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About Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1914)
1 PAGE SIX ASHLAND TIDINGS. Thursday, October 8, 1914 Christian Science Mealing A Lecture The lecture on Christian Science, delivered by Prof. Hermann S. lier 3113, at the Vining Theatre, Monday evening, was well attended liy an audience of thoughtful people who ave him their, undivided attention. I'rof. Hering was introduced by Prof. Irving E. Vining, who spoke briefly but eloquently, speaking of the rise of freedom of thought and individual investigation and paying high tribute to Christian Science as a religion which, brings health, peace and solace 1,0 a troubled age. He then intro duced Prof, llering, a member of the Hoard of Lectureship of the Mother Church, The First Church of Christ,' Scientist, in Itoston, Massachusetts, who spoke as follows: The healing so universally accom plished through Christian Science is probably the one feature of its work which attracts the most attention and which has been most misunderstood, pinee its methods are purely mental and spiritual, t lie direct opposite of those employed by the ordinary schools of therapeutics. That heal ing has resulted when Christian Sci ence treatment has been applied af ter all other means have failed, is now quite generally conceded; but the manner in which this healing is accomplished is so far from being un derstood that there is still a great reluctance on the part of many to avail themselves of it, and some still question its possibility. This, how ever, can be just as truthfully said of the healings which are chronicled in the Scriptures, especially In the New Testament, where the spiritual means of healing is plainly referred to and advocated, and where many instances of healing are 'specifically named. In Exodus iv e read, "I am the Lord that healeth thee;" in Psalms Cod Is referred to as He "who heal eth all thy diseases;" and again, "He sent his word, and healed them." In Mark's gospel we read, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In jny name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues: they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." These citations show that mankind should look to a spiritual source for their healing Instead of to drugs. Had God created drugs and given them healing power, Christ Jesus, who came to show us the way of sal vation, or deliverance from sin, dis ease and death, would certainly have used them himself and recommended them to others. His own success in healing proves, that he fully under stood a healing art which has no re course to material means. I list mice of Healing. Among the, notable Instances of the healing of physical disease by Christ Jesus as recorded in the New Testa ment are these: The healing of pa Talysla (Luke v. 1S-2C), of leprosy Luke xvti. 11-19), of deformity Luke xili. -1-17), of blindness Matt. Ix. 27-31), of fever (Luke iv. 3S, 39), of dropsy (Luke xiv. 2-4), or hemorrhage (Matt. ix. 20-22), of violent insanity (Mark v. 1-20), and of epilepsy (Mark ix." 14-29). The Kospels also record Jesus' work In the raising of the dead, as Jairus' daughter (Luke viii. 41-56), the widow's son (Luke vii. 11-15), and Lazarus, after he had been dead four days (John xl. 1-44). Many cases are also recorded as having been healed by the disciples .und by some of Jesus' followers who were not his ersonal students. In Acts (v. 12) we read, "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought." Peter healed a man lame from birth (Acts lit. 2-8), healed Aeneas of paralysis (Acts ix. 32-35), raised Dorcas 4 Acts ix. 36-41). Paul healed a cripple (Acts xiv. 8-10), healed Pub lius' father of fever and hemorrhage Ait xxvlii. 8), raised Eutychus to life after his accident (Acts xx. V-12), healed himself of the sting of at poisonous serpent (Acts xxvlii. 3-C). Philip, who like Paul was not Jesus' ixTsonal student, healed insan ity, paralysis and lameness (Acts vill. j, 7). The seventy are reported as having returned to Jesus to tell of their healing work, saying, "Even the devils ace subject unto us through thy name." These esses show unmistakably that Christian healing was effected liy spiritual and i.ot material means; thi-y teach that we should look not to matter hut to divine Mind for the true healing power, the power which was utilized by Christ Jesus and hi diFclpH'8. In the case of congenital Mindness healed by Jesus, of which John tells us, there was evidently no healing virtue in the clay and spittle, nor in the water of the pool of Si loam, for if there hud been, these universally available means would be la use today for the cure of this disease. hkeptlclNin an to Kplritunl Healing. To be consistent, all professed bo Tlevers In the Bible must therefore admit the fact of spiritual healing, which, according to contemporaneous tealr writers and historians, con tinued among the early Christians for about three hundred years; and yet today the vast majority do not be lieve in it. and many do not even aiflmlt It to he historically true, while m.l a few deny ita possibility. Some wiry that these events may have hap pmed In Jesus' time, hut are Inipopsl hle now. This Is neither logical nor rwmonable. The power of God is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever," and if this healing took til ace In the first century. It ran take place now, since every divine law and order rnnut he Immutable and we have the same conditions to deal with which they had then. Jesus said. "Lo, I am with you al way," aud, "He that belleveth on me. Spiritual and Scientific by Prof. Hermann the works that I do shall he do also; because I go unto my "Fath er." The Master thus taught that all of truth is always with us, and he came to show us how to make it available. This is the way of salva tion, and if this way cannot be found and followed today, then his mission was surely a failure. Think yo.u that Christ Jesus, the great Exemplar, the world's Wayshower, would have taught, demonutrated and enjoined upon mankind a healing and saving method which was efficient and suffi cient in the first century, but imprac ticable or impossible in the twenti eth? It is not possible to separate Jesus' word from his work. The one is the proof of the other; hence the heal ing work must be recognized as an essential element of primitive Chris tianity. The healhig recorded in the nible was no more readilx believed when it occurred than it is now, save by the relatively few who were im pressed by the evidence presented or who experienced spiritual transfor mation. The Scriptures record the intense hatred and persecution which the early Christians endured because of their belief in the efficacy of spirit ual power. This is corroborated .In secular history, and it is noteworthy that the hatred, was most intense wnen spiritual power was most in evi dence, especially so at the moment the healing was done. Judging by iu fruits, and by the fact that it certainly stimulates 'a higher order of thought and living, all must admit that this spiritual healing is a far better method than the use cf material means. This being true, we can but ask. Why is it not in general use among Chris tian people? Evidently because it is not understood, for there exists today a very general disbelief in Its possibility, a stubborn tendency to doubt it, in spite of the many authen tic records of such healing in the past and through Christian Science now. Causes of I'nbelief. Let us then, if we may, examine into some of the causes of this disbe lief in Scriptural or Christian heal ing. What a-e they? First: It is difficult for most of us to see how physical results can be realized through spiritual means. The teach ing of the schools regarding the na ture of matter and material existence produces such a materially biased consciousness that it is very difficult to apprehend spiritual existence and spiritual power. Second: The pop ular teaching regarding the nature of God and of His relation to all being, together with the belief in the reality of material existence and its asserted laws, is at variance with the Scrip ture teaching. Third: The inertia of the human mind resists belief In anything which differs from what it has been accustomed to; It is innately opposed to all things spiritual or di vine, and it is to this mental attitude that St. Paul referred when lie said, "The carnal mind Is enmity against God." We thus see that it Is ma terial sense which hinders the attain ment of nn understanding of the spir itual healing of the Bible; this Is the fertile soil from which springs the doubt."agnostleism and infidelity of our times. Mental CnuHation. One of the most puzzling questions to the lay thinker respecting spirit ual healing Is this: How can a mere mental effort bring about a physical change; how can it restore health and harmony? This difficulty Is largely due to the failure to under stand the nature of Mind and the re lationship between the inner world of thought and the outer world of prenomena. Let us consider this question briefly, first from a human or material standpoint, then from the Christian Science standpoint. All are familiar with the effect of fear, grief and anger upon bodily conditions. Tears flow; the circula tion of the blood Is altered, as shown by pallor; the secretions are affected, as shown by cold perspirations, etc. These effects prove that physical changes follow mental disturbances. An eminent physician has made a series of experiments showing the effect of the emotions upon the secre tions, and has found that under the Influence of love and hate, serenity and anger, pleasure and pain, the secretlonS present marked chemical differences; all of which give evi dence that mental conditions are the real causes of disease. Many phy sicians will even admit that malig nant diseases have been caused by grief, worry and sin; Indeed, It Is now becoming more and more evi dent that the cause of all disease Is mental. Even what are termed he reditary diseases and conditions are now believed by many to be of men tal origin, as there Is no other way to account for them. Again, wo are all familiar with the fact that diseases and distressing symptoms are alleviated when fear and worry cense and the harmonious effects of peace, happiness and satis faction prevail. Take a rubber ball, grasp It tightly In the hand, thereby destroying Its normal outline; then i'emove the pressure of the fingers. and when the strain Is gone the ball resumes its natural shape. In a sim ilar way mental disturbances dlamp the body, put it under a strain, dis tort It; but when these disturbances are removed, the body becomes nor mal, natural. This effect of thought on the body Is . readily admitted even by pro nounced materialists. Cheerfulness, the habit of looking on the bright side of things, Is general! acknowl edged to be an aid In preserving and restoring health. Yet he who believes In material causation will say: "I cannot admit that malignant and or ganic diseases may be caused or cured by thought. Possibly my head S. tiering ache will disappear when I stop wor rying or being angry, but how can I get rid of. a tumor or of Blight's dis ease by simply thinking about it?" This expresses the attitude of mor tal thought, and In answer to Hs questions it is well to bear in mind that the marvelous healing recorded in the Bible, much of which is en tirely above and beyond any possible achievement of medical or surgical practice, was actually accomplished through mental or spiritual activity alone, and that Christian Science has in the same way healed every known disease. Admitting these facts, we are the better prepared to discuss the manner in which this healing is j accomplished. Mature or Kxistence. In the first place, it Is necessary for us to consider what existence is, and the relation between mind and body. All will admit that to exist means to be conscious. Then indi vidual existence is individual con sciousness, and since conscidtisness is mental, existence is mental. From this it follows that the character dt existence depends upon the character of consciousness. It is also evident that hereditary tendency and educat ed biasdargely determine the charac ter of consciousness, and since our mental make-up and pc-rceptive fac ulties vary greatly, it is manifest that no two people can have the same con sciousness or even see the same ob ject alike. For example, an aeroplane viewed by a civilized person and by a savage awakens altogether differ ent concepts. A flower Is a very dif ferent thing to a botanist from what it is to an engineer. The impression received of the shape and size of an object depends upon the shape and size of the lens of the eye, and indi vidual lenses are manifestly as differ ent as individual physiognomies. Again, since human consciousness 13 acquired largely through the five physical senses, it partakes of the na ture of material cense. This sense testimony is always relative and rnever absolute. Tt is dimensional, finite, variable, inexact. Echoes do not locate sound correctly. Distant objects are not small because they appear so. Astronomical phenomena are not what they seem to be. The sun does not move across the sky and the earth is not stationary. Color is not absolute, neither are the reports made to us by the senses of taste, smell and touch. Matter n Mental Concept. According to recent discoveries in physical science, matter is a form of energy, instead of the indestructible stuff or entity it has been believed to be. Its unit, the atom, ia found to be composed of positive and negative electrical corpuscles, called electrons or Ions. Through mechanical and chemical processes a material object may be reduced to its ultimate theo retical limit, called atoms. Further separation of these atoms into their constituent electrons or Ions leaves nothing of our material object but a form of energy, a theoretical mani festation of force In which every ves tige of the characteristics of matter or the object has disappeared. What the nature and history of a separated, a freed electron may be, is something for the physicist to puzzle over. Idealistic philosophy and psychol ogy teach that material objects are but objectified mental impressions or concepts, and not substantive entitles exterior to consciousness. For ex ample: When we look at what we call a material thing we experience an impression made, upon conscious ness by light, which is all we ever see. Light, according to physics, Is vibration, or a form of energy which impresses itself upon consciousness, and this Impression we have been educated to objectify. We have in herited and cultivated the habit of believing it to bs matter, or an object which we see, whereas it Is merely the experience of a mental impression we have unconsciously objectified; and this is true also of the phenom na of hearing, taste, touch and smell. We never really see, hear, feel, taste or smell matter or objects, but merely' experience sense-phenomena which we call matter. What we think we see Is rot an object exterior to consciousness, but only an impres sion In consciousness due to what Is assumed to be some form of vibra tion. Furthermore, according to psy chology and philosophy, there Is no evidence of any existence external to consciousness; hence existence li measured by comclousness. We thus see that matter miiBt be defined as a mirage, as an appearance of sub stance rather than substance itself, and It Is therefore wholly mental, a state of mortal consciousness. These are not the teachings of Christian Science, but the conclusions reached through research and dis covery In the domain of physical scj ence, psychology and philosophy, and they show that even from a physical standpoint" what we, term matter Is not what It Is generally believed to he, but Is wholly a mental phenome non, and has not been and cannot be accounted for In any other way. Christ Jesus proved what Is called matter to be wholly mental when he walked on the water, stilled the tem pest and overcame other so-called material conditions. Material Mentality. Having seen the'mental nature of matter, let us now consider the na ture of the mind which perceives ma terial things and of which matter Is the objectified concept or externall zatlon, the mind which largely con stitutes human consciousness. This mind Is a consciousness of which the factors are dimensional, variable, de structible, and our concept of the na ture of these factors Is gained through the testimony of the five physical senses. It Is a consciousness of evil, ain, disaster and death. It claims to be Intelligence, but is in herently non-Intelligent: it knows nothing of itself, it has to be educat ed. It claims to be substance, but is really shadow, since it la based on false testimony. It claims to be life, but Is really death, since it is not self sustaining. Recognizing the nature of this so-called mind, St. Paul named it "carnal," and Mrs. Eddy designated it "mortal," since sin, disease and death are its inevitable products. Thus we see that all discordant conditions exist solely as phenomena and experiences of this carnal, mortal mind, as states of human conscious ness; hence their healing, their cor rection or destruction involves a transformation or this consciousness. As existence implies consciousness, and as the body is externalized con sciousness, the conditions of existence and of the body depend upon one's mental state. A discordant con sciousness results in discordant exist ence. It is therefore necessary o change the human consciousness if we wish to change conditions. How is this to be done? First, it is necessary to determine whether the mortal or carnal mind with its experiences is true, for we know that the initial step in the cor rection of any mistake is the percep tion of. the mistake. We recognize an error when we know the truth which It falsifies. When we apply tne corrective truth to an error it disappears, and right, harmonious conditions prevail. If the phenomena of mortal mind were true, they could never he altered. If untrue, they cannot be corrected until we know their falsity. It is impossible to cor rect an error until it is recognized as such. For example, if we receive a wrongly computed bill and believe it right, we are deceived and suffer for it. Vet we do not perceive that it is wrong until we know what is right. Directly we know the truth about the facts involved, this knowl edge corrects or displaces the error, the wrong concept. The Xature of Truth. Let us then examine into the essen tial nature and character of Truth, of that which really is, and learn whether matter and mortal mind are true and real, for we have seen that matter and material existence are mental, and we must now determine the truth regarding this mentality. Truth by its very nature is Infin ite, everywhere. Being that which is, there can be no place where Truth is not; therefore Truth is omnipresent. Truth is intelligent, always knowing enough to be itself, and never any thing else; being Infinite, it is infi nitely Intelligent; that is, omniscient. Truth is almighty, having power to be itself and to resist being anything else, power to correct that which seems to falsify it. Truth being in finite, the power of Truth is infinite. omnipotent. Truth is indestructible, since it is impossible for any element, quality or particle of omnipresence or real being to be annihilated. We thus see that Truth is actual ity; absolute, fundamental, Independ ent; without beginning or ending, without dimensions or limitations. It Is Immortal, forever self-sustained; It Is eternal Principle, the source of all true being, harmonious and perfect. truth is thus identified in Chris tian Science as Spirit, Mind, Soul, Life, the supreme Ego. the great I AM, the one Infinite God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God whom Jesus called his Father, the God whom St. John defined as Love. This infinite, all-inclusive, all creating, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient divine Love is the incor poreal God revealed through Chris tian Science. Man is the Image and likeness of God. the real man of the Scriptures, must be like his Father, not corporeal but incorporeal; not material but mental, spiritual con sciousness; not mortal but immortal. The universe created and constantly sustained by God must be like Him, for like produces like; therefore the real universe is not finite but in finite; not destructible but Indestruct ible; not material but spiritual. The Xature of Reality. Thus reality is essentially infinite, without limitations or dimensions, la finite in extent, in presence, in wis dom and in power. It Is unchanging, Indestructible, eternal. It is harmo nious, perfect, spiritual. Therefore the standard of infinity, Indestructi bility and perfection is the test of reality. Whatever has not these qualities or attributes of infinity and perfection does not express Truth. Matter, mortal mind and the discord ant material consciousness being finite, mutable, destructible, are not true, not absolutely real. Perfect God, perfect man and perfect spirit ual being this is the basis of all Christian Science teaching, analysis and practice. This Is the standard by which Christian Sclense measures and tests all human phenomena and experiences In order to determine their true value Truth, however, cannot be cog nized by the physical senses, for be cause of their material limitations these Eenses cannot perceive infinity, the finite cannot cognize the Infinite. Truth is perceived only through the understanding, which Is not depend ent upon the testimony of the physi cal senses. For example, even the truths of the multiplication table are discerned not through the sense of sight, but through the understanding. The physical figures which we see are not the mathematical truth; this truth Is invisible to the physical senses, discernible only through mathematical understanding. Similarly God, the real man and real universe, are discerned not through the physical senses, but only through spiritual sense or spiritual understanding, and this spiritual un derstanding, tha perception and ap prehension of divine Truth, Christian Science makes possible to all. Discord an Error. Disease, sin, death, all discords, are therefore to be classed as errors of mortal consciousness, as mesmeric, Illusory mental conditions. On this basis they can be corrected and healed by Truth, while they cannot be corrected so long as they are' classed as either physical or mental realities.. Even recording to psychol ogy and philosophy they are but objectified sense-impressions. Thus we can begin to separate the wheat from the tares, the actual from the seeming, the real from the unreal in the human consciousness. , Most of us have believed that God sends disease, disaster and death to His children; but if this were true, we would have no moral right to use any healing means whatsoever, for by so doing we would be interfering with the divine plan and purpose. If God makes us sickly and dying, it is our business to be sick and die. Dom inated by such a belief, It is of course impossible to understand Christian healing or to be healed spiritually. Discordant conditions exist only In that human consciousness which Is largely mortal, which is a pelief of both good and evil. They are not the products of Truth or Principle, hence they are not divine creations. Realizing this in some degree, their assumed power is at onco lessened, and we can begin to free ourselves from them by turning to diyine sources in the realm of reality. Then we begin to see that God is not the author of sin, disease and death, and that we do not have to experience them. The apprehension of this one point often results in healing. Mental Cure of Disease. Fear is admitted to be a prolific cause of disease. The Bible sayp., "Perfect love castetli out fear." Fear is due to ignorance. Perfect Love is the infinite divine intelligence. When intelligence Is brought to bear on ig norance, ignorance is destroyed, and thus does "perfect love" cast out fear, and of necessity Its effect. It is readily seen how important it is to let Truth control our thought. When we indulge in thoughts of limi tation, fear, sickness, mortality, then consciousness partakes of the nature of these thoughts, and the body like wise. When we engage in thoughts of infinity, spirituality, health, life, our consciousness must partake of the nature of these thoughts, and the body likewise. Since disease has a mental origin, it is manifest that It must have a mental cure. A man suffering from physical disease produced by hatred, for example, cannot be permanently healed by drugs or surgery. He needs to have the hatred, whether from within or f-om without, neutral ized by its true antidote, divine Love. Then the evil cause is de stroyed and its effects disappear. Christian Science explains this clear ly and rationally, so that Christian Science Mind-healing can be demon strated by any one in the . degree of his understanding of it. This heal ing relies on a spiritual method which is both simple and logical. In answer to the Inevitable ques tion, How does Christian Science heal? we need to remember that the truth and error about a given thing cannot exist in a given consciousness at the same time, since they are op posltes. We cannot believe that two times two make both five and four. The healing of the error of sickness must be akin to the healing of any other error of Lelief. Mathematical truth applied to error in computa tion always removes that error and establishes right results. The truth about God and man annuls false hu man belief, and this removes the ef fects of such belief. Human discord and disease exist only as a false state of consciousness, a mistaken sense, a mesmeric dream condition which has no real existence, no relation to the divine Mind and its perfect re flection. When the truth of being is known and applied, it destroys the false belief, and this Improved condi tion is externalized in harmony. Right Mental Action. As the body is an externalization of consciousness, If we change the consciousness the condition of its ex ternalization will also be changed. How Is this to he done? In answer we would say that since Christian Science healing is wholly mental, it must Tie accomplished through the activity of the truth in human thought, and in this connection it is well to consider what thinking Is, in order that we may think aright, may engage in right mental action. A wrong belief cannot be corrected with a wrong thought. Thinking is the exercise of intelligence or mind, therefore real thinking is the activ ity of real Mind. Real Mind is the divine consciousness, the infinite in telligence, Truth. Real thinking is thus the activity of the divine Mind, or Truth. The activity of Truth in consciousness is the knowing of Truth; therefore, real thinking is right knowing. We can know only the truth, never error. We can never know sin, disease and death, or anything that Is wrong, evil or material; we can only believe it. Being Infinite, perfect and divine, real Mind is good. Therefore evil is not mind, and evil thinking 13 not true mind action; and all that is evil and material, limited, discordant and mortal in human thought is not in telligence, not mind, but a counter felt of It; that Is, false belief. What is termed the mortal mind is not real Mind. That mind action which Is based upon belief in matter and its discordant conditions Is not real thinking, because it is not right thinking, not right knowing. "Gray matter," so called, cannot know; it Is Mind alone that knows. How can Truth .be brought to bear upon consciousness in order that the belief of disease and its cause may be destroyed? When we think right ly of any truth, this truth is present with us in consciousness, is active there, Just as when we think rightly of the multiplication table the truth of mathematics Is with us In thought or we could not thidk mathematical ly. Likewise when we think rightly of divine Truth, Life. Love God which Christian Science makes possi ble today, Truth Is present with us in consciousness "God with us." St. Paul wrote to the Epheslans of the one God who Is "through all," that is, omnipresent. Thus He is already present and has but to be known. And as by knowing Truth we reflect Truth and bring It into action In our consciousness, so by knowing God we reflect Him, and It is by this right knowing of God that divine Truth and Love are reflected in conscious ness and brought to bear upon our human' problems. The spiritual knowing is real con sciousness, the consciousness of the real man; it Is communion with the Infinite Father-Mother God. It Is true Christian prayer "Not my will, but thine, be done." Such prayer, "in his name," is answeied In heal ing the sick, reforming the sinner, and in supplying all, our needs. Healing Xot Through Suggestion. The healing power which Christ Jesus utilized in his wonderful heal ing work was not understood by the people who witnessed these works. Some who recogi ized the fact that this healing was brought about through mental means atone refused to believe that the healing power was divine, and said that It was evil, act ing through the human mind; name ly, through hypnotism. They cried out, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." So also today many admit that Christian Science heals mentally, but they insist that thUj healing is accomplihsed through hyp notism. They do not'understand the nature and power of divine Mind. , Since Christian Science healing in volves a knowledge of spiritual truth, a recogniation ot material error, and the application of this truth thereto, this healing is not effected through mental suggestion, or the influence of one mind over another. It is not mental domination, nor the exercise of the human will, and it is essential to a right apprehension of Christian Science that this should bo clearly understood. For example: When a mathema tician corrects a mathematical error, it is not his will which makes this correction, but the mathematical truth which he knows and applies. The power is Inherent in the mathe matical truth and not in the will of the mathematician. When an ill or sin is healed In Christian Science, it is not the will of the Christian Sci entist which does the healing, but the spiritual trutlr which he knows and applies to the human error. The power Is in the truth itself, not In the human will, Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you tree." This definitely distinguishes Christian Science from hypnotism, magnetism or mental sug gestion of any form. The hypnotizer endeavors to secure control of his patient's mind, to dominate it, and'to superimpose upon it his own thought and purpose, Le it good or evil. Hence the danger of this method. Knowing the. nature of God and the real man to be spiritual and per fect, the Christian Scientist recog nizes the fact that the diseased or sinful conditions are but false mes meric states of c nsciousness, and ht applies his understanding of divine Truth as the remedy. He knows the unreality of tho appearance called a sick man, Just as the mathematician knows that two times two do not make five, even though he sees it written out. Ke knows that they make four regardless of appearances. Jesus said, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.',' Absent Treatment. The healing ol patients who are at a distance from their practitioners has frequently been misunderstood and pronounced Impossible, notwith standing that Jesus healed the centu rion's servant and the nobleman's son without being present with them. This misjudgment arises from the mistaken belief that the healing is accomplished through the transmis sion of thought, and that distance hinders this transmission. In Chris tian Science healing there Is no thought transference, for mortal mind is not a factor in the healing. The divine Mind being omnipresent, the human knowing of the truth re garding a sick man at a distance brings Truth to bear on the case the same as if he were near by. In the realm of Spirit there Is no space, no time and no sick man. All is infinite Mind and it3 perfect, ever-present ideas. It is imnortant to sen that rhria- tlan Science healing Includes a denial of error as well as the affirmation of the truth, the reason for this being that the belief in matter, sin and disease is so fixed In the human con sciousness that a specific denial helps to weaken and destroy that belief. This denial can be made only from the basis of spiritual truth; it is but the reverse side of the declaration of truth, and it is the truth alone, not the denial of error, which heals. In deed, the key-note of Christian Sci ence healing Is the knowing of the allness of Spirit and the nothingness of matter. Summary. To epitomize: In Christian Sci ence healing we must first know the nature and character of divine real ity, then see that what Is termed ma terial existence is wholly mental, and that sin, disease and death are not of God, but are manifestation's of erron eous states of human consciousness, and therefore neither true nor au thoritative. Wo thus perceive that we do not have to be sick, for God did not make us so. When spiritual knowing dominates consciousness, the error-banlshlng influence of di vine Truth and Love establishes har mony. As with the healing of sickness, so Is it Tylth the healing of sin, the over coming of evil. We must see that It Is not of God, divinetind; that it is therefore unreal and powerless and no part of man. This correction of thought with spiritual truth destroys the error, the Impulse to do wrong. Sin causes suffering so long as it 13 believed and indulged in; but when sin is ipastered and the evil thought destroyed, man Is set free from this bondage and begins to experience the promised liberty of the sons of God. Christian Science. In th lln BDAtl trt he reformatory and regenerative. ii upuiis consciousness, brings man nearer to God. and makes him better acquainted with hln own trim naif. hood. It improves him morally and physically, which improvement con tinues as his spiritual development progresses. To the Epheslans, St. Paul writes: "This I say therefore, and testify In the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not n nthpr non- tiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having tho understanding dark ened, being alienated from the life of God thrOlieh tho Icnnranna that la In them, because of the blindness of ineir neart: that ye put off concerning the former conversation (Continued on Page Seven)
