Chapter VII - Physiology
The important decision
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all lower remedies. And why not, since Mind, God, is
all lower remedies. And why not, since Mind, God, is
the source and condition of all existence? Before decid-
ing that the body, matter, is disordered, one
should ask, "Who art thou that repliest to
Spirit? Can matter speak for itself, or does
it hold the issues of life?" Matter, which can neither
suffer nor enjoy, has no partnership with pain and pleas-
ure, but mortal belief has such a partnership.
Manipulation unscientific
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When you manipulate patients, you trust in electricity
When you manipulate patients, you trust in electricity
and magnetism more than in Truth; and for
that reason, you employ matter rather than
Mind. You weaken or destroy your power when you re-
sort to any except spiritual means.
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It is foolish to declare that you manipulate patients but
It is foolish to declare that you manipulate patients but
that you lay no stress on manipulation. If this be so, why
manipulate? In reality you manipulate because you are
ignorant of the baneful effects of magnetism, or are not
sufficiently spiritual to depend on Spirit. In either case
you must improve your mental condition till you finally
attain the understanding of Christian Science.
Not words but deeds
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If you are too material to love the Science of Mind and
If you are too material to love the Science of Mind and
are satisfied with good words instead of effects, if you
adhere to error and are afraid to trust Truth,
the question then recurs, "Adam, where art
thou?" It is unnecessary to resort to aught besides
Mind in order to satisfy the sick that you are doing some-
thing for them, for if they are cured, they generally know
it and are satisfied.
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"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
If you have more faith in drugs than in Truth, this faith
will incline you to the side of matter and error. Any
hypnotic power you may exercise will diminish your
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ability to become a Scientist, and vice versa. The act
ability to become a Scientist, and vice versa. The act
of healing the sick through divine Mind alone, of casting
out error with Truth, shows your position as a Christian
Scientist.
Physiology or Spirit
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The demands of God appeal to thought only; but the
The demands of God appeal to thought only; but the
claims of mortality, and what are termed laws of nature,
appertain to matter. Which, then, are we to
accept as legitimate and capable of producing
the highest human good? We cannot obey both physi-
ology and Spirit, for one absolutely destroys the other,
and one or the other must be supreme in the affections.
It is impossible to work from two standpoints. If we
attempt it, we shall presently "hold to the one,
and despise the other."
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The hypotheses of mortals are antagonistic to Science
The hypotheses of mortals are antagonistic to Science
and cannot mix with it. This is clear to those, who heal
the sick on the basis of Science.
No material law
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Mind's government of the body must supersede the so‑
Mind's government of the body must supersede the so‑
called laws of matter. Obedience to material law pre-
vents full obedience to spiritual law, – the law
which overcomes material conditions and puts
matter under the feet of Mind. Mortals entreat the di-
vine Mind to heal the sick, and forthwith shut out the aid
of Mind by using material means, thus working against
themselves and their prayers and denying man's God‑
given ability to demonstrate Mind's sacred power. Pleas
for drugs and laws of health come from some sad incident,
or else from ignorance of Christian Science and its tran-
scendent power.
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To admit that sickness is a condition over which God
To admit that sickness is a condition over which God
has no control, is to presuppose that omnipotent power
is powerless on some occasions. The law of Christ, or