  In the allegory of Genesis, third chapter and ninth verse, two mortals, walking in the cool of the day midst the stately palms, many-hued blossoms, perfume-laden [15] breezes, and crystal streams of the Orient, pondered the things of man and God. A sense of evil is supposed to have spoken, been listened to, and afterwards to have formed an evil sense that blinded the eyes of reason, masked with deformity the [20] glories of revelation, and shamed the face of mortals. What was this sense? Error versus Truth: first, a supposition; second, a false belief; third, suffering; fourth, death. Is man the supposer, false believer, sufferer? [25] Not man, but a mortal—the antipode of immortal man. Supposing, false believing, suffering are not fac- ulties of Mind, but are qualities of error. The supposition is, that God and His idea are not all- power; that there is something besides Him; that this [30] something is intelligent matter; that sin—yea, self- [1] hood—is apart from God, where pleasure and pain, good and evil, life and death, commingle, and are for- ever at strife; even that every ray of Truth, of infinity, omnipotence, omnipresence, goodness, could be absorbed [5] in error! God cannot be obscured, and this renders error a palpable falsity, yea, nothingness; on the basis that black is not a color because it absorbs all the rays of light. The “Alpha and Omega” of Christian Science voices [10] this question: Where do we hold intelligence to be? Is it in both evil and good, in matter as well as Spirit? If so, we are literally and practically denying that God, good, is supreme, all power and presence, and are turn- ing away from the only living and true God, to “lords [15] many and gods many.” Where art thou, O mortal! who turnest away from the divine source of being,—calling on matter to work out the problem of Mind, to aid in understanding and securing the sweet harmonies of Spirit that relate to the [20] universe, including man? Paul asked: “What communion hath light with dark- ness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial?” The worshippers of Baal worshipped the sun. They believed that something besides God had authority and power, [25] could heal and bless; that God wrought through matter —by means of that which does not reflect Him in a single quality or quantity!—the grand realities of Mind, thus to exemplify the power of Truth and Love. The ancient Chaldee hung his destiny out upon the [30] heavens; but ancient or modern Christians, instructed in divine Science, know that the prophet better understood Him who said: “He doeth according to His will in the [1] army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?” Astrology is well in its place, but this place is second- [5] ary. Necromancy has no foundation,—in fact, no intelligence; and the belief that it has, deceives itself. Whatever simulates power and Truth in matter, does this as a lie declaring itself, that mortals' faith in matter may have the effect of power; but when the whole fabrication [10] is found to be a lie, away goes all its supposed power and prestige. Why do Christian Scientists treat disease as disease, since there is no disease? This is done only as one gives the lie to a lie; because [15] it is a lie, without one word of Truth in it. You must |
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