Chapter 12: 'Science and Health with Key to The Scriptures' by Mary Baker Eddy

Chapter XII - Christian Science Practice

399:1
no power, no intelligence, for God is good, and therefore

good is infinite, is All.

Corporeal combinations

399:3
You say that certain material combinations produce

disease; but if the material body causes disease, can

matter cure what matter has caused? Mortal

mind prescribes the drug, and administers it.

Mortal mind plans the exercise, and puts the body through

certain motions. No gastric gas accumulates, not a se-

cretion nor combination can operate, apart from the

action of mortal thought, alias mortal mind.

Automatic mechanism

399:11
So-called mortal mind sends its despatches over its

body, but this so-called mind is both the service and

message of this telegraphy. Nerves are un-

able to talk, and matter can return no an-

swer to immortal Mind. If Mind is the only actor, how

can mechanism be automatic? Mortal mind perpetuates

its own thought. It constructs a machine, manages it,

and then calls it material. A mill at work or the action

of a water-wheel is but a derivative from, and continua-

tion of, the primitive mortal mind. Without this force

the body is devoid of action, and this deadness shows

that so-called mortal life is mortal mind, not matter.

Mental strength

399:23
Scientifically speaking, there is no mortal mind out of

which to make material beliefs, springing from illusion.

This misnamed mind is not an entity. It is

only a false sense of matter, since matter is not

sensible. The one Mind, God, contains no mortal opin-

ions. All that is real is included in this immortal Mind.

Confirmation in a parable

399:29
Our Master asked: "How can one enter into a strong

man's house and spoil his goods, except he first

bind the strong man?" In other words: How

can I heal the body, without beginning with so-called