Chapter XII - Christian Science Practice
Compassion requisite
365:1
brusque business visitor sympathetically know the thorns
brusque business visitor sympathetically know the thorns
they plant in the pillow of the sick and the heavenly
homesick looking away from earth, – Oh, did
they know! – this knowledge would do much
more towards healing the sick and preparing their helpers
for the "midnight call," than all cries of "Lord, Lord!"
The benign thought of Jesus, finding utterance in such
words as "Take no thought for your life," would heal
the sick, and so enable them to rise above the supposed
necessity for physical thought-taking and doctoring;
but if the unselfish affections be lacking, and common
sense and common humanity are disregarded, what men-
tal quality remains, with which to evoke healing from
the outstretched arm of righteousness?
Speedy healing
365:15
If the Scientist reaches his patient through divine
If the Scientist reaches his patient through divine
Love, the healing work will be accomplished at one
visit, and the disease will vanish into its native
nothingness like dew before the morning sun-
shine. If the Scientist has enough Christly affection to
win his own pardon, and such commendation as the Mag-
dalen gained from Jesus, then he is Christian enough to
practise scientifically and deal with his patients compas-
sionately; and the result will correspond with the spiritual
intent.
Truth desecrated
365:25
If hypocrisy, stolidity, inhumanity, or vice finds its
If hypocrisy, stolidity, inhumanity, or vice finds its
way into the chambers of disease through the would-be
healer, it would, if it were possible, convert
into a den of thieves the temple of the Holy
Ghost, – the patient's spiritual power to resuscitate him-
self. The unchristian practitioner is not giving to mind
or body the joy and strength of Truth. The poor suf-
fering heart needs its rightful nutriment, such as peace,
366:1
patience in tribulation, and a priceless sense of the dear
patience in tribulation, and a priceless sense of the dear
Father's loving-kindness.
Moral evils to be cast out
366:3
In order to cure his patient, the metaphysician
In order to cure his patient, the metaphysician
must first cast moral evils out of himself and thus
attain the spiritual freedom which will en-
able him to cast physical evils out of his
patient; but heal he cannot, while his own spiritual
barrenness debars him from giving drink to the thirsty
and hinders him from reaching his patient's thought, –
yea, while mental penury chills his faith and under-
standing.
The true physician
366:12
The physician who lacks sympathy for his fellow‑
The physician who lacks sympathy for his fellow‑
being is deficient in human affection, and we have the
apostolic warrant for asking: "He that loveth
not his brother whom he hath seen, how can
he love God whom he hath not seen?" Not having this
spiritual affection, the physician lacks faith in the divine
Mind and has not that recognition of infinite Love which
alone confers the healing power. Such so-called Scien-
tists will strain out gnats, while they swallow the camels
of bigoted pedantry.
Source of calmness
366:22
The physician must also watch, lest he be over-
The physician must also watch, lest he be over-
whelmed by a sense of the odiousness of sin and by the
unveiling of sin in his own thoughts. The
sick are terrified by their sick beliefs, and
sinners should be affrighted by their sinful beliefs; but
the Christian Scientist will be calm in the presence of
both sin and disease, knowing, as he does, that Life is
God and God is All.
Genuine healing
366:30
If we would open their prison doors for the sick, we
If we would open their prison doors for the sick, we
must first learn to bind up the broken-hearted. If we
would heal by the Spirit, we must not hide the talent