Chapter XIII - Teaching Christian Science
Failure's lessons
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unsatisfactory, and they receive no help from them, these
unsatisfactory, and they receive no help from them, these
very failures may open their blind eyes. In some way,
sooner or later, all must rise superior to materiality, and
suffering is oft the divine agent in this elevation. "All
things work together for good to them that love God," is
the dictum of Scripture.
Refuge and strength
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If Christian Scientists ever fail to receive aid from
If Christian Scientists ever fail to receive aid from
other Scientists, – their brethren upon whom they may
call, – God will still guide them into the right
use of temporary and eternal means. Step by
step will those who trust Him find that "God is our refuge
and strength, a very present help in trouble."
Charity to those opposed
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Students are advised by the author to be charitable
Students are advised by the author to be charitable
and kind, not only towards differing forms of religion
and medicine, but to those who hold these dif-
fering opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing
the way through Christ, as we understand it,
but let us also be careful always to "judge righteous judg-
ment," and never to condemn rashly. "Whosoever shall
smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
That is, Fear not that he will smite thee again for thy for-
bearance. If ecclesiastical sects or medical schools turn
a deaf ear to the teachings of Christian Science, then part
from these opponents as did Abraham when he parted
from Lot, and say in thy heart: "Let there be no strife, I
pray thee, between me and thee, and between My herd-
men and thy herdmen; for we be brethren." Immortals,
or God's children in divine Science, are one harmonious
family; but mortals, or the "children of men" in material
sense, are discordant and ofttimes false brethren.
Conforming to explicit rules
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The teacher must make clear to students the Science
The teacher must make clear to students the Science
of healing, especially its ethics, – that all is Mind, and
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that the Scientist must conform to God's requirements.
that the Scientist must conform to God's requirements.
Also the teacher must thoroughly fit his students to defend
themselves against sin, and to guard against the
attacks of the would-be mental assassin, who
attempts to kill morally and physically. No
hypothesis as to the existence of another power should
interpose a doubt or fear to hinder the demonstration of
Christian Science. Unfold the latent energies and capac-
ities for good in your pupil. Teach the great possibilities
of man endued with divine Science. Teach the dangerous
possibility of dwarfing the spiritual understanding and
demonstration of Truth by sin, or by recourse to material
means for healing. Teach the meekness and might of life
"hid with Christ in God," and there will be no desire for
other healing methods. You render the divine law of
healing obscure and void, when you weigh the human in
the scale with the divine, or limit in any direction of
thought the omnipresence and omnipotence of God.
Divine energy
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Christian Science silences human will, quiets fear with
Christian Science silences human will, quiets fear with
Truth and Love, and illustrates the unlabored motion
of the divine energy in healing the sick. Self‑
seeking, envy, passion, pride, hatred, and
revenge are cast out by the divine Mind which heals
disease. The human will which maketh and worketh a lie,
hiding the divine Principle of harmony, is destructive to
health, and is the cause of disease rather than its cure.
Blight of avarice
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There is great danger in teaching Mind-healing indis-
There is great danger in teaching Mind-healing indis-
criminately, thus disregarding the morals of the student
and caring only for the fees. Recalling Jeffer-
son's words about slavery, "I tremble, when I
remember that God is just," the author trembles whenever
she sees a man, for the petty consideration of money,