Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896 Part 9

truism needs only to be tested scientifically to be found true, and adapted to destroy the appearance of evil to an extent beyond the power of any doctrine previously entertained.

_Do you teach that you are equal with G.o.d?_ [10]

A reader of my writings would not present this ques- tion. There are no such indications in the premises or conclusions of Christian Science, and such a misconcep- tion of Truth is not scientific. Man is not equal with his Maker; that which is formed is not cause, but effect, [15]

and has no power underived from its creator. It is pos- sible, and it is man's duty, so to throw the weight of his thoughts and acts on the side of Truth, that he be ever found in the scale _with_ his creator; not weighing equally with Him, but comprehending at every point, in [20]

divine Science, the full significance of what the apostle meant by the declaration, "The Spirit itself beareth wit- ness with our spirit, that we are the children of G.o.d: and if children, then heirs; heirs of G.o.d, and joint-heirs with Christ." In Science, man represents his divine Prin- [25]

ciple,-the Life and Love that are G.o.d,-even as the idea of sound, in tones, represents harmony; but thought has not yet wholly attained unto the Science of being, wherein man is perfect even as the Father, his divine Principle, is perfect. [30]

[Page 47.]

_How can I believe that there is no such thing as matter,_ [1]

_when I weigh over two hundred pounds and carry about_ _this weight daily?_

By learning that matter is but manifest mortal mind.

You entertain an adipose belief of yourself as substance; [5]

whereas, substance means more than matter: it is the glory and permanence of Spirit: it is that which is hoped for but unseen, that which the material senses cannot take in. Have you never been so preoccupied in thought when moving your body, that you did this with- [10]

out consciousness of its weight? If never in your waking hours, you have been in your night-dreams; and these tend to elucidate your day-dream, or the mythical nature of matter, and the possibilities of mind when let loose from its own beliefs. In sleep, a sense of the body ac- [15]

companies thought with less impediment than when awake, which is the truer sense of being. In Science, body is the servant of Mind, not its master: Mind is supreme. Science reverses the evidence of material sense with the spiritual sense that G.o.d, Spirit, is the only [20]

substance; and that man, His image and likeness, is spiritual, not material. This great Truth does not de- stroy but substantiates man's ident.i.ty,-together with his immortality and preexistence, or his spiritual co- existence with his Maker. That which has a beginning [25]

must have an ending.

_What should one conclude as to Professor Carpenter's_ _exhibitions of mesmerism?_

That largely depends upon what one accepts as either useful or true. I have no knowledge of mesmerism, [30]

[Page 48.]

practically or theoretically, save as I measure its demon- [1]

strations as a false belief, and avoid all that works ill. If mesmerism has the power attributed to it by the gentle- man referred to, it should neither be taught nor practised, but should be conscientiously condemned. One thing [5]

is quite apparent; namely, that its so-called power is despotic, and Mr. Carpenter deserves praise for his public exposure of it. If such be its power, I am opposed to it, as to every form of error,-whether of ignorance or fanaticism, prompted by money-making or malice. It [10]

is enough for me to know that animal magnetism is neither of G.o.d nor Science.

It is alleged that at one of his recent lectures in Bos- ton Mr. Carpenter made a man drunk on water, and then informed his audience that he could produce the [15]

effect of alcohol, or of any drug, on the human system, through the action of mind alone. This honest declara- tion as to the animus of animal magnetism and the pos- sible purpose to which it can be devoted, has, we trust, been made in season to open the eyes of the people to the [20]

hidden nature of some tragic events and sudden deaths at this period.

_Was ever a person made insane by studying meta-_ _physics?_

Such an occurrence would be impossible, for the [25]

proper study of Mind-healing would cure the insane.

That persons have gone away from the Ma.s.sachusetts Metaphysical College "made insane by Mrs. Eddy's teachings," like a hundred other stories, is a baseless fabrication offered solely to injure her or her school. [30]

The enemy is trying to make capital out of the follow-

[Page 49.]

ing case. A young lady entered the College cla.s.s who, [1]

I quickly saw, had a tendency to monomania, and re- quested her to withdraw before its close. We are cred- ibly informed that, before entering the College, this young lady had manifested some mental unsoundness, [5]

and have no doubt she could have been restored by Christian Science treatment. Her friends employed a h.o.m.opathist, who had the skill and honor to state, as his opinion given to her friends, that "Mrs. Eddy's teach- ings had not produced insanity." This is the only case [10]

that could be distorted into the claim of insanity ever having occurred in a cla.s.s of Mrs. Eddy's; while ac- knowledged and notable cases of insanity have been cured in her cla.s.s.

_If all that is mortal is a dream or error, is not_ [15]

_our capacity for formulating a dream, real; is it not_ _G.o.d-made; and if G.o.d-made, can it be wrong, sinful, or_ _an error?_

The spirit of Truth leads into all truth, and enables man to discern between the real and the unreal. Enter- [20]

taining the common belief in the opposite of goodness, and that evil is as real as good, opposes the leadings of the divine Spirit that are helping man G.o.dward: it pre- vents a recognition of the nothingness of the dream, or belief, that Mind is in matter, intelligence in non-intel- [25]

ligence, sin, and death. This belief presupposes not only a power opposed to G.o.d, and that G.o.d is not All- in-all, as the Scriptures imply Him to be, but that the capacity to err proceeds from G.o.d.

That G.o.d is Truth, the Scriptures aver; that Truth [30]

never created error, or such a capacity, is self-evident;

[Page 50.]

that G.o.d made all that was made, is again Scriptural; [1]

therefore your answer is, that error is an illusion of mortals; that G.o.d is not its author, and it cannot be real.

_Does __"__Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures__"_ [5]

_explain the entire method of metaphysical healing, or is_ _there a secret back of what is contained in that book, as_ _some say?_

"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures"

is a complete textbook of Christian Science; and its [10]

metaphysical method of healing is as lucid in presenta- tion as can be possible, under the necessity to express the metaphysical in physical terms. There is absolutely no additional secret outside of its teachings, or that gives one the power to heal; but it is essential that the student [15]

gain the spiritual understanding of the contents of this book, in order to heal.

_Do you believe in change of heart?_

We do believe, and understand-which is more- that there must be a change from human affections, de- [20]

sires, and aims, to the divine standard, "Be ye therefore perfect;" also, that there must be a change from the be- lief that the heart is matter and sustains life, to the understanding that G.o.d is our Life, that we exist in Mind, live thereby, and have being. This change of [25]

heart would deliver man from heart-disease, and ad- vance Christianity a hundredfold. The human affections need to be changed from self to benevolence and love for G.o.d and man; changed to having but _one_ G.o.d and loving Him supremely, and helping our brother man. [30]

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This change of heart is essential to Christianity, and [1]

will have its effect physically as well as spiritually, healing disease. Burnt offerings and drugs, G.o.d does not require.

_Is a belief of nervousness, accompanied by great mental_ [5]

_depression, mesmerism?_

All mesmerism is of one of three kinds; namely, the ignorant, the fraudulent, or the malicious workings of error or mortal mind. We have not the particulars of the case to which you may refer, and for this reason can- [10]

not answer your question professionally.

_How can I govern a child metaphysically? Doesn't the_ _use of the rod teach him life in matter?_

The use of the rod is virtually a declaration to the child's mind that sensation belongs to matter. Motives [15]

govern acts, and Mind governs man. If you make clear to the child's thought the right motives for action, and cause him to love them, they will lead him aright: if you educate him to love G.o.d, good, and obey the Golden Rule, he will love and obey you without your having to [20]

resort to corporeal punishment.

""When from the lips of Truth one mighty breath Shall, like a whirlwind, scatter in its breeze The whole dark pile of human mockeries; Then shall the reign of Mind commence on earth, [25]

And starting fresh, as from a second birth, Man in the suns.h.i.+ne of the world's new spring, Shall walk transparent like some holy thing."