tatters about us.
To empty mortal mind of error is to pour in Truth through the floodgates of Science. The Christianity that Jesus introduced was not a creed or an observance. nor a special gift from a personal Jehovah; but it was the demonstration of a Divine Principle, casting out error and healing the sick, not merely in the name of Christ, or Truth, but in demonstration thereof.
The uselessness of drugs, the emptiness of knowledge, the nothingness of matter and its imaginary laws, are apparent as we rise from the rubbish of belief to the acquisition and demonstration of spiritual understanding. In the silent sanctuary of Soul are voices of solemn import, but we heed them not. When the supposed pleasures and pains of sense pass away, that is a sign of the burial of error and the resurrection to spiritual understanding.
Anciently the followers of Christ, or Truth, measured Christianity by its power over sickness, sin, and death; but modern religions omit all but one of these claims, — the power over sin. We must seek the undivided garment, the whole of Christianity, as our first proof of Science, for that alone gives it. This limited volume can do but little justice to so mighty a theme, for systematic teaching, and the student's own experience in practice, are requisite for its comprehension. Some individuals assimilate Truth more rapidly than others; but I never graduated a single student (obedient to my directions) who did not heal the sick, and add continually to his store of understanding and success.
If the student goes away to practise those teachings only in part, dividing his interests between God and Mammon, and substituting his own views for mine, he will reap what he has sown, and perhaps call me a hard master. Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian Science must abide by my rules; heed every statement, and advance from the rudiments laid down. There is nothing difficult or toilsome in this task, when the way is pointed out, but sincerity and earnestness alone win the prize.
Christian Science is not an exception to the general rule, that there is no excellence without labor in a direct line. One cannot scatter fire, and at the same time defeat the enemy. To pursue other vocations, and at the same time advance rapidly in the demonstration of this Science, is not possible.
You should practise what you know well; and you will then advance in proportion to your honesty and fidelity, — qualities which insure success in this Science as in all others; but it requires a higher understanding to teach this subject properly and correctly, than to heal the most difficult case.
Motive and act are not rightly valued until understood. It is well to wait until those whom you wish to benefit are ready for the blessing. Science is changing individual character, as well as the material universe.
Self-love is a materialism, more opaque than atomic solidity. Yielding patient obedience to a patient God, I labor to dissolve, with the universal solvent of Truth, the adamant of error in self-will, self-justification, and self-love; for these war against spirituality and are the law of sin and death.
It is a question to-day, whether the ancient inspired healers understood the Science of Christian healing, or whether they caught its sweet tones, like the natural musician, without being able to explain them. So divinely imbued were they with the Spirit, that the letter could not hinder them; and the letter, without the Spirit, would have made void their example. There is no question but what Jesus understood Christian Science, and taught its Divine Principle to his students. The basis of a right action is right thought. Both should be understood, or you may lose both.
The point, beyond faith, is to find the footsteps of Truth, the way in Science to health and holiness, — to reach the Horeb height where God is revealed. The corner-stone of this spiritual building is purity.
The baptism of Spirit washes the body of all the impurities of flesh, and signifies that such as see God are approaching spiritual Life and its demonstration, — healing the sick and destroying error.
It were “as easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” as for a mortal to enter the kingdom of heaven, become immortalized, without spiritual baptism and regeneration. It is only a question of time “when all shall know this, from the least unto the greatest.” Denial of the claims of matter is a footstep towards the joys of Spirit, — man's freedom, and triumph over the body.
The sensualist's treasures are laid up “where moth and rust corrupt.” Mortality is their doom. Sin breaks in upon them, and robs their fleeting joys. The sensualist's affections are imaginary, whimsical, unreal, even as his pleasures are. Falsehood, envy, ambition, hypocrisy, malice, hate, steal away the treasures of earth. Stripped of its exteriors, what a mocking spectacle is error.
To unloose the sandals of Truth, error must grow meek. To ascertain our progress, we have to learn what is our God, where are our affections, whom do we acknowledge and obey. If we progress, God will be nearer, dearer, and more real to us. Matter will then yield its claims to Spirit. The objects we pursue, and the Spirit we manifest, reveal our standpoint, and what prizes we are winning.
Mind is the seat of motive. It forms character and produces every action of the body. If action proceeds from the unerring Divine Mind, it becomes harmonious. If it comes from erring mortal mind, it is discordant, producing sin, sickness, death. Those two opposite sources never mingle in fount or stream. The perfect Mind sends forth perfection, for its source is God. Imperfect mind sends forth its own resemblances, of which the wise man said, “All is vanity.”
Take away wealth, fame, and the organizations of society, — that weigh not one jot in the balance of God, — and we get clearer views of humanity. Break up clans, level wealth with honesty, let worth be decided by wisdom, and we get the better view.
The wicked man is not the master of his upright neighbor. Let it be understood that success in error is defeat in Truth. The watchword of Christian Science is, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.”
The voices of Sinai and the Sermon on the Mount are pursuing and will overtake the ages, demolishing in their course all error, and establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth. Truth has been uttered. It only needs to be practised.
Peals that should startle the dream of error, and waken the slumbering thought, are measurably unheeded; but the last trump has not sounded, or this would not be so. Marvels, calamities, sin, will much more abound, as the understanding urges its resisted claims on mortals. But the aggravation of error foretells its doom, — foreshadows the nearness of Truth; and that Truth will overturn, until “He whose right it is shall reign.” Longevity is increasing and sin will diminish, for the world is feeling the alterative effect of Truth through every pore.
The question convulses the world: “What is Truth?” Many are willing to meet this inquiry with the assurance of understanding; but more are trying to “give it pause,” blinded by their old illusions. The blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch.
The efforts of error to answer this question by some ology are vain. Reason and free thought, the accompaniments of approaching Science, cannot be put down; they will purge humanity and supplant the doctor's pills.
In the march of generations the banner of progress is unfurled. The kingdoms of this world will fight, and command their sentinels not to let Truth pass the guard until it subscribes to their creeds and systems. Truth, heeding not the pointed bayonet, marches on; and there is a little tumult and some rallying to its standard. How true the poet's prophecy: —
Thou must walk on, however man upbraid thee,
With him who trod the wine-press all alone;
Thou wilt not find one human hand to aid thee,
One human heart to comprehend thine own.
