Chapter V - Animal Magnetism Unmasked
Mental despotism
103:1
promotes affection and virtue in families and therefore
promotes affection and virtue in families and therefore
in the community. The Apostle Paul refers to the
personification of evil as "the god of this
world," and further defines it as dishonesty
and craftiness. Sin was the Assyrian moon-god.
Liberation of mental powers
103:6
The destruction of the claims of mortal mind through
The destruction of the claims of mortal mind through
Science, by which man can escape from sin
and mortality, blesses the whole human fam-
ily. As in the beginning, however, this libera-
tion does not scientifically show itself in a knowledge of
both good and evil, for the latter is unreal.
On the other hand, Mind-science is wholly separate
from any half-way impertinent knowledge, because Mind‑
science is of God and demonstrates the divine Principle,
working out the purposes of good only. The maximum
of good is the infinite God and His idea, the All-in-all.
Evil is a suppositional lie.
The genus of error
103:18
As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or
As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or
hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind.
It is the false belief that mind is in matter, and
is both evil and good; that evil is as real as
good and more powerful. This belief has not one qual-
ity of Truth. It is either ignorant or malicious. The
malicious form of hypnotism ultimates in moral idiocy.
The truths of immortal Mind sustain man, and they anni-
hilate the fables of mortal mind, whose flimsy and gaudy
pretensions, like silly moths, singe their own wings and
fall into dust.
Thought-transference
103:29
In reality there is no mortal mind, and conse-
In reality there is no mortal mind, and conse-
quently no transference of mortal thought
and will-power. Life and being are of
God. In Christian Science, man can do no harm, for
104:1
scientific thoughts are true thoughts, passing from God
scientific thoughts are true thoughts, passing from God
to man.
104:3
When Christian Science and animal magnetism are
When Christian Science and animal magnetism are
both comprehended, as they will be at no distant date,
it will be seen why the author of this book has been
so unjustly persecuted and belied by wolves in sheep's
clothing.
104:8
Agassiz, the celebrated naturalist and author, has
Agassiz, the celebrated naturalist and author, has
wisely said: "Every great scientific truth goes through
three stages. First, people say it conflicts with the Bible.
Next, they say it has been discovered before. Lastly,
they say they have always believed it."
Perfection of divine government
104:13
Christian Science goes to the bottom of mental action,
Christian Science goes to the bottom of mental action,
and reveals the theodicy which indicates the rightness of
all divine action, as the emanation of divine
Mind, and the consequent wrongness of the
opposite so-called action, – evil, occultism,
necromancy, mesmerism, animal magnetism, hypnotism.
Adulteration of Truth
104:19
The medicine of Science is divine Mind; and dishonesty,
The medicine of Science is divine Mind; and dishonesty,
sensuality, falsehood, revenge, malice, are animal pro-
pensities and by no means the mental quali-
ties which heal the sick. The hypnotizer
employs one error to destroy another. If he heals sick-
ness through a belief, and a belief originally caused the
sickness, it is a case of the greater error overcoming the
lesser. This greater error thereafter occupies the ground,
leaving the case worse than before it was grasped by the
stronger error.
Motives considered
104:29
Our courts recognize evidence to prove the motive as
Our courts recognize evidence to prove the motive as
well as the commission of a crime. Is it not
clear that the human mind must move the
body to a wicked act? Is not mortal mind the mur-