Florence Middaugh, C.S., of Los Angeles, California
Member of the Board of Lectureship of The
Mother Church,
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts
Miss Florence Middaugh, C.S., of Los Angeles, lectured on "Christian Science: The Promised Comforter," Tuesday evening in the Murat Theatre, under the auspices of the Fourth Church Christ, Scientist. The lecturer was introduced by Charles S. Thomas.
Christian Science is breaking upon the darkness of the world with penetrating power, even as the brilliant sunshine pierces the clouds. It clears away the mesmeric mists of materiality with the light of Truth, and enables men to correctly view the circumstances and conditions surrounding them. Never, since the beginning of the Christian era, has there descended upon the world such a revealing and enlightening hope as that which is given in Christian Science. When understood and applied, this Science dispels the erroneous beliefs which set men and nations at variance, and end in war and discord.
Christian Science is teaching men to know and understand God by resting thought upon a spiritual foundation, and teaching them how to solve every problem of whatever nature that may confront them by spiritualization of thinking and living. Everyday problems are solved by turning upon them the illuminating searchlight of primitive Christianity as taught by Jesus and again presented to this age in Christian Science.
Jesus prepared his disciples to carry on the work of establishing Christianity, but apparently they were afraid they might not be able to make the demonstrations he had taught them to make unless he was personally with them, and that the good they had received from his teachings would be taken away from them. They did not fully understand his teachings until they saw him after his resurrection. But Jesus reassured them. "I will not leave you comfortless," he said; "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever," and he referred to this Comforter as "the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father." He bade them remain in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Ghost.
Twenty centuries later Mary Baker Eddy declared to a world steeped in materiality (Science and Health, p. 55), "This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science," and she also defines "Holy Ghost" as "Comforter" (p. 332). The disciples and followers of Jesus practiced his teachings successfully for some time after his ascension, but materialism and worldliness began to choke the seeds of truth that had been sown among the people, and the healings and miracles were no longer possible to such a state of thinking. Gradually men began to believe that spiritual healing was a gift especially bestowed upon Jesus, and intended only for his time. Jesus indeed left the Comforter, as he promised, but when men began to look for it in matter, it was lost to them. Mrs. Eddy found it again in Spirit, where it had always been, hidden to the world but known to God.
But she was not satisfied with having gained the healing and comfort she had so long sought. Mrs. Eddy had a love for mankind that was broadened and strengthened by her love for God, and she had an intense desire to give this Comforter to all those who were searching for it, and so greatly needed it. She knew it would mean self-sacrifice, a renunciation of material pleasures, and that she must consecrate herself to this purpose. In her own words she describes what this undertaking entailed (Science and Health, p. 226:29): "I saw before me the awful conflict, the Red Sea and the wilderness; but I pressed on through faith in God, trusting Truth, the strong deliverer, to guide me into the land of Christian Science, where fetters fall and the rights of man are fully known and acknowledged."
Mrs. Eddy's spiritual insight enabled her to discern the import of Jesus' teachings and healings; but had she not been willing and ready to work out the positive rule for its proof and elucidation, Christian Science would not have been given to the world in this age. She realized that mankind might not be ready to accept her healing as sufficient proof that this was a revelation as well as a discovery, but that it must be presented as coincident with reason and logic. She, therefore, put it to the broadest practical tests.
She wrote a textbook — "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" — containing the full statement of Christian Science, and the rules for its application. Through the reading and study of this textbook thousands have been liberated from all kinds of discordant conditions. This book sets forth a doctrine that may seem unique, but it is the selfsame Christianity that Jesus taught and lived, and enables all who are willing to devote themselves to its study and application to overcome not only sin, but sickness and all mortal discords, by the same spiritual means. Christian Science requires an intelligent application of its rules, not mere belief, supposition, or imagination. It is benefiting mankind because its basic rules declare that God is good, and the only good, and enables thought to rest in the realm of this goodness.
She proved her greatness and nobility when, after discovering this Science which is the basis of Christianity, she refused to accept her own healing selfishly, and in no way claimed personal achievement. She knew that her discovery was the Comforter promised by Jesus, and that it was impersonal and impartial. It should be clearly understood that Mrs. Eddy not only discovered Christian Science, but she demonstrated it. This fundamental premise was at once clear to her, that God is the one and only creator, and that He has created only good; and therefore evil is without a creator or rightful claim to existence or reality. In the chapter of the textbook which deals with creation, through a mathematically logical continuity it is proved that the material creation is a fantasy of mortal mind, material belief — a dream of life in matter, from which one must awaken. Matter and Spirit are antipodes; they contradict each other. So if one is true, the other must be false. Matter, mortal mind, is continually changing, deteriorating, destroying itself, and dying. Spirit never changes, never dies, never loses one iota of power or authority. So it should not be difficult to determine which is the true and which is the counterfeit.
Jesus declared that God is Spirit. The Bible also tells us that God is Love, Life, Truth, Soul, Mind, and Mrs. Eddy has added Principle to these synonyms for God. Principle indicates an invariable and infallible guide. Life admits of no death or destruction. Love knows no hatred, resentment, or fear. Mind, divine Mind, knows all and knows only good. Man, who is made in God's image and likeness, reflects all spiritual qualities, expresses intelligence, wisdom, and right reasoning. Truth admits of no error, no reversal or denial; it is self-expressed and inviolable. This gives you some idea of what is revealed through the study of these synonyms for God which are elucidated and explained throughout the Christian Science textbook. Principle, Mind, is expressed in ideas, or it would be unexpressed. Man and the universe are these ideas, as perfect and eternal as the Mind that created them. These are the fundamentals upon which Christian Science is based and from which is deduced its irrefutable logic.
In the first chapter of Genesis, in which we find the record of the spiritual creation, we read that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Since God is Spirit, then the universe and man of God's creating must be spiritual, must be thoroughly and only good, and nothing else has any claim to reality or power.
One may say, "This sounds like rather impractical theorizing, in the face of present world problems," but the great problem of the world is materiality, and the only solution is spirituality. It is the understanding and recognition of Spirit that destroys the false belief in matter and its discordant effects. Mankind plainly needs release from the woes of the world, and is looking for a comforter. Students of Christian Science are finding that it brings relief from discord, that it heals sickness and destroys sin, and gives an abundance of good in place of want and lack. Material remedies have consistently failed, and men find they must look above and beyond matter for the solution to their problems.
Christian Science is a panacea for every human need. All the trouble in the world comes from a false belief in and reliance on matter, the belief in a power apart from God. When one tries to invest matter with a power it does not possess, he is likely to be mesmerized by the belief that it has dominion over him. He who believes that matter is substance may believe that without it he lacks identity; while actually the relinquishment of all faith in matter and the recognition of Spirit brings permanent individuality as an idea of God, the substance of Soul, from which man can never be separated.
Jesus of Nazareth is our example, and gave us a perfect model by which to live. His mission was to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth, which he revealed to man within himself. He demonstrated and lived the Christ-spirit, which made his wonderful works possible. His dwelling place was in the consciousness of divine Mind, but he walked among men, healing disease, and forgiving — destroying — sin. Receptive hearts recognized the Christ, Truth, and were healed and blessed. His teachings remain for all who will believe and receive them. What is this Christ-spirit that today walks among men, ever present and able to heal all their diseases, sorrows, and sins, even as in Jesus' time?
Mrs. Eddy, in the Christian Science textbook, defines "Christ" as "the divine manifestation of God" (p. 583), "the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness," "or Comforter" (p. 332). "Jesus" she defines as "the highest human corporeal concept of the divine idea" (Science and Health, p. 589). Jesus demonstrated the Christ as entirely separate from any human sense of personality. Those who thought they could destroy the Christ by crucifying Jesus gave him an opportunity to prove that his eternal life had never been touched, and that the Christ was as alive and intact as it had always been. The awakening from the mortal dream that sickness, sin, and death are real, is the forever coming of the Christ, which Christian Science has revealed to this age. It has proved, and is proving, that there is a way to escape the disastrous effects of material belief, but that it can come only through an understanding of and complete dependence upon God, Spirit.
One cannot successfully cling to matter with one hand and reach out for Spirit with the other. One may feel that he does not have the kind of courage it takes to relinquish all faith in matter; but even a slight understanding of Truth is demonstrable, and with this understanding one may glimpse that moral courage which Christian Science teaches, is the "king of the mental realm" (Science and Health, p. 514), and know what it means to be quiet and unafraid. If one would like to express this admirable quality of character, now is a good time to start. The results justify the effort put forth, and the blessings received will more than repay any sacrifices of material reliance one may feel he has made.
Jesus proved this not only for himself, but for all mankind. The courage he manifested was born of spiritual understanding. He could have escaped the crucifixion; he had the power to lay down his human sense of life without agony or shame. But his mission was to be the Way-shower, to show us how to do our own work, that we, too, might be redeemed from matter. He gave the final proof of immortality in his resurrection and ascension. Many did not believe this proof then, and do not now, but he did his work thoroughly and positively that all who choose may follow his example and reap the same reward. He said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." But Jesus did not wait until the material body was sealed within the tomb to start making this demonstration of resurrection. He must have recognized early that it is a resurrection from matter, a rising out of materiality into spirituality, for his ministry and works were a continuous and persistent growth in this direction. We, too, may begin to make this demonstration, in fact should begin; for it is as we are faithful in proving little things that we are made rulers over many.
Christian Science reveals that "spiritual ideas lead up to their divine origin, God, and to the spiritual sense of being" (Science and Health, p. 298). The first glimpse of Truth, the first healing insight into spiritual power, lifts human consciousness just that much out of material thinking. One by one Jesus denied and rejected every erroneous claim of mortal mind. Step by step he rose above all the false beliefs and trusts of materiality until he finally arose from mortal sight. One cannot expect to immediately make the final demonstrations he did, but one can certainly begin at once, and can prove for himself the truth he understands. As soon as he learns to recognize the opportunities for proving that come to him, this means progress.
The problems that present themselves are for solution; they are not obstacles, stumbling blocks, but enable one to prove to his own satisfaction the truths he has learned. One may feel that what he knows to be true is a step beyond that which he is able to prove, but one can and should keep pace with the acquisition of knowledge or he will find himself with a preponderance of theory which he has not substantiated with proof. Theoretically to accept a scientific fact or spiritual truth is only going part way. To grasp every opportunity to prove it establishes it in one's own consciousness, and it becomes an active part of his thinking, which can be utilized with equal power at any time.
Because all of the truths of divine Science have not been proved in our human experience is no reason for doubting that they are true or can be proved. Learning to think spiritually is an educational process, and progress of the student depends upon his correct application of the rules.
A young boy who had been attending the Christian Science Sunday School for a short time only became perplexed over some deeply metaphysical questions that presented themselves to him. He intimated that unless they were explained he would be obliged to disbelieve anything else that was told him on the subject. Recognizing that he had not been trained or educated to think spiritually and that his arguments were from an entirely materialistic standpoint, the student of Christian Science to whom the youth appealed reminded him that when he started to school he had experienced considerable difficulty with his arithmetic lessons. This he definitely remembered. But when he had mastered the simple problems of addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication, he was able to cope with calculations more intricate and involved, and thus solve the same problems that had been bewildering and perplexing before he had taken the necessary steps leading up to their solution. This explanation satisfied the young questioner; but a little later another profound question spontaneously came forth. But before the Scientist could answer, he held up his hand. "I know," he said; "I must learn to add and subtract first." He had learned a valuable lesson very early in his study of Christian Science.
Mortal mind, which Mrs. Eddy designates as that which is opposed to divine Mind, and therefore unreal, is obviously associated with limitation, limited thinking; and that is why it cannot touch the infinitude of divine Mind and its inexhaustible possibilities. This mortal mind cannot be improved: it must be thoroughly repudiated and cast off. Material-mindedness must be recognized as false reasoning; and divine Mind, spiritual consciousness, must be put on, or recognized as the only intelligence.
Wisdom and understanding cannot be materialized. Likewise materiality can take no cognizance of spirituality. Matter has no intelligence, no mind, and hence no reality.
When you say, "I am sick," or "I am unhappy," what is it that makes this assertion? The body of itself cannot speak. Material conditions have no power to discomfort or govern man. It is the belief in a power apart from God that would deceive one into accepting as real the inharmony that divine Mind could not plan or sanction. All of these things — your body, circumstances, conditions — are in your consciousness; you think about them, and you have the power and ability to think correctly. Health is mental loveliness, and is already an established fact, or it could never be proved or realized.
Every discordant condition, every physical inharmony, comes from a false concept of God and a lack of apprehension of the Science of Life. Error is a belief in that which is untrue. There is no error in Science. Any apparent discord is in the false concept of the interpreter. A recognition of this fact enables one to change his false concept instead of trying to change Science. Science is exact; divine Science stands for perfection, perfect Principle and idea. Any deviation from this perfection is a misapplication of the rules and in no way affects or hints any discrepancy in Science itself. The discordant tones one may hear a musician play are no part of the harmony of music and do not have to be corrected there, but in the musician's thinking. One single contaminating or disintegrating element would cause the final destruction of the whole. Tennyson expressed it in his lyrical rhythm when he wrote,
It is the little rift within the lute
That by and by will make the music mute,
And ever widening slowly silence all.
God, Principle, and the Science of Life could not know or contain one single element of error. Reality essentially must be perfection and wholly good to remain intact and impervious.
A student of Christian Science recently watched the work on a huge dam being constructed for irrigation purposes and was stirred with mingled thoughts of admiration and regret — admiration for the skill and ingenuity of mankind in utilizing material resources to overcome material obstacles and to harness material force to serve instead of destroy, and regret that the same care and precision are not more often applied to spiritual building. Long before the actual construction work on the dam was started, meticulous surveying was done. The natural course of the river was diverted, that the foundation might be built upon bedrock. Tons and tons of cement molded together the rock and gravel for unity and right consistency. Tons and tons of steel were used for strength, endurance, and solidity. Each day men scaled the sides looking for weak spots in the finished portions. Soft pockets were filled with firm, fresh cement. When finished, water from this dam will irrigate thousands of acres of hitherto useless land, making it fertile and productive.
What a model for character building, if one would work half as persistently and faithfully for accuracy and stability of structure, digging deep for a spiritual foundation, allowing no foreign element to mar the perfection! Even though built to serve many generations, eventually time and deterioration will claim every material structure. The dam represents a necessary provision for human development and improvement, but the accuracy of measurements, purity of ingredients, steadfastness to purpose, and faithfulness to trust are all mental, spiritual qualities, from which a safe pattern can be taken in building for lasting endurance. The weak spots or soft pockets may be likened to the fragments of material reliance and mortal mind superstitions that cannot safely be mixed with the cement of divine Love, which binds together all right ideas in their indissoluble union of utility and service. If one feels that the work he is doing does not hold together with the proper solidity, let him use more of the cement of Love, for there is no good thing impossible to divine Love; it can accomplish any righteous purpose to which it is applied.
One often hears it said, "If things were more harmonious, and my work more productive, then I could express more love, more gratitude." But if one would pour in more of the cement of Love and weld together every part with the rivets of gratitude, and oil with plenty of consecration, all would work together with one purpose, and there would be no reason to complain about results.
Perhaps one of the most disintegrating elements of mortal mind that would undermine our work is fear, for it brings about such disturbing intrusions as indecision, distrust, doubt, and so on. Fear is a belief in a power apart from God. What do we fear? Directly or indirectly we fear defeat or failure in some form. But nothing can defeat you but a false concept of God, and hence a false concept of self, which brings about weakness of purpose or misplaced confidences. No circumstance, condition, lack of education, opportunity, or talent has the power or intelligence to defeat anyone unless he accepts defeat from within.
The only failure is the failure to do right, to live up to that which one knows to be right. The only defeat is in failing to prove the truth one knows, to express the Love and wisdom man rightfully reflects from God.
Spiritual ideas are eternal, ever operative for good, and incapable of becoming useless or inactive. The acquisition of these immortal thoughts in consciousness is the putting on of incorruption, immortality. The relinquishment of wrong thinking, false beliefs, is the putting off of corruption, mortality. It is putting off the old man and putting on the new. This is a restorative, redemptive process and is outwardly manifested in improved human conditions and relations. This is how Christian Science heals — by the renewing of the mind. It does not try to heal a sick body or a sick business, for these are effects, and effects of wrong thinking, but it corrects one's thinking about these things, which is the mental cause of the discord, and the right concept inevitably brings right results.
Although Christian Science is strictly affirmative, declaring the allness of God and His goodness, this does not mean that evil can be ignored or overlooked. It must be squarely faced, dealt with, and unmasked. Someone may ask, "Well, if evil is unreal, why do we need to do anything about it, why is it necessary to deny it?" The denial of evil is primarily and entirely to aid one in arriving at the recognition of the allness of good, God. Actually there is no evil to deny or destroy; but until one's consciousness is filled with God's omnipresence, a refutation of the false beliefs that dispute His omnipotence is an important step in arriving at right conclusions, and establishing omniscience.
There are times when evil must be vigorously denied and strenuously dealt with before it can be forced to release its false assumption to power. On every side today we hear men and women ask how they should think about world conditions in order to compose their own thoughts, and be of help to their fellow man. In the face of the present world upheaval and disorganization, it is neither Christian Science nor right to say, "There is no war going on," and leave it there. This is not doing our part in helping to bring mankind out of this chaos of human events. In seeking to find one's individual responsibility in this crisis in human affairs, one can turn, as always, with assurance to the Bible, for understanding and guidance. Mrs. Eddy says that "the Bible is our sea-beaten rock. . . . It stands the storm" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 295). Throughout Bible history we find that those who trusted in God and fought for the right in the end always triumphed over evil and injustice.
Our work is to know just where this war is going on, and of what it consists. It is a mental conflict, as ever, and is going on in human consciousness, is being fought there, and can only be settled there. It is a war for supremacy between good and evil, freedom and bondage, right and wrong, Christianity and paganism. He who has set himself to fight for a righteous cause cannot be concerned solely with his own safety, for there is no security except that it be universal and impartial. There is no favoritism in God's kingdom. Each idea is precious in His sight, and each one of us has an equal right to individual development, progress, and self-government.
Let each one ask himself two questions. First, "What is my concept of Christianity, and how am I living it?" and second, "Just how far am I, myself, being rightly governed?" One can judge whether or not his concept of Christianity is correct by measuring it by the standard set by Jesus. Christianity, as he taught it, is the Science of peace and harmony, the reign of righteousness. The power of God and His Christ was all the power he used to enthrone good and dethrone evil.
Christian Science teaches that one is rightly governed only when governed by God. Each one must decide for himself whether mortal mind or divine Mind shall control his thoughts and actions. If each individual, each organization or nation were willing to base his government and laws upon the Sermon on the Mount as presented by Jesus, there would be no more war, and no more disagreements difficult of settlement. But so long as each organized group of people forms its own bill of rights and code of morals, based upon disputed leadership and the right to rule, there can be no common meeting ground, no fixed rule by which to reach a point of agreement. Christian Science, if correctly applied, would reinstate the government of good, with the understanding that God is the only power and authority.
One cannot underestimate the gravity of the challenge to Christianity in the primarily pagan ideologies, which seem rampant in the world today. Christian Science teaches the control of mad ambition, lust for power, ease in matter, and that each one needs to uncover and destroy the pagan tendencies in his own thinking before he can hope to help bring relief to his neighbor.
Christian Science does not teach that one must close his eyes, refusing to see that evil must be destroyed, must be forced to come down and yield its place to the reign of a righteous government. One must fight for the cause of right more vigorously than the hordes of evil seek to destroy it.
The prophet Isaiah, when he foretold the coming of the Messiah, trumpeted with spiritual certainty, "The government shall be upon his shoulder." He prophesied that the coming of the Christ would bring the people out of darkness and break the yoke of bondage and the rod of the oppressor, that there would be no end to the government of peace promised us by the Father in this Son, the Christ, who would govern all nations and peoples. Peace can never come until this Christ governs the consciousness of men.
But here let me remind you that right thinking is not all we have to do. Mrs. Eddy declares (Church Manual, p. 46), "A Christian Scientist is a humanitarian," and (Science and Health, p. 448), "It is Christian Science to do right, and nothing short of right-doing has any claim to the name." The Apostle James tells us what is right to do under distressing human circumstances: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" And he further admonishes, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well."
The angels of God's presence can deliver us from the depths. Two of the angels of Old Testament history, Michael and Gabriel, Mrs. Eddy characterizes as "spiritual strength" and "ministering Love" (Science and Health, pp. 566, 567). These angels come nearer in the time of need and sustain and deliver men from the onslaughts of evil. The Revelator, in speaking of this war that is going on in human consciousness, in which Michael and his angels fight the great red dragon, prophesies that the dragon and his angels will be cast out of heaven, and that they will no longer have any place there.
When this war is successfully fought and won in each individual consciousness there can be no outward evidence in human experience of tyranny, merciless destruction, and disregard of human rights and lives. But he who indulges in retaliation, resentment, revenge, or hatred is harboring warlike thoughts. Never are such thoughts justifiable or beneficial.
Christian Science teaches us to impersonalize evil. So let us watch our own thinking and conclusions. Let us get right with God and ourselves before we condemn another or try to set him right.
A right concept of man, as God's spiritual idea, is necessary for a correct understanding of God, who is inseparable from His creation. Let us give up the concept of man as made of flesh and bones — of dust — of dwelling in matter, manifested in physique and personality, and learn to recognize immortal man's spiritual individuality, the reflection of Soul, independent of matter. He who believes that man lives in a material body places himself in subjection to the mortal mind so-called laws concerning that body. God does not require the medium of matter through which to manifest Himself. Man, made in His image and likeness, does not require a material body to be an individual or to express Life. Man's only existence is in divine Science. Nor does one find God and his real selfhood as a reward for going through the experience called death. God is Life. This spiritual fact one may not at first comprehend, but he does know that he, himself, lives. Of this one thing he is sure. That this consciousness of Life can never be taken away from him, he may yet have to learn. Eternal Life is gained through spiritualization of thought. Man is not self-created, nor self-creative, but exists because God is.
Jesus, through his spiritual consciousness and understanding of Truth, saw this perfect man as the idea of God, and it was "this correct view of man" (Science and Health, p. 477) that enabled him to heal the sick and sinning, and raise the dead. The healing of disease is only the smallest part of Christian Science, but this healing is proof of its authenticity, and it is through these healing proofs that its teachings have become so widely known and accepted.
If one thinks that he has tried and failed, that his prayers are not answered, let him analyze his method of approach. He may find that his prayers are answered, but sometimes the answer is "No," for human will and outlining have prompted and motivated his thoughts and actions. Prayer should not rightfully be considered to be merely petition, and especially should one not make the mistake of asking God to change His plans, or intercede for a petitioner according to his fervor or eloquence in stating his case. Prayer in Christian Science is the desire to know and understand God, the willingness to conform one's desires and longings to that only which God can give — spiritual joy and right thinking. The effectual righteous prayer does not try to change God, but endeavors to see God in His true nature and being. A desire to know God, and to be governed by the law of good, should awaken one to the necessity of first purifying and spiritualizing thought as a preparation for receptivity. As one puts his desires into practice, which is highly important, the expectancy of good brightens the way, and upon human consciousness dawns the realization that God is not far away, but close at hand. Jesus evidently was confidently expectant of good, of right results, for he cast out any suggestions of doubt or uncertainty that might have delayed a demonstration.
One may desire to prove "the law of God, the law of good," as Mrs. Eddy defines Christian Science in part (Rudimental Divine Science, p. 1), but may not understand how to put this desire into practice. But this desire is prayer, and, if sincere, will lead in the right direction, if one acknowledges and trusts God. God is our friend, and one may talk with God as with a friend, if he will get a false sense of self and materiality out of the way. One must turn away from the earth and listen within his own consciousness for the voice of God. The tumult of the world must be silenced in order to hear the "still small voice" of Truth which is speaking to men. Prayer in Christian Science means something more than asking favors of God and offering excuses. It is an active acknowledgment of God's goodness and power, and God answers such prayers by healing sickness and sin.
The warfare with error is an exhilarating and vivifying experience, if one works with God. Proving the unreality and powerlessness of evil through an understanding of good, brings a victory and satisfaction and spiritual joy that no material success can give.
Christian Science proves that spiritual healing is divinely natural. It is the direct result of the operation of divine Mind, God, who expresses Himself in the unfoldment of good, which is irresistible and indomitable. One has but to read the life and study the works of our Master to discover that healing is inseparable from a spiritual understanding of God. Throughout his whole ministry Jesus gave conclusive proof of his understanding of the allness of God and the unreality of evil. The same healing Truth is here for us to prove and utilize. Does our concept of Christianity lack this element of healing? Then Christian Science is here to supply the need, for it is demonstrable, and based upon the teachings of Jesus. He healed the adulterous woman, raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, restored the centurion's servant to health, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and feet to the lame. Is not this conclusive proof that the healing Truth is impartial and impersonal? We, too, can experience this healing if we are obedient to the commandments of Truth, faithful to Principle, and are willing to consistently apply the rules of Christian Science.
All that you need to know about this Science is contained in the two textbooks, the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."
The world is satiated with materiality and is starving for spirituality. On every side the false picture of the material and unreal is presented to us, and we must turn our gaze towards the spiritual and real. Whatever the human need appears to be, it is primarily for the dominion of spiritual power, the confidence and comfort of divine wisdom and Love, the peace and permanence of spiritual Life — the kingdom of heaven.