Chapter XIII - Teaching Christian Science
No trespass on human rights
447:1
The heavenly law is broken by trespassing upon
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
447:12
Ignorance, subtlety, or false charity does not for-
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
447:30
A sinner is afraid to cast the first stone. He may
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
448:1
there are no claims of evil and yet to indulge them, is
there are no claims of evil and yet to indulge them, is
a moral offence. Blindness and self-righteousness cling
fast to iniquity. When the Publican's wail
went out to the great heart of Love, it won his
humble desire. Evil which obtains in the bodily senses,
but which the heart condemns, has no foundation; but if
evil is uncondemned, it is undenied and nurtured. Under
such circumstances, to say that there is no evil, is an evil
in itself. When needed tell the truth concerning the lie.
Evasion of Truth cripples integrity, and casts thee down
from the pinnacle.
Truth's grand results
448:12
Christian Science rises above the evidence of the cor-
Christian Science rises above the evidence of the cor-
poreal senses; but if you have not risen above sin your-
self, do not congratulate yourself upon your
blindness to evil or upon the good you know
and do not. A dishonest position is far from Christianly
scientific. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:
but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have
mercy." Try to leave on every student's mind the strong
impress of divine Science, a high sense of the moral and
spiritual qualifications requisite for healing, well knowing
it to be impossible for error, evil, and hate to accomplish
the grand results of Truth and Love. The reception or
pursuit of instructions opposite to absolute Christian
Science must always hinder scientific demonstration.
Adherence to righteousness
448:26
If the student adheres strictly to the teachings of Chris-
If the student adheres strictly to the teachings of Chris-
tian Science and ventures not to break its rules, he can-
not fail of success in healing. It is Christian
Science to do right, and nothing short of right-
doing has any claim to the name. To talk the right and
live the wrong is foolish deceit, doing one's self the most
harm. Fettered by sin yourself, it is difficult to free