Chapter XII - Christian Science Practice
Latent fear diagnosed
376:1
tal thought a hopeless state, an image more terrifying than
tal thought a hopeless state, an image more terrifying than
that of most other diseases. The patient turns involun-
tarily from the contemplation of it, but though unacknowl-
edged, the latent fear and the despair of recovery remain
in thought.
Insidious concepts
376:6
Just so is it with the greatest sin. It is the most subtle,
Just so is it with the greatest sin. It is the most subtle,
and does its work almost self-deceived. The diseases
deemed dangerous sometimes come from the
most hidden, undefined, and insidious beliefs.
The pallid invalid, whom you declare to be wasting away
with consumption of the blood, should be told that blood
never gave life and can never take it away, – that Life is
Spirit, and that there is more life and immortality in one
good motive and act, than in all the blood which ever
flowed through mortal veins and simulated a corporeal
sense of life.
Remedy for fever
376:17
If the body is material, it cannot, for that very reason,
If the body is material, it cannot, for that very reason,
suffer with a fever. Because the so-called material body
is a mental concept and governed by mortal
mind, it manifests only what that so-called
mind expresses. Therefore the efficient remedy is to
destroy the patient's false belief by both silently and au-
dibly arguing the true facts in regard to harmonious
being, – representing man as healthy instead of diseased,
and showing that it is impossible for matter to suffer, to
feel pain or heat, to be thirsty or sick. Destroy fear,
and you end fever. Some people, mistaught as to Mind‑
science, inquire when it will be safe to check a fever.
Know that in Science you cannot check a fever after ad-
mitting that it must have its course. To fear and admit
the power of disease, is to paralyze mental and scientific
demonstration.
377:1
If your patient believes in taking cold, mentally con-
If your patient believes in taking cold, mentally con-
vince him that matter cannot take cold, and that thought
governs this liability. If grief causes suffering, convince
the sufferer that affliction is often the source of joy, and
that he should rejoice always in ever-present Love.
Climate harmless
377:6
Invalids flee to tropical climates in order to save their
Invalids flee to tropical climates in order to save their
lives, but they come back no better than when they went
away. Then is the time to cure them through
Christian Science, and prove that they can
be healthy in all climates, when their fear of climate is
exterminated.
Mind governs body
377:12
Through different states of mind, the body becomes
Through different states of mind, the body becomes
suddenly weak or abnormally strong, showing mortal
mind to be the producer of strength or weak-
ness. A sudden joy or grief has caused what
is termed instantaneous death. Because a belief origi-
nates unseen, the mental state should be continually
watched that it may not produce blindly its bad effects.
The author never knew a patient who did not recover
when the belief of the disease had gone. Remove the
leading error or governing fear of this lower so-called mind,
and you remove the cause of all disease as well as the mor-
bid or excited action of any organ. You also remove in
this way what are termed organic diseases as readily as
functional difficulties.
377:26
The cause of all so-called disease is mental, a mortal
The cause of all so-called disease is mental, a mortal
fear, a mistaken belief or conviction of the necessity and
power of ill-health; also a fear that Mind is helpless to
defend the life of man and incompetent to control it. With-
out this ignorant human belief, any circumstance is of it-
self powerless to produce suffering. It is latent belief in
disease, as well as the fear of disease, which associates sick-