Chapter XII - Christian Science Practice
Fevers the effect of fear
380:1
Science, it may rest at length on some receptive thought,
Science, it may rest at length on some receptive thought,
and become a fever case, which ends in a belief called
death, which belief must be finally conquered by eternal
Life. Truth is always the victor. Sickness and sin fall
by their own weight. Truth is the rock of ages, the head-
stone of the corner, "but on whomsoever it shall fall, it
will grind him to powder."
Misdirected contention
380:8
Contending for the evidence or indulging the demands
Contending for the evidence or indulging the demands
of sin, disease, or death, we virtually contend against
the control of Mind over body, and deny the
power of Mind to heal. This false method
is as though the defendant should argue for the plaintiff
in favor of a decision which the defendant knows will
be turned against himself.
Benefits of metaphysics
380:15
The physical effects of fear illustrate its illusion. Gaz-
The physical effects of fear illustrate its illusion. Gaz-
ing at a chained lion, crouched for a spring, should not
terrify a man. The body is affected only with
the belief of disease produced by a so-called
mind ignorant of the truth which chains disease. Noth-
ing but the power of Truth can prevent the fear of
error, and prove man's dominion over error.
A higher discovery
380:22
Many years ago the author made a spiritual discov-
Many years ago the author made a spiritual discov-
ery, the scientific evidence of which has accumulated to
prove that the divine Mind produces in man
health, harmony, and immortality. Gradu-
ally this evidence will gather momentum and clearness,
until it reaches its culmination of scientific statement and
proof. Nothing is more disheartening than to believe
that there is a power opposite to God, or good, and that
God endows this opposing power with strength to be used
against Himself, against Life, health, harmony.
Ignorance of our rights
380:32
Every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern
Every law of matter or the body, supposed to govern
381:1
man, is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God.
man, is rendered null and void by the law of Life, God.
Ignorant of our God-given rights, we submit to unjust
decrees, and the bias of education enforces
this slavery. Be no more willing to suffer the
illusion that you are sick or that some disease is develop-
ing in the system, than you are to yield to a sinful temp-
tation on the ground that sin has its necessities.
No laws of matter
381:8
When infringing some supposed law, you say that
When infringing some supposed law, you say that
there is danger. This fear is the danger and induces the
physical effects. We cannot in reality suffer
from breaking anything except a moral or
spiritual law. The so-called laws of mortal belief are
destroyed by the understanding that Soul is immortal,
and that mortal mind cannot legislate the times, periods,
and types of disease, with which mortals die. God is the
lawmaker, but He is not the author of barbarous codes.
In infinite Life and Love there is no sickness, sin, nor
death, and the Scriptures declare that we live, move, and
have our being in the infinite God.
God-given dominion
381:20
Think less of the enactments of mortal mind, and you
Think less of the enactments of mortal mind, and you
will sooner grasp man's God-given dominion. You must
understand your way out of human theories
relating to health, or you will never believe
that you are quite free from some ailment. The har-
mony and immortality of man will never be reached
without the understanding that Mind is not in matter.
Let us banish sickness as an outlaw, and abide by the
rule of perpetual harmony, – God's law. It is man's
moral right to annul an unjust sentence, a sentence never
inflicted by divine authority.
Begin rightly
381:31
Christ Jesus overruled the error which would impose
Christ Jesus overruled the error which would impose
penalties for transgressions of the physical laws of