christian science-第5节

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Let　us　consider　that　we　are　all　partially　insane。　　It　will　explain　us　to
each　other；　it　will　unriddle　many　riddles；　it　will　make　clear　and　simple
many　things　which　are　involved　in　haunting　and　harassing　difficulties　and
obscurities　now。

Those　of　us　who　are　not　in　the　asylum；　and　not　demonstrably　due　there；
are　nevertheless；　no　doubt；　insane　in　one　or　two　particulars。　　I　think　we
must　admit　this；　but　I　think　that　we　are　otherwise　healthy…minded。　　I
think　that　when　we　all　see　one　thing　alike；　it　is　evidence　that；　as
regards　that　one　thing；　our　minds　are　perfectly　sound。　　Now　there　are
really　several　things　which　we　do　all　see　alike；　things　which　we　all
accept；　and　about　which　we　do　not　dispute。　　For　instance；　we　who　are
outside　of　the　asylum　all　agree　that　water　seeks　its　level；　that　the　sun
gives　light　and　heat；　that　fire　consumes；　that　fog　is　damp；　that　six
times　six　are　thirty…six；　that　two　from　ten　leaves　eight；　that　eight　and
seven　are　fifteen。　　These　are；　perhaps；　the　only　things　we　are　agreed
about；　but；　although　they　are　so　few；　they　are　of　inestimable　value；
because　they　make　an　infallible　standard　of　sanity。　　Whosoever　accepts
them　him　we　know　to　be　substantially　sane；　sufficiently　sane；　in　the
working　essentials；　sane。　　Whoever　disputes　a　single　one　of　them　him　we
know　to　be　wholly　insane；　and　qualified　for　the　asylum。

Very　well；　the　man　who　disputes　none　of　them　we　concede　to　be　entitled　to
go　at　large。　　But　that　is　concession　enough。　　We　cannot　go　any　further
than　that；　for　we　know　that　in　all　matters　of　mere　opinion　that　same　man
is　insanejust　as　insane　as　we　are；　just　as　insane　as　Shakespeare　was。
We　know　exactly　where　to　put　our　finger　upon　his　insanity：　it　is　where
his　opinion　differs　from　ours。

That　is　a　simple　rule；　and　easy　to　remember。　　When　I；　a　thoughtful　and
unblessed　Presbyterian；　examine　the　Koran；　I　know　that　beyond　any
question　every　Mohammedan　is　insane；　not　in　all　things；　but　in　religious
matters。　　When　a　thoughtful　and　unblessed　Mohammedan　examines　the
Westminster　Catechism；　he　knows　that　beyond　any　question　I　am　spiritually
insane。　　I　cannot　prove　to　him　that　he　is　insane；　because　you　never　can
prove　anything　to　a　lunaticfor　that　is　a　part　of　his　insanity　and　the
evidence　of　it。　　He　cannot　prove　to　me　that　I　am　insane；　for　my　mind　has
the　same　defect　that　afflicts　his。　　All　Democrats　are　insane；　but　not　one
of　them　knows　it；　none　but　the　Republicans　and　Mugwumps　know　it。　　All　the
Republicans　are　insane；　but　only　the　Democrats　and　Mugwumps　can　perceive
it。　　The　rule　is　perfect：　in　all　matters　of　opinion　our　adversaries　are
insane。　　When　I　look　around　me；　I　am　often　troubled　to　see　how　many
people　are　mad。　　To　mention　only　a　few：

The　Atheist；　The　Theosophists；　The　Infidel；　The　Swedenborgians；　The
Agnostic；　The　Shakers；　The　Baptist；　The　Millerites；　The　Methodist；　The
Mormons；　The　Christian　Scientist；　The　Laurence　Oliphant　Harrisites；　The
Catholic；　and　the　115　Christian　sects；　the　Presbyterian　excepted；　The
Grand　Lama's　people；　The　Monarchists；　The　Imperialists；　The　72　Mohammedan
sects；　The　Democrats；　The　Republicans　（but　not　the　Mugwumps）；　The
Buddhist；　The　Blavatsky…Buddhist；　The　Mind…Curists；　The　Faith…Curists；
The　Nationalist；　The　Mental　Scientists；　The　Confucian；　The　Spiritualist；
The　Allopaths；　The　2000　East　Indian　sects；　The　Homeopaths；　The
Electropaths；　The　Peculiar　People；　The

But　there's　no　end　to　the　list；　there　are　millions　of　them！　　And　all
insane；　each　in　his　own　way；　insane　as　to　his　pet　fad　or　opinion；　but
otherwise　sane　and　rational。　　This　should　move　us　to　be　charitable
towards　one　another's　lunacies。　　I　recognize　that　in　his　special　belief
the　Christian　Scientist　is　insane；　because　he　does　not　believe　as　I　do；
but　I　hail　him　as　my　mate　and　fellow；　because　I　am　as　insane　as　he　insane
from　his　point　of　view；　and　his　point　of　view　is　as　authoritative　as　mine
and　worth　as　much。　　That　is　to　say；　worth　a　brass　farthing。　　Upon　a　great
religious　or　political　question；　the　opinion　of　the　dullest　head　in　the
world　is　worth　the　same　as　the　opinion　of　the　brightest　head　in　the
worlda　brass　farthing。　　How　do　we　arrive　at　this？　　It　is　simple。　　The
affirmative　opinion　of　a　stupid　man　is　neutralized　by　the　negative
opinion　of　his　stupid　neighbor　no　decision　is　reached；　the　affirmative
opinion　of　the　intellectual　giant　Gladstone　is　neutralized　by　the
negative　opinion　of　the　intellectual　giant　Newmanno　decision　is
reached。　　Opinions　that　prove　nothing　are；　of　course；　without　value　any
but　a　dead　person　knows　that　much。　　This　obliges　us　to　admit　the　truth　of
the　unpalatable　proposition　just　mentioned　above　that；　in　disputed
matters　political　and　religious；　one　man's　opinion　is　worth　no　more　than
his　peer's；　and　hence　it　followers　that　no　man's　opinion　possesses　any
real　value。　　It　is　a　humbling　thought；　but　there　is　no　way　to　get　around
it：　all　opinions　upon　these　great　subjects　are　brass…farthing　opinions。

It　is　a　mere　plain；　simple　factas　clear　and　as　certain　as　that　eight
and　seven　make　fifteen。　　And　by　it　we　recognize　that　we　are　all　insane；
as　concerns　those　matters。　　If　we　were　sane；　we　should　all　see　a
political　or　religious　doctrine　alike；　there　would　be　no　dispute：　it
would　be　a　case　of　eight　and　sevenjust　as　it　is　in　heaven；　where　all
are　sane　and　none　insane。　　There　there　is　but　one　religion；　one　belief；
the　harmony　is　perfect；　there　is　never　a　discordant　note。

Under　protection　of　these　preliminaries；　I　suppose　I　may　now　repeat
without　offence　that　the　Christian　Scientist　is　insane。　　I　mean　him　no
discourtesy；　and　I　am　not　chargingnor　even　imaginingthat　he　is
insaner　than　the　rest　of　the　human　race。　　I　think　he　is　more
picturesquely　insane　than　some　of　us。　　At　the　same　time；　I　am　quite　sure
that　in　one　important　and　splendid　particular　he　is　much　saner　than　is
the　vast　bulk　of　the　race。

Why　is　he　insane？　　I　told　you　before：　it　is　because　his　opinions　are　not
ours。　　I　know　of　no　other　reason；　and　I　do　not　need　any　other；　it　is　the
only　way　we　have　of　discovering　insanity　when　it　is　not　violent。　　It　is
merely　the　picturesqueness　of　his　insanity　that　makes　it　more　interesting
than　my　kind　or　yours。　　For　instance；　consider　his　〃little　book〃；　the
〃little　book〃　exposed　in　the　sky　eighteen　centuries　ago　by　the　flaming
angel　of　the　Apocalypse；　and　handed　down　in　our　day　to　Mrs。　Mary　Baker　G。
Eddy；　of　New　Hampshire；　and　translated　by　her；　word　for　word；　into
English　（with　help　of　a　polisher）；　and　now　published　and　distributed　in
hundreds　of　editions　by　her　at　a　clear　profit　per　volume；　above　cost；　of
seven　hundred　per　cent。！a　profit　which　distinctly　belongs　to　the　angel
of　the　Apocalypse；　and　let　him　collect　it　if　he　can；　a　〃little　book〃
which　the　C。S。　　very　frequently　calls　by　just　that　name；　and　always
enclosed　in　quotation…marks　to　keep　its　high　origin　exultantly　in　mind；　a
〃little　book〃　which　〃explains〃　and　reconstructs　and　new…paints　and
decorates　the　Bible；　and　puts　a　mansard　roof　on　it　and　a　lightning…rod
and　all　the　other　modern　improvements；　a　〃little　book〃　which　for　the
present　affects　to　travel　in　yoke　with　the　Bible　and　be　friendly　to　it；
and　within　half　a　century　will　hitch　the　Bible　in　the　rear　and
thenceforth　travel　tandem；　itself　in　the　lead；　in　the　coming　great　march
of　Christian　Scientism　through　the　Protestant　dominions　of　the　planet。




CHAPTER　VI

〃Hungry　ones　throng　to　hear　the　Bible　read　in　connection　with　the　text…
book　of　Christian　Science；　Science　and　Health；　with　Key　to　the
Scriptures；　by　Mary　Baker　G。　　Eddy。　　These　are　our　only　preachers。　　They
are　the　word　of　God。　　〃Christian　Science　Journal〃；　October；　1898。

Is　that　picturesque？　　A　lady　has　told　me　that　in　a　chapel　of　the　Mosque
in　Boston　there　is　a　picture　or　image　of　Mrs。　Eddy；　and　that　before　it
burns　a　never…extinguished　light。　　Is　that　picturesque？　　How　long　do　you
think　it　will　be　before　the　Christian　Scientist　will　be　worshipping　that
picture　or　image　and　praying　to　it？　　How　long　do　you　think　it　will　be
before　it　is　claimed　that　Mrs。　Eddy　is　a　Redeemer；　a　Christ；　and　Christ's
equal？　　Already　her　army　of　disciples　speak　of　her　reverently　as　〃Our
Mother。〃

How　long　will　it　be　before　they　place　her　on　the　steps　of　the　Throne
beside　the　Virginand；　later；　a　step　higher？　　First；　Mary　the　Virgin　and
Mary　the　Matron；　later；　with　a　change　of　precedence；　Mary　the　Matron　and
Mary　the　Virgin。　　Let　the　artist　get　ready　with　his　canvas　and　his
brushes；　the　new　Renaissance　is　on　its　way；　and　there　will　be　money　in
altar…canvasesa　thousand　times　as　much　as　the　Popes　and　their　Church
ever　spent　on　the　Old　Masters；　for　their　riches　were　poverty　as　compared
with　what　is　going　to　pour　into　the　treasure…chest　of　the　Christian…
Scientist　Papacy　by…and…by；　let　us　not　doubt　it。　　We　will　examine　the
financial　outlook　presently　and　see　what　it　promises。　　A　favorite　subject
of　the　new　Old　Master　will　be　the　first　verse　of　the　twelfth　chapter　of
Revelationa　verse　which　Mrs。　Eddy　says　（in　her　Annex　to　the　Scriptures）
has　〃one　distinctive　feature　which　has　special　reference　to　the　present
age〃and　to　her；　as　is　rather　pointedly　indicated：

〃And　there　appeared　a　great　wonder　in　heaven；　a　woman　clot