Chapter XIII - Teaching Christian Science
Indispensable defence
452:1
him how to bar the door of his thought against this
him how to bar the door of his thought against this
seeming power, – a task not difficult, when one under-
stands that evil has in reality no power.
Incorrect reasoning leads to practical error.
The wrong thought should be arrested before it has a
chance to manifest itself.
Egotistic darkness
452:7
Walking in the light, we are accustomed to the light
Walking in the light, we are accustomed to the light
and require it; we cannot see in darkness. But eyes ac-
customed to darkness are pained by the light.
When outgrowing the old, you should not fear
to put on the new. Your advancing course may pro-
voke envy, but it will also attract respect. When error
confronts you, withhold not the rebuke or the explana-
tion which destroys error. Never breathe an immoral
atmosphere, unless in the attempt to purify it. Better is
the frugal intellectual repast with contentment and virtue,
than the luxury of learning with egotism and vice.
Unwarranted expectations
452:18
Right is radical. The teacher must know the truth
Right is radical. The teacher must know the truth
himself. He must live it and love it, or he cannot impart
it to others. We soil our garments with con-
servatism, and afterwards we must wash them
clean. When the spiritual sense of Truth unfolds its
harmonies, you take no risks in the policy of error. Ex-
pect to heal simply by repeating the author's words, by
right talking and wrong acting, and you will be disap-
pointed. Such a practice does not demonstrate the
Science by which divine Mind heals the sick.
Reliable authority
452:28
Acting from sinful motives destroys your power of
Acting from sinful motives destroys your power of
healing from the right motive. On the other hand, if
you had the inclination or power to practise
wrongly and then should adopt Christian
Science, the wrong power would be destroyed. You do
453:1
not deny the mathematician's right to distinguish the cor-
not deny the mathematician's right to distinguish the cor-
rect from the incorrect among the examples on the black-
board, nor disbelieve the musician when he distinguishes
concord from discord. In like manner it should be granted
that the author understands what she is saying.
Winning the field
453:6
Right and wrong, truth and error, will be at strife in
Right and wrong, truth and error, will be at strife in
the minds of students, until victory rests on the side of
invincible truth. Mental chemicalization fol-
lows the explanation of Truth, and a higher
basis is thus won; but with some individuals the morbid
moral or physical symptoms constantly reappear. I
have never witnessed so decided effects from the use of
material remedies as from the use of spiritual.
Knowledge and honesty
453:14
Teach your student that he must know himself be-
Teach your student that he must know himself be-
fore he can know others and minister to human needs.
Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is
human weakness, which forfeits divine help.
You uncover sin, not in order to injure, but in order
to bless the corporeal man; and a right motive has
its reward. Hidden sin is spiritual wickedness in high
places. The masquerader in this Science thanks God
that there is no evil, yet serves evil in the name of
good.
Metaphysical treatment
453:24
You should treat sickness mentally just as you would
You should treat sickness mentally just as you would
sin, except that you must not tell the patient that he is
sick nor give names to diseases, for such a
course increases fear, the foundation of dis-
ease, and impresses more deeply the wrong mind-picture.
A Christian Scientist's medicine is Mind, the divine Truth
that makes man free. A Christian Scientist never recom-
mends material hygiene, never manipulates. He does
not trespass on the rights of mind nor can he practise