Chapter IV - Christian Science Versus Spiritualism
71:1
Nothing is real and eternal, – nothing is Spirit, – but
Nothing is real and eternal, – nothing is Spirit, – but
God and His idea. Evil has no reality. It is neither
person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion
of material sense.
71:5
The identity, or idea, of all reality continues forever;
The identity, or idea, of all reality continues forever;
but Spirit, or the divine Principle of all, is not in Spirit's
formations. Soul is synonymous with Spirit, God, the
creative, governing, infinite Principle outside of finite form,
which forms only reflect.
Dream-lessons
71:10
Close your eyes, and you may dream that you see a
Close your eyes, and you may dream that you see a
flower, – that you touch and smell it. Thus you learn
that the flower is a product of the so-called
mind, a formation of thought rather than of
matter. Close your eyes again, and you may see land-
scapes, men, and women. Thus you learn that these
also are images, which mortal mind holds and evolves
and which simulate mind, life, and intelligence. From
dreams also you learn that neither mortal mind nor
matter is the image or likeness of God, and that im-
mortal Mind is not in matter.
Found wanting
71:21
When the Science of Mind is understood, spiritualism
When the Science of Mind is understood, spiritualism
will be found mainly erroneous, having no scientific basis
nor origin, no proof nor power outside of
human testimony. It is the offspring of the
physical senses. There is no sensuality in Spirit. I never
could believe in spiritualism.
71:27
The basis and structure of spiritualism are alike ma-
The basis and structure of spiritualism are alike ma-
terial and physical. Its spirits are so many corporealities,
limited and finite in character and quality. Spiritualism
therefore presupposes Spirit, which is ever infinite, to be
a corporeal being, a finite form, – a theory contrary to
Christian Science.
72:1
There is but one spiritual existence, – the Life of
There is but one spiritual existence, – the Life of
which corporeal sense can take no cognizance. The
divine Principle of man speaks through immortal sense.
If a material body – in other words, mortal, material
sense – were permeated by Spirit, that body would
disappear to mortal sense, would be deathless. A con-
dition precedent to communion with Spirit is the gain of
spiritual life.
Spirits obsolete
72:9
So-called spirits are but corporeal communicators. As
So-called spirits are but corporeal communicators. As
light destroys darkness and in the place of darkness all
is light, so (in absolute Science) Soul, or God,
is the only truth-giver to man. Truth de-
stroys mortality, and brings to light immortality. Mortal
belief (the material sense of life) and immortal Truth
(the spiritual sense) are the tares and the wheat, which
are not united by progress, but separated.
72:17
Perfection is not expressed through imperfection.
Perfection is not expressed through imperfection.
Spirit is not made manifest through matter, the anti-
pode of Spirit. Error is not a convenient sieve through
which truth can be strained.
Scientific phenomena
72:21
God, good, being ever present, it follows in divine
God, good, being ever present, it follows in divine
logic that evil, the suppositional opposite of good, is never
present. In Science, individual good derived
from God, the infinite All-in-all, may flow
from the departed to mortals; but evil is neither com-
municable nor scientific. A sinning, earthly mortal is
not the reality of Life nor the medium through which
truth passes to earth. The joy of intercourse becomes
the jest of sin, when evil and suffering are communicable.
Not personal intercommunion but divine law is the com-
municator of truth, health, and harmony to earth and
humanity. As readily can you mingle fire and frost as