christian science-第2节

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following　self…evident　propositions：
1。　　God　is　All　in　all。
2。　　God　is　good。　　Good　is　Mind
3。　　God；　Spirit；　being　all；　nothing　is　matter
4。　　Life；　God；　omnipotent　Good；　deny　death；　evil；　sin；　disease。

Therenow　you　see。〃

It　seemed　nebulous；　it　did　not　seem　to　say　anything　about　the　difficulty
in　handhow　non…existent　matter　can　propagate　illusions　I　said；　with
some　hesitancy：

〃Doesdoes　it　explain？〃

〃Doesn't　it？　　Even　if　read　backward　it　will　do　it。〃

With　a　budding　hope；　I　asked　her　to　do　it　backwards。

〃Very　well。　　Disease　sin　evil　death　deny　Good　omnipotent　God　life　matter
is　nothing　all　being　Spirit　God　Mind　is　Good　good　is　God　all　in　All　is
God。　　There　do　you　understand　now？

〃Ititwell；　it　is　plainer　than　it　was　before；　still　〃

〃Well？〃

〃Could　you　try　it　some　more　ways？〃

〃As　many　as　you　like；　it　always　means　the　same。　　Interchanged　in　any　way
you　please　it　cannot　be　made　to　mean　anything　different　from　what　it
means　when　put　in　any　other　way。　　Because　it　is　perfect。　　You　can　jumble
it　all　up；　and　it　makes　no　difference：　it　always　comes　out　the　way　it　was
before。　　It　was　a　marvelous　mind　that　produced　it。　　As　a　mental　tour　de
force　it　is　without　a　mate；　it　defies　alike　the　simple；　the　concrete；　and
the　occult。〃

〃It　seems　to　be　a　corker。〃

I　blushed　for　the　word；　but　it　was　out　before　I　could　stop　it。

〃A　what？〃

〃Awonderful　structurecombination；　so　to　speak；　of　profound　thoughts
unthinkable　onesum〃

It　is　true。　　Read　backward；　or　forward；　or　perpendicularly；　or　at　any
given　angle；　these　four　propositions　will　always　be　found　to　agree　in
statement　and　proof。〃

〃Ahproof。　　Now　we　are　coming　at　it。　　The　statements　agree；　they　agree
withwithanyway；　they　agree；　I　noticed　that；　but　what　is　it　they　prove
I　mean；　in　particular？〃

〃Why；　nothing　could　be　clearer。　　They　prove：

1。　　GODPrinciple；　Life；
Truth；　Love；　Soul；　Spirit；　Mind。　　Do　you　get　that？〃

〃Iwell；　I　seem　to。　　Go　on；　please。〃

〃2。　　MANGod's　universal　idea；　individual；　perfect；　eternal。　　Is　it
clear？〃

〃ItI　think　so。　　Continue。〃

〃3。　　IDEAAn　image　in　Mind；　the　immediate　object　of　understanding。
There　it　isthe　whole　sublime　Arcana　of　Christian　Science　in　a　nutshell。
Do　you　find　a　weak　place　in　it　anywhere？〃

〃Wellno；　it　seems　strong。〃

〃Very　well　There　is　more。　　Those　three　constitute　the　Scientific
Definition　of　Immortal　Mind。　　Next；　we　have　the　Scientific　Definition　of
Mortal　Mind。　　Thus。　　FIRST　DEGREE：　Depravity　I。　　Physical…Passions　and
appetites；　fear；　depraved　will；　pride；　envy；　deceit；　hatred；　revenge；
sin；　disease；　death。〃

〃Phantasms；　madamunrealities；　as　I　understand　it。〃

〃Every　one。　　SECOND　DEGREE：　Evil　Disappearing。　　I。　　Moral…Honesty；
affection；　compassion；　hope；　faith；　meekness；　temperance。　　Is　it　clear？〃

〃Crystal。〃

〃THIRD　DEGREE：　Spiritual　Salvation。　　I。　　Spiritual…Faith；　wisdom；　power；
purity；　understanding；　health；　love。　　You　see　how　searchingly　and　co…
ordinately　interdependent　and　anthropomorphous　it　all　is。　　In　this　Third
Degree；　as　we　know　by　the　revelations　of　Christian　Science；　mortal　mind
disappears。〃

〃Not　earlier？〃

〃No；　not　until　the　teaching　and　preparation　for　the　Third　Degree　are
completed。〃

〃It　is　not　until　then　that　one　is　enabled　to　take　hold　of　Christian
Science　effectively；　and　with　the　right　sense　of　sympathy　and　kinship；
as　I　understand　you。　　That　is　to　say；　it　could　not　succeed　during　the
processes　of　the　Second　Degree；　because　there　would　still　be　remains　of
mind　left；　and　thereforebut　I　interrupted　you。　　You　were　about　to
further　explain　the　good　results　proceeding　from　the　erosions　and
disintegrations　effected　by　the　Third　Degree。　　It　is　very　interesting；
go　on；　please。〃

〃Yes；　as　I　was　saying；　in　this　Third　Degree　mortal　mind　disappears。
Science　so　reverses　the　evidence　before　the　corporeal　human　senses　as　to
make　this　scriptural　testimony　true　in　our　hearts；　'the　last　shall　be
first　and　the　first　shall　be　last；'　that　God　and　His　idea　may　be　to　us
what　divinity　really　is；　and　must　of　necessity　be　all…inclusive。〃

〃It　is　beautiful。　　And　with　what　exhaustive　exactness　your　choice　and
arrangement　of　words　confirm　and　establish　what　you　have　claimed　for　the
powers　and　functions　of　the　Third　Degree。　　The　Second　could　probably
produce　only　temporary　absence　of　mind；　it　is　reserved　to　the　Third　to
make　it　permanent。　　A　sentence　framed　under　the　auspices　of　the　Second
could　have　a　kind　of　meaninga　sort　of　deceptive　semblance　of　it
whereas　it　is　only　under　the　magic　of　the　Third　that　that　defect　would
disappear。　　Also；　without　doubt；　it　is　the　Third　Degree　that　contributes
another　remarkable　specialty　to　Christian　Scienceviz。；　ease　and　flow
and　lavishness　of　words；　and　rhythm　and　swing　and　smoothness。　　There　must
be　a　special　reason　for　this？〃

〃YesGod　all；　allGod；　good　God；　non…Matter；　Matteration；　Spirit；
Bones；　Truth。〃

〃That　explains　it。〃

〃There　is　nothing　in　Christian　Science　that　is　not　explicable；　for　God　is
one；　Time　is　one；　Individuality　is　one；　and　may　be　one　of　a　series；　one
of　many；　as　an　individual　man；　individual　horse；　whereas　God　is　one；　not
one　of　a　series；　but　one　alone　and　without　an　equal。〃

〃These　are　noble　thoughts。　　They　make　one　burn　to　know　more。　　How　does
Christian　Science　explain　the　spiritual　relation　of　systematic　duality　to
incidental　deflection？〃

〃Christian　Science　reverses　the　seeming　relation　of　Soul　and　bodyas
astronomy　reverses　the　human　perception　of　the　movement　of　the　solar
systemand　makes　body　tributary　to　the　Mind。　　As　it　is　the　earth　which
is　in　motion；　While　the　sun　is　at　rest；　though　in　viewing　the　sun　rise
one　finds　it　impossible　to　believe　the　sun　not　to　be　really　rising；　so
the　body　is　but　the　humble　servant　of　the　restful　Mind；　though　it　seems
otherwise　to　finite　sense；　but　we　shall　never　understand　this　while　we
admit　that　soul　is　in　body；　or　mind　in　matter；　and　that　man　is　included
in　non…intelligence。　　Soul　is　God；　unchangeable　and　eternal；　and　man
coexists　with　and　reflects　Soul；　for　the　All…in…all　is　the　Altogether；
and　the　Altogether　embraces　the　All…one；　Soul…Mind；　Mind…Soul；　Love；
Spirit；　Bones；　Liver；　one　of　a　series；　alone　and　without　an　equal。〃

〃What　is　the　origin　of　Christian　Science？　　Is　it　a　gift　of　God；　or　did　it
just　happen？〃

〃In　a　sense；　it　is　a　gift　of　God。　　That　is　to　say；　its　powers　are　from
Him；　but　the　credit　of　the　discovery　of　the　powers　and　what　they　are　for
is　due　to　an　American　lady。〃

〃Indeed？　　When　did　this　occur？〃

〃In　1866。　　That　is　the　immortal　date　when　pain　and　disease　and　death
disappeared　from　the　earth　to　return　no　more　forever。　　That　is；　the
fancies　for　which　those　terms　stand　disappeared。　　The　things　themselves
had　never　existed；　therefore；　as　soon　as　it　was　perceived　that　there　were
no　such　things；　they　were　easily　banished。　　The　history　and　nature　of　the
great　discovery　are　set　down　in　the　book　here；　and〃

〃Did　the　lady　write　the　book？〃

〃Yes；　she　wrote　it　all；　herself。　　The　title　is　Science　and　Health；　with
Key　to　the　Scriptures　for　she　explains　the　Scriptures；　they　were　not
understood　before。　　Not　even　by　the　twelve　Disciples。　　She　begins　thus
I　will　read　it　to　you。〃

But　she　had　forgotten　to　bring　her　glasses。

〃Well；　it　is　no　matter；〃　she　said。　　〃I　remember　the　wordsindeed；　all
Christian　Scientists　know　the　book　by　heart；　it　is　necessary　in　our
practice。　　We　should　otherwise　make　mistakes　and　do　harm。　　She　begins
thus：　'　In　the　year　1866　I　discovered　the　Science　of　Metaphysical
Healing；　and　named　it　Christian　Science。'　And　She　says　quite　beautifully；
I　think'　Through　Christian　Science；　religion　and　medicine　are　inspired
with　a　diviner　nature　and　essence；　fresh　pinions　are　given　to　faith　and
understanding；　and　thoughts　acquaint　themselves　intelligently　with　God。'
Her　very　words。〃

〃It　is　elegant。　　And　it　is　a　fine　thought；　toomarrying　religion　to
medicine；　instead　of　medicine　to　the　undertaker　in　the　old　way；　for
religion　and　medicine　properly　belong　together；　they　being　the　basis　of
all　spiritual　and　physical　health。　　What　kind　of　medicine　do　you　give　for
the　ordinary　diseases；　such　as〃

〃We　never　give　medicine　in　any　circumstances　whatever！　　We〃

〃But；　madam；　it　says〃

〃I　don't　care　what　it　says；　and　I　don't　wish　to　talk　about　it。〃

〃I　am　sorry　if　I　have　offended；　but　you　see　the　mention　seemed　in　some
way　inconsistent；　and〃

〃There　are　no　inconsistencies　in　Christian　Science。　　The　thing　is
impossible；　for　the　Science　is　absolute。　　It　cannot　be　otherwise；　since
it　proceeds　directly　from　the　All…in…all　and　the　Everything…in…Which；
also　Soul；　Bones；　Truth；　one　of　a　series；　alone　and　without　equal。　　It　is
Mathematics　purified　from　material　dross　and　made　spiritual。〃

〃I　can　see　that；　but〃

〃It　rests　upon　the　immovable　basis　of　an　Apodictical　Principle。〃

The　word　flattened　itself　against　my　mind　in　trying　to　get　in；　and
disordered　me　a　little；　and　before　I　could　inquire　into　its　pertinency；
she　was　already　throwing　the　needed　light：

〃This　Apodictical　Principle　is　the　absolute　Principle　of　Scientific　Mind…
healing；　the　sovereign　Omnipotence　which　delivers　the　children　of　men
from　pain；　disease；　decay；　and　every　ill　that　flesh　is　heir　to。〃