Chapter VII - Physiology
Mind over matter
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of action, and if muscles, without volition of mortal
of action, and if muscles, without volition of mortal
mind, could lift the hammer and strike the anvil, it
might be thought true that hammering would enlarge
the muscles. The trip-hammer is not increased in size
by exercise. Why not, since muscles are as material as
wood and iron? Because nobody believes that mind is
producing such a result on the hammer.
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Muscles are not self-acting. If mind does not move
Muscles are not self-acting. If mind does not move
them, they are motionless. Hence the great fact that
Mind alone enlarges and empowers man through its
mandate, – by reason of its demand for and supply of
power. Not because of muscular exercise, but by rea-
son of the blacksmith's faith in exercise, his arm becomes
stronger.
Latent fear subdued
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Mortals develop their own bodies or make them sick,
Mortals develop their own bodies or make them sick,
according as they influence them through mortal mind.
To know whether this development is produced
consciously or unconsciously, is of less impor-
tance than a knowledge of the fact. The feats of the gym-
nast prove that latent mental fears are subdued by him.
The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes
the achievement possible. Exceptions only confirm this
rule, proving that failure is occasioned by a too feeble
faith.
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Had Blondin believed it impossible to walk the rope
Had Blondin believed it impossible to walk the rope
over Niagara's abyss of waters, he could never have
done it. His belief that he could do it gave his thought‑
forces, called muscles, their flexibility and power which
the unscientific might attribute to a lubricating oil. His
fear must have disappeared before his power of putting
resolve into action could appear.
Homer and Moses
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When Homer sang of the Grecian gods, Olympus was
When Homer sang of the Grecian gods, Olympus was
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dark, but through his verse the gods became alive in a
dark, but through his verse the gods became alive in a
nation's belief. Pagan worship began with muscularity,
but the law of Sinai lifted thought into the
song of David. Moses advanced a nation to
the worship of God in Spirit instead of matter, and il-
lustrated the grand human capacities of being bestowed
by immortal Mind.
A mortal not man
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Whoever is incompetent to explain Soul would be wise
Whoever is incompetent to explain Soul would be wise
not to undertake the explanation of body. Life is, always
has been, and ever will be independent of
matter; for life is God, and man is the idea
of God, not formed materially but spiritually, and not
subject to decay and dust. The Psalmist said: "Thou
madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy
hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet."
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The great truth in the Science of being, that the real
The great truth in the Science of being, that the real
man was, is, and ever shall be perfect, is incontrovertible;
for if man is the image, reflection, of God, he is neither
inverted nor subverted, but upright and Godlike.
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The suppositional antipode of divine infinite Spirit
The suppositional antipode of divine infinite Spirit
is the so-called human soul or spirit, in other words
the five senses, – the flesh that warreth against Spirit.
These so called material senses must yield to the infinite
Spirit, named God.
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St. Paul said: "For I determined not to know any-
St. Paul said: "For I determined not to know any-
thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
(I Cor. ii. 2.) Christian Science says: I am determined
not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and
him glorified.