-match. If the match box does not present its sand-paper to the match, the match is not a dangerous thing. By the same token, the mental attitude of the Christian Scientist is giving evil no power and of making nothing of it, whether it presents itself in the guise of human evil or human good, is the effort to present no rough surface, or belief in evil, upon which the claim of animal magnetism may ignite and flare up into a semblance of reality. It is the endeavour to attain that spiritual altitude which the Master had established, when he said, ... "for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me."

The dictionary defines magnetism as the power of attraction, and animal as pertaining to the belief that man is entirely fleshly or human. There is a saying, "love is blind." This is commonly interpreted to mean that where a mutual attraction exists between two human beings, there is also an inability to see any faults in each other. Thus animal magnetism might be defined as that state of mental blindness, where man is under the mesmerism of mortal thinking which causes him to be attracted toward the human, toward matter, toward a finite sense of man and existence, so that he is incapable of discerning properly the spurious nature of a human sense of man, or of seeing the necessity for recourse to the divine in order to bring about the destruction of this finite, human sense.

Mrs. Eddy's spiritual perception enabled her to see what a serious thing this state of mental blindness is, how it deceives man into clinging to certain phases of the human under the delusion that they are spiritual and good, and how it prevents man from making the right effort to eliminate this warped sense, in order to see aright. If a man was planning to be absent from his home over a long period of time, common sense would tell him to throw away every bit of food that might possibly decompose in his absence, even though at the time of his departure, much of it might be edible and attractive. In accordance with this illustration Mrs. Eddy was guided to label everything which does not proceed from the divine source, as the effect of animal magnetism. Her spiritual insight perceived, that no matter how good any of the products of mortal mind might seem to be, the finite nature of their source marked them as evil. This teaching is intended to awaken thought to the true nature of the finite, thus causing man to apply the painless and bloodless process of destruction which Christian Science unfolds, namely, the effort to make nothing of everything that claims an existence apart from God. Mrs. Eddy recognized that without this spiritual insight into mortal mind hiding behind a cloak of false goodness and desirability, man would continue to be held in mortal bondage much as the child, whose hand was caught in a silver sugar bowl, because it was holding fast to a handful of sugar. When the child let go of the sugar, it was free. Thus it can be understood why the great body of Christian Scientists feel such gratitude to their leader, because she has helped them to open their eyes to perceive the true nature of that which, because of their mortal ignorance, they were clinging to with tenacity. Through this teaching of Christian Science their eventual freedom is assured.

Merely because a beautiful atomizer is designed to spray a delicious perfume, that should not cause man blindly to accept such atomizers when they are offered to him, on the assumption that what they contain is perfume. How does he know but what an enemy has filled them with sulphuric acid? So Mrs. Eddy's teaching in regard to animal magnetism is a plea to humanity not to accept blindly the testimony of the senses as regards outward effect, but to trace back to cause and correct it. In that effort lies the only possible protection and salvation for man. It might be stated as a rule of Christian Science that no Christian Scientist accepts effect without tracing back to cause.

If one finds it difficult to comprehend Mrs. Eddy's teachings which portray animal magnetism as operating through the evidence of the material senses in all its ramifications, and which instruct students, therefore, to deny such evidence, let such a one recall instances where feminine intuition, sensing an impure thought back of some exquisite gift, has led to the denial of the gift.

There is a story of some college students who took the body of a beetle and the wings of a butterfly, and very carefully attached them. They took this unnatural product to their entomology professor and asked him what kind of a bug it was. With a twinkle in his eyes he replied, "a humbug."

In closing this answer on animal magnetism, let me say that any student who will study the teachings of Christian Science, and use them to analyze the claims of animal magnetism, its origin, its fraudulent nature, will discover that it is a humbug, something designed to fool man into accepting human existence at its face value. Its operation, its influence, its deceptive hypnotism, only affects those who are ignorant of it, and who do not know how to utilize spiritual understanding in order to find out what it really is, namely, an imposition of power foisted upon humanity in the name of law, deceiving those who know not that God is the only power.

Mrs. Eddy selected the term animal magnetism in order to arouse the world to see the importance of overcoming phases of thought which mankind has been taught to consider harmless. She saw how necessary it was for the spiritual pilgrim to understand that a lack of spiritual demonstration is not a negative, harmless omission, but results in leaving the enemy of God in control — the sting of sin and death. The Discoverer of Christian Science perceived that animal magnetism in its most subtle form tended to produce mental inactivity, just as the hypnotizer begins his operations on his victim through a soothing attempt to cause him to think of nothing. It is a fact that an active thought cannot be hypnotized. In like manner, the influence of animal magnetism, in its effort to stultify man's heavenward progress, is rendered powerless and abortive through a mental activity that is reaching out for the reflection of the divine Mind. Mrs. Eddy's watchword was BE ACTIVE. She knew that only through activity does man approach and appropriate spiritual power. How much more scientific is a thought that is active and forges ahead, even though it makes mistakes, than one in which fear causes one to struggle so hard not to do anything wrong, that he or she becomes mentally negative ripe for the entrance of the domination of animal magnetism!

Critics may scoff at Mary Baker Eddy for her use of the term animal magnetism to designate what to them seems a mythical influence; they may accuse her of being afraid of such an influence herself, to the extent of overemphasizing it and thereby giving humanity a new devil, when it was already overburdened with devils of all sorts; they may assert that she was the victim of a fear of insignificant things which others would either laugh at or ignore. The fact remains, however, that Mrs. Eddy did an intelligent thing; she did a divinely wise thing, one which was entirely consistent with her teachings that God is All; she did a brave thing, which God led her to do, but for which she paid a bitter price at the hands of scoffers, by giving to the world this explanation of animal magnetism, and of man's failure to understand and to handle it as being the reason for the spiritual deadness which has so long held humanity. Mrs. Eddy never complained when she was reviled and persecuted, because she had her reward in the knowledge that through her teachings, countless numbers of earnest men and women were learning how to free the spiritual nature in themselves, bound in belief, and how to keep it free to go to the Father. For this teaching they render the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science endless gratitude.




Question VIII

The Existence of Evil

How can we say that all is good and yet admit the existence of an evil power? Does it not admit its existence to take it into consideration at all?

There is a story told of a band of sailors who were shipwrecked on a tropical island. Believing that the natives were cannibals, the white men were in terror over the possibility of losing their lives. For many weeks they lived a wretched existence. The natives made friendly advances, but the sailors interpreted these advances only as tricks to capture them. When in sheer desperation they finally surrendered themselves, they discovered to their astonishment that the natives were kind and friendly. Thus they saw that their weary weeks of fear and hardship had been needless.

The admission of any power opposed to God, would destroy the whole fabric of any religion which was founded on the premise that a good God, incapable of knowing or causing evil, made all that was made. Christian Science does not admit the existence of an evil power, but it does take into consideration the fact that the belief in the existence of such a power dominates the thoughts of mankind, and that this belief and fear manifests itself in the lives of mortals in all the phases of suffering, lack, discord, sin, sickness, and death.

It is evident that what these white men believed had no power to change the fact that these natives were not cannibals. Yet, through their false belief, these sailors endured a suffering and fear which a correction of this false belief would have made unnecessary. Before the friendly nature of these negroes could be understood and appreciated, the error of believing that they were cannibals would have to be destroyed in the minds of the castaways. Surely, such a fixed illusion would have to be taken into consideration as a belief, before it could be exploded by the truth.

In like manner, in order to bring its teachings down to the level of mortal man's comprehension, Christian Science must discuss certain unrealities as if they were real, in order that the world may know what it is talking about. In doing so it is forced to use an imperfect terminology. As Mrs. Eddy writes on page 349 of Science and Health, "The chief difficulty in conveying the teachings of divine Science accurately to human thought lies in this, that like all other languages, English is inadequate to the expression of spiritual conceptions and propositions, because one is obliged to use material terms in dealing with spiritual ideas."

Thus Christian Science traces all the evidence of evil in the world to mortal mind. Then it shows that there are not two minds, the Mind of God and mortal mind, but one alone — the divine Mind. Next, it teaches that it is man's ignorance of the Mind of God, his opposition and resistance to it, as well as his interference with it, that produces in belief the phenomena which man calls evil. Finally, it unfolds the fact that to believe that there is a universal acceptance of the falsity called mortality is the individual temptation which man has to combat. The tremendous importance of this knowledge lies in the fact that, when man learns that he is not battling against fixed forces of evil, against an enemy of God, but discovers that the correction of the whole trouble lies within himself, in overcoming his false acceptance of the universal, mistaken and limited beliefs concerning God and man, this gives him both courage and understanding to meet the problem of life, and to ascertain in what way he has failed rightly to comprehend God, to utilize His Mind, and to be an uninterrupted channel for the action of His power, which, when not resisted, blesses humanity and lifts the individual into sonship with the Father.




Question IX

Healing All Manner of Disease

If Christian Science is true, then it will be successful in healing all kinds of disease. If it fails to heal any one kind of disease then it is not true. A theory in order to be true, must not fail when put to the most crucial test. Then how about cases of accident or amputation?

The premise of this question is correct. Christian Science would not be true if it were unable to heal all forms of disease, or to correct the result of wrong thinking in any direction, through scientific right thinking. However, it must be taken into consideration that we have to deal with the so-called human mind, even though it exists only in belief. This human mind in belief operates on the individual much as the hypnotizer controls his victim. While the latter is in the state of hypnosis, he is no better than a puppet entirely animated by the one who manipulates the strings. This brings up the interesting question whether sin is not yielding to the domination of mortal mind, rather than being what man does under such domination.

It is a fact that accompanying the beginnings of such mesmeric control is the suggestion that such a yielding is desirable and will be productive of happiness. Thus, as long as this delusion of satisfaction remains, the victim is not receptive to the possibility of being released.

The Bible indicates that, in his brief ministry, Jesus healed all manner of disease, but that he did not heal all manner of people. It states that in his own country, ... "he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:58.

The healing of all manner of disease through the power of the divine Mind is always rapid, and would be accomplished invariably in a short time but for these mental qualities of unbelief, hardness of heart, apathy and satisfaction. That which delays the healing in Christian Science is never the disease, because so-called incurable difficulties yield as readily to the healing ministry of Christian Science, as purely functional disorders: Since all disease is a state of mesmerism, whatever will break the spell will vanquish the disease, no matter what form it may take.

Jesus' purpose in healing the sick was to prove the truth of those spiritual precepts which he left to humanity as a guide to eternal Life. Therefore he did not have time to apply his healing power to the task of working with a patient who was not ready to be released. He applied it to those who his spiritual insight told him were already mentally receptive.

Those who are following the Master's footsteps today, endeavouring to heal the sick through the power of Truth, find that where the healing of disease is delayed, much of the effort needed is in instructing the mind of the patient, in order that the mesmerism, which shows itself in hardness of heart, unbelief, apathy, and satisfaction, may be broken, and a joyous acceptance of Truth may take its place.

It is a fact that a patient with a lingering faith in medical aid is on this account less amenable to the healing influence of Christian Science. The best patient is one who has reached the point where he or she feels that all human aid is valueless, and so turns to God as a last resort. Although Mrs. Eddy states in Science and Health that it is permissible to turn to a surgeon because of a broken bone, nevertheless, if this act indicates a transference of trust from divine Mind to matter or mortal mind, this thought militates against a scientific healing. Although statistics available as to the success of Christian Science in this direction are limited, still there are many authentic testimonies of the healing of such cases, where the corrective efficacy of Christian Science alone was employed.

There is no limit to the reconstructive and regenerative power of the divine Mind. Yet, in our feeble effort to accept and apply this power and law, the training and education of materialistic deductions rise up to tempt us to limit our own ability to carry this law to its logical possibility, which declares that the divine Mind has the power to extricate man from every difficulty that the human mind may get him into, just as the sunlight has the power to banish any darkness, if it is given the right opportunity.

In the discovery of new theories and processes in the material world, the understanding and appreciation of the possibilities always exceed man's ability to demonstrate them. The history of the radio, of the science of aeronautics, etc., shows that the human mind is quicker to grasp the possibilities than it is to link up these possibilities with actual demonstration and practice.

Jesus' ability to heal the sick instantly was not limited to certain diseases, but to certain people, who would be characterized as having a receptive thought. Christian Science does not claim that it can heal all people, but that it can and does heal every known disease. If Jesus could have healed all people — without a proper preparation to bring man into a receptive state — then the great influx of spiritual power that raised him from the dead would have healed the whole world: but we know that, because of their mental blindness, it beat in vain upon their unresponsive thought, and produced phenomena which to them seemed evil instead of good.

The conception of healing as set forth by Christian Science indicates a much more profound and important thing than simply destroying the bodily evidence called physical disease. In its higher signification it is a spiritual regeneration which starts an adjustment of man's thought towards a proper appreciation of the importance of the things of God, and a corresponding appreciation of the unimportance of the things of earth which are finite and temporary. This statement is offered in anticipation of the claim, which is sometimes put forth, that Christian Science makes too much of healing, which is not a fair criticism. That which is recognized as of prime importance by all advanced students of Christian Science is spiritual regeneration, which automatically brings physical healing.

The question comes up, if all mortal existence is a state of mesmerism and mortal man is merely a tool in the hands of mortal mind, then what is the spiritual method whereby man can gain his release from this bondage? If a man was clothed in some costume that was manipulated by strings, he could regain his normal freedom of action by putting off the costume. Hence, because it is a false sense of man that is under the control of mesmerism, man must see himself and others separate from this false sense, which is merely another way of saying that man must see himself and others as the perfect reflection of God. This is salvation.




Question X

Human Perfection

Since Christian Science declares nothing but perfection, it compels man to say, "I am perfect." If we are perfect, then everything we do is perfect. Hence we never make mistakes. If all Christian Scientists are not absolutely perfect then the whole thesis of the religion is destroyed.

In Christian Science, man's declaration of his perfection in no way refers to the mortal conditions in which he finds himself; rather does it refer to his real selfhood, of which God is the Father, and which alone is worthy to be called by the name, man. An illustration can be drawn from a diamond in the rough. Let us assume that this stone can think and talk. In its ignorance, it might consider itself to be a worthless pebble. Then an expert comes and declares it to be a perfect diamond. Thereafter, this stone could not think or talk of itself from its former standpoint of being worthless, no matter how foolish its statements might sound to the ignorant. Finally, because of the recognition of its true beauty and value it would understand and be patient under the grinding and polishing process necessary to bring its perfection to light.

Although a diamond in the rough does not accurately illustrate man, it does show forth the fact, however, that the real man is forever perfect, and when man, looking beneath the material evidence, discovers his true identity, he is justified in thinking of it as perfect and declaring it to be so. Hence, knowing that it is the perfect idea of a perfect God, it can never err nor make mistakes. Nevertheless, because Christian Scientists emphasize and declare for the perfection of the real man, this in no way justifies the imperfections and mistakes of the mortal sense of man. As a matter of fact, it makes them more blameworthy and inexcusable.

Mrs. Eddy teaches this point in the following words, Miscellany, 242: "You can never demonstrate spirituality until you declare yourself to be immortal and understand that you are so. Christian Science is absolute; it is neither behind the point of perfection nor advancing towards it; it is at this point and must be practiced therefrom. Unless you fully perceive that you are the child of God, hence perfect, you have no Principle to demonstrate and no rule for its demonstration. By this I do not mean that mortals are the children of God — far from it. In practicing Christian Science you must state its Principle correctly, or you forfeit your ability to demonstrate it."

In closing let me leave you with these words of Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health, pages 234 and 264): "We should become more familiar with good than with evil, and guard against false beliefs as watchfully as we bar our doors against the approach of thieves and murderers. We should love our enemies and help them on the basis of the Golden Rule; but avoid casting pearls before those who trample them under foot, thereby robbing both themselves and others." "Mortals must look beyond fading, finite forms, if they would gain the true sense of things. Where shall the gaze rest but in the unsearchable realm of Mind?"



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Love is the liberator.