Chapter XI - Some Objections Answered
Substance spiritual
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substance to be matter. They think of matter as some-
substance to be matter. They think of matter as some-
thing and almost the only thing, and of the things which
pertain to Spirit as next to nothing, or as very
far removed from daily experience. Christian
Science takes exactly the opposite view.
Both words and works
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To understand all our Master's sayings as recorded
To understand all our Master's sayings as recorded
in the New Testament, sayings infinitely important,
his followers must grow into that stature of
manhood in Christ Jesus which enables them
to interpret his spiritual meaning. Then they know
how Truth casts out error and heals the sick. His
words were the offspring of his deeds, both of which
must be understood. Unless the works are com-
prehended which his words explained, the words are
blind.
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The Master often refused to explain his words, because
The Master often refused to explain his words, because
it was difficult in a material age to apprehend spiritual
Truth. He said: "This people's heart is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they
have closed; lest at any time they should see with their
eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand
with their heart, and should be converted, and I should
heal them."
The divine life-link
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"The Word was made flesh." Divine Truth must be
"The Word was made flesh." Divine Truth must be
known by its effects on the body as well as on the mind,
before the Science of being can be demon-
strated. Hence its embodiment in the incar-
nate Jesus, – that life-link forming the connection through
which the real reaches the unreal, Soul rebukes sense, and
Truth destroys error.
Truth a present help
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In Jewish worship the Word was materially explained,
In Jewish worship the Word was materially explained,
and the spiritual sense was scarcely perceived. The
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religion which sprang from half-hidden Israelitish history
religion which sprang from half-hidden Israelitish history
was pedantic and void of healing power. When we lose
faith in God's power to heal, we distrust the
divine Principle which demonstrates Christian
Science, and then we cannot heal the sick. Neither can
we heal through the help of Spirit, if we plant ourselves
on a material basis.
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The author became a member of the orthodox Con-
The author became a member of the orthodox Con-
gregational Church in early years. Later she learned
that her own prayers failed to heal her as did the prayers
of her devout parents and the church; but when the
spiritual sense of the creed was discerned in the Science
of Christianity, this spiritual sense was a present help. It
was the living, palpitating presence of Christ, Truth, which
healed the sick.
Fatal premises
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We cannot bring out the practical proof of Christianity,
We cannot bring out the practical proof of Christianity,
which Jesus required, while error seems as potent and
real to us as Truth, and while we make a per-
sonal devil and an anthropomorphic God our
starting-points, – especially if we consider Satan as a
being coequal in power with Deity, if not superior to Him.
Because such starting-points are neither spiritual nor
scientific, they cannot work out the Spirit-rule of Christian
healing, which proves the nothingness of error, discord,
by demonstrating the all-inclusiveness of harmonious
Truth.
Fruitless worship
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The Israelites centred their thoughts on the material
The Israelites centred their thoughts on the material
in their attempted worship of the spiritual. To them
matter was substance, and Spirit was shadow.
They thought to worship Spirit from a ma-
terial standpoint, but this was impossible. They might
appeal to Jehovah, but their prayer brought down no