Chapter III - Spirit and Matter
176:1
belief that drugs, air, exercise, and so forth, are benefit-
belief that drugs, air, exercise, and so forth, are benefit-
ing us, calling it these things only that affect our bodies.
When Truth reaches the understanding it stirs indi-
vidual error to a change of base; and the wrong and
right strive together until victory is decided on the
part of immutable harmony. This chemicalization, or
change, often follows our explanations of science, the
effect of which is that the patient recovers; disease
comes to the surface during the chemicalization, like a
fermenting fluid, and throws itself off, sometimes in
violent perspiration, eruptions, increased secretions,
and discharges. We have observed with our students,
and with the sick, a constant recurrence of morbid
symptoms, moral and physical, till the conflict is de-
cided on the part of Truth. We never witnessed as
much effect from what is termed a change of heart, or
from cathartics or alterative medicines, as we have seen
follow the introduction of the science of being into the
minds of the sinner, or the sick; like the little leaven,
it leavens the whole lump. These undeniable facts
establish the Principle that mind controls the body.
Patients with certain mentalities, or students with
wrong tendencies and habits, are more difficult to heal
or to teach, than others differently constituted. Three
classes of students honor Science least, and give the
teacher most trouble. The first, whose bigotry and con-
ceit are fixed facts, and the central views, a mysterious
God, and natural devil; the second, so early depraved
they impersonate innocence, never failing to utter a
falsehood, looking you blandly in the face, or to
stab their benefactor; the third, so iron-clad with
a belief or doctrine, that the bullets of Truth roll off
177:1
without making an indenture. Errors are the least
without making an indenture. Errors are the least
perceived that lie not upon the plane of your own ex-
perience, and sink so deeply into the nature of others
that you never realize a serpent lies in your path until
you feel its bite.
177:6
Society is often a silly juror, that judges according
Society is often a silly juror, that judges according
to testimony on one side; and honesty often agrees too
late on its verdict, for fear of wronging the criminal;
hence people with work on hand have little time to
furnish gossip with law and evidence. To reconstruct
timid justice and let Truth be heard above falsehood,
is the work of time; a good cause cannot be popular at
first; to live wrong and talk right, avails little in bene-
fiting one's self or others. The spiritually-minded, and
honest man, although his beliefs are built in solid ma-
sonry of thought, is open to the approach and recogni-
tion of Truth; therefore he is the only apt student of
the science of Life; we have no task in teaching him,
nor does he persistently turn back to error; or avenge
himself on us. Such an one should be a Paul to the
modern Romans; his treasures are Truth, not laid up
on earth. Aspirations pure and God-ward, steadfast
purpose, honesty, understanding, and independent ac-
tion, alone fit us for the science of Life.
177:25
The evil deceive the good, but putting aside the vail
The evil deceive the good, but putting aside the vail
that fails between goodness and depravity; one has a
more unerring guide than the other; this guide is re-
pugnance to evil, and their first impressions with
regard to individual character. When the good suffer
from contact with certain individuals, it is a hint that
something is wrong in those individuals; but this hint
is not always heeded, and then comes the irresistible