Chapter 13: 'Science and Health with Key to The Scriptures' by Mary Baker Eddy

Chapter XIII - Teaching Christian Science

Blight of avarice

446:1
teaching his slight knowledge of Mind-power, – per-

haps communicating his own bad morals, and in this way

dealing pitilessly with a community unprepared for self‑

defence.

446:5
A thorough perusal of the author's publications heals

sickness. If patients sometimes seem worse while read-

ing this book, the change may either arise from the alarm

of the physician, or it may mark the crisis of the disease.

Perseverance in the perusal of the book has generally

completely healed such cases.

Exclusion of malpractice

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Whoever practises the Science the author teaches,

through which Mind pours light and healing upon this

generation, can practise on no one from sin-

ister or malicious motives without destroying

his own power to heal and his own health. Good must

dominate in the thoughts of the healer, or his demon-

stration is protracted, dangerous, and impossible in Sci-

ence. A wrong motive involves defeat. In the Science

of Mind-healing, it is imperative to be honest, for victory

rests on the side of immutable right. To understand

God strengthens hope, enthrones faith in Truth, and

verifies Jesus' word: "Lo, I am with you alway, even

unto the end of the world."

Iniquity overcome

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Resisting evil, you overcome it and prove its nothing-

ness. Not human platitudes, but divine beatitudes, re-

flect the spiritual light and might which heal

the sick. The exercise of will brings on a

hypnotic state, detrimental to health and integrity of

thought. This must therefore be watched and guarded

against. Covering iniquity will prevent prosperity and the

ultimate triumph of any cause. Ignorance of the error

to be eradicated oftentimes subjects you to its abuse.

No trespass on human rights

447:1
The heavenly law is broken by trespassing upon

man's individual right of self-government. We have no

authority in Christian Science and no moral

right to attempt to influence the thoughts of

others, except it be to benefit them. In men-

tal practice you must not forget that erring human opin-

ions, conflicting selfish motives, and ignorant attempts

to do good may render you incapable of knowing or

judging accurately the need of your fellow-men. There-

fore the rule is, heal the sick when called upon for aid,

and save the victims of the mental assassins.

Expose sin without believing in it

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Ignorance, subtlety, or false charity does not for-

ever conceal error; evil will in time disclose and pun-

ish itself. The recuperative action of the

system, when mentally sustained by Truth,

goes on naturally. When sin or sickness –

the reverse of harmony – seems true to material sense,

impart without frightening or discouraging the pa-

tient the truth and spiritual understanding, which de-

stroy disease. Expose and denounce the claims of

evil and disease in all their forms, but realize no

reality in them. A sinner is not reformed merely

by assuring him that he cannot be a sinner because

there is no sin. To put down the claim of sin,

you must detect it, remove the mask, point out the

illusion, and thus get the victory over sin and so prove

its unreality. The sick are not healed merely by

declaring there is no sickness, but by knowing that

there is none.

Wicked evasions

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A sinner is afraid to cast the first stone. He may

say, as a subterfuge, that evil is unreal, but to know it,

he must demonstrate his statement. To assume that