Science and Health

Contents

“God is Love.”

1 John iv. 8.

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

To the Public

TO THE PUBLIC.

While this third edition of “Science and Health” was in press a certain man set afloat a pamphlet, the contents of which he took from Mrs. Eddy's works published in 1870 and 1878, all of which can be found in this edition, in chapters “Recapitulation” and “Platform of Christian Scientists.” This pamphlet is prefaced with the following pretext: “In preparing this work we have made use of some thoughts contained in a work by Eddy,” and then went on to repeat her words verbatim, in over thirty pages, as the following extracts will show. (See this book, page 168.)

“Ques. What is the scientific statement of being?

“Ans. There is no Life, substance, or intelligence in matter; all is mind; there is no matter. Spirit is immortal Truth, matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal, matter the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness; hence, man is spiritual and not material.”

Copied by this fellow, without quotation marks, thus: —

“Ques. What is the True statement of Being?

“Ans. No Life, Substance, nor Intelligence in matter. All is Mind (God); there is no matter. Spirit is Immortal Truth, and matter is mortal error. Spirit is Real and Eternal, matter the unreal and temporal. Spirit is

God, and Man is the Image and Likeness of God; therefore Man is Spiritual and not material.”

Because there are twenty-four capital letters in the above sentence of seven lines this man claims that immortal sentence of Mrs. Eddy's.

See this edition, page 185, Chapter V. The first few pages of this chapter include the contents of his private directions for healing, taken from Mrs. Eddy's manuscripts in 1879, before they were published. With such implements he is carrying out the rôle of Christianity, and deceiving the public in Boston and in Europe, claiming to teach metaphysics and Mrs. Eddy's method of healing. Telling people at one time that “he learned metaphysics in Germany”; at another that “he was Mrs. Eddy's pupil, and paid five hundred dollars for his tuition”; and again, that “Mrs. Eddy was his pupil.”

See second volume of this edition, “Platform of Christian Scientists,” section XVIII.

“Section XVIII. That Life, Truth, and Love are the trinity, or triune Principle, the three in one, which are the same in action and entity; therefore these are the one God. That the Holy Ghost is Science revealing and explaining this triune Principle, and leading into all truth; that Christ is but another term for God; that Jesus is the name of a man; the conception of Jesus is spiritual; Joseph was not his father. The superior spirituality of Mary was the transparency through which immortal Mind reflected somewhat the idea of God giving that better likeness of Truth and Love in the good and pure Jesus. Into Mary's idea of God and conception of man the male or sensual element of thought did not enter to taint the idea; thus it was that Jesus became the

mediating or intervening belief between Spirit and matter, Truth and error, or Soul and sense, which belief opposed not God, and that Truth which healed the sick, dispelled the illusions of sense or the belief of Life and intelligence in matter, and revealed the impersonal truth, namely, that Soul and God are one and the ‘I’ or the Father.

“Section XIX. That our Church is built on Christ, not a person, but the Principle that Jesus told us is Christ; namely, ‘The Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ That Christian Science is the way, and its foundations are eternal. That in reality we unite with this Church only as we become unselfish and pure, and are new-born babes into the Life that is Truth and the Truth that is Life, which casts out error and heals the sick, thus reestablishing the Christianity of ancient prophet and apostle. That our only cup is the one our Master drank, and we are not to refuse, namely, persecutions for righteousness' sake, ‘for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,’ the reign of harmony that scientific Christianity demonstrates.”

Copied, without quotation marks, into his pamphlet: —

“Life, Truth, and Love are the Trinity, or Triune Principle; they are the Three in One, which are the same in action and entity; therefore, these are the One God.

“The Holy Ghost is Understanding, a constant revelation and explanation of this Triune Principle, leading into all Truth. Christ is the Understanding of God, and Jesus is the name of a man. The conception of Jesus was Spiritual. Joseph was not his father. The superior spirituality of Mary was the transparency through which the Idea of God was reflected, giving that better reflection of the Idea of Life, Truth, and Love in the good and pure

Jesus. Into Mary's idea of God and conception of Man, the male or sensual element of thought did not enter to taint the idea. Thus it was that Jesus became the mediator between Spirit and matter, Truth and error, or between Spiritual and mortal senses. This belief opposed not God, and his understanding of Truth healed the sick, dispelled the illusions of sense, or the belief of Life and Intelligence in matter, and revealed the Immortal Truth; namely, that Spirit and God are One, and the ‘I,’ or the ‘Father.’

“Our Church is built on Christ, the Understanding of God (Principle), not a person (belief); this Understanding is ‘The Way, the Truth, and the Life,’ and Its foundations are Eternal. In reality we unite with this Church, only as we become unselfish and pure, and are new-born babes unto the Life that is Truth, and Truth that is Life, which casts out error and heals the sick; thus re-establishing the Christianity of ancient prophet and apostle. Our only cup is the one our Master drank, and we are not to refuse, namely, persecution for righteousness' sake, ‘For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,’ the reign of harmony that true Christianity demonstrates.”

He who claims the authorship of the aforesaid pamphlet is not building on Truth, and he knows it. Dishonesty is not the superstructure of metaphysics. Once before this he attempted a pamphlet of plagiarisms, and the following are some of his original interpolations, that show his metaphysical calibre: —

“Ques. What is the meaning of Christ and Jesus?

“Ans. Let us remember it has been said that Christ Jesus were like two eyes, a Right and a left eye. Christ, or Right eye, which was in the beginning and is and will

be forever; but Jesus, or left eye, was the name of a man who did only the Will of the Father. So, the creature also has two eyes, but they cannot perform their work at once; but if the creature shall see with the right eye into Eternity, then the left eye must close itself and be as though it were dead. Therefore, whosoever will have the one must let go the other.”

Where he has not copied directly his metaphysics they are not healthy; the left eye has paralysis of the optic nerve, and the right a visual range extraordinary. Another original sentence in which he says: “But I fear that for one who is truly possessed of the God-Spirit, there are a hundred thousand possessed with the evil spirit.”

But when he borrows without giving credit he copies as his own from Mrs. Eddy: “Spirit is infinite, therefore there is but one Spirit.” He says: “Through the blending portion of Deity with a portion of evil matter, error, which keeps out the understanding of God.” But when he filches he states plumply from “Science and Health,” “All is Mind, there is no matter.”

If simply writing at the commencement of a work, “I have made use of some thoughts contained in a work by Eddy,” walks over copyright, any fool can aspire to be wise, commence a book with the announcement that “I have taken some thoughts from Ralph Waldo Emerson,” and then copy verbatim, without quotation marks, from thirty to three hundred pages of his works, and publish them as his own. Thus it is found out that copyrighting books is a farce. This may be convenient for an ignoramus or a villain, but a real expounder of “The Understanding of Christianity or God” would scarcely be caught at it.

Mrs. Eddy's works are the outgrowths of her life. I never knew so unselfish an individual, or one so tireless in what she considers her duty. It would require ages and God's mercy to make the ignorant hypocrite who published that pamphlet originate its contents. His pratings are colored by his character, they cannot impart the hue of ethics, but leave his own impress on what he takes. He knows less of metaphysics than any decently honest man.

Science, according to Mrs. Eddy, is the same as science according to Greenleaf; any interpolation makes a medley of it. That the science of metaphysics, any more than the science of mathematics, can be mixed up with ologies and isms, as this metaphysical mouse says, is purely ridiculous, and betrays the ignorance, conceit, and foolhardiness of the pamphleteer.

The “Platform of Christian Scientists,” to which this would-be expounder of Christianity has put his signature, was written by Mrs. Eddy four years ago, as a synopsis of metaphysics, for the members of the Christian Scientists' Association, from which this fellow was expelled.

Asa G. Eddy.

The undersigned, in justice to ourselves, hereby publicly state that we believe the abuses denominated mesmerism and malpractice are carried on by some claiming to be metaphysicians; but while our knowledge of metaphysics enables us to defend ourselves and others from their attacks, we are by no means committing their crimes, for our power lies not in mesmerism, but Truth; it is not animal magnetism, but moral and spiritual strength.

And we are fully convinced that no one can reach the height in metaphysics that our teacher, the author of “Science and Health,” has reached, and progress as she is progressing, and be a moral or mental malpractitioner.

If the malpractitioner is causing others to believe that we are venturing on his forbidden ground, it is only to screen himself, and to hide the results of his wrong-doing, that take away his ability to heal.

It ought to suffice duplicity, envy, and malice, that Mrs. Eddy has not stopped the plagiarists hitherto from appropriating the result of her labors, and gaining the little they have of the public confidence, through claiming her practice, and publishing her writings under their own signature.

H. L. Bancroft. | Clara E. Choate.

James C. Howard. | Dorcas B. Rawson.

S. Gardner Todd. | Elizabeth G. Stuart.

George W. Chase. | Jane L. Straw.

Hanover P. Smith. | Anna B. Newman.

Hugh Hart. | L. L. S. Brown.

George D. Choate. | Sarah T. Prime.

James Ackland. | H. N. Kingsbury.

Arthur T. Buswell. | Julia S. Bartlett.

Asa G. Eddy. | Mary A. Damon.

George T. Einsborg. | Ellen P. Davis.

Miranda R. Rice. | S. Rowena Smith.

Margret J. Dunshee. | Mary E. Sprague.

Caroline A. Fifield. | Charlotte K. Potter.

James Wiley. | Elizabeth Nichols.

H. W. Hook.

Preface

E.

Leaning on the sustaining Infinite with loving trust, the trials of to-day are brief, and to-morrow is big with blessings. The wakeful shepherd tending his flocks beholds from the mountain's top the first faint morning beam ere cometh the risen day. So from Soul's loftier summits shines the pale star to the prophet shepherd, and it traverses night, over to where the young child lies in cradled obscurity that shall waken a world. Over the night of error dawn the morning beams and guiding star of Truth, and “the wise men” are led by it to Science, which repeats the eternal harmony that is reproduced in proof of immortality. The time for thinkers has come; and the time for revolutions, ecclesiastical and civil, must come. Truth, independent of doctrines or time-honored systems, stands at the threshold of history. Contentment with the past, or the cold conventionality of custom, may no longer shut the door on science; though empires fall, “He whose right it is shall reign.” Ignorance of God should no longer be the stepping-stone to faith; understanding Him “whom to know aright is Life eternal” is the only guaranty of obedience.

This volume may not open a new thought, and make it at once familiar, — it has the sturdy task of a pioneer to

hack away at the tall oaks and cut the rough granite, leaving future ages to declare what it has done. We made our first discovery of the adaptation of metaphysics to the treatment of disease about the year 1864; since then we have tested the Principle on ourselves and others, and never found it fail to prove the statement herein made of it. We must learn the science of Life to reach the perfection of man. To understand God as the Principle of all being, and to live in accordance with this Principle, is the Science of Life. But to reproduce this harmony of being, the error of personal sense must yield to science, even as the science of music corrects tones caught from the ear, and gives the sweet concord of sound. There are many theories of physic and theology, and many calls in each of their directions for the right way; but we propose to settle the question of “What is Truth?” on the ground of proof, and let that method of healing the sick and establishing Christianity be adopted that is found to give the most health and to make the best Christians; science will then have a fair field, in which case we are assured of its triumph over all opinions and beliefs. Sickness and sin have ever had their doctors, but the question is, Have they become less because of them? The longevity of our antediluvians would say, No! and the criminal records of to-day utter their voices little in favor of such a conclusion. Not that we would deny to Cæsar the things that are his, but that we ask for the things that belong to Truth; and safely affirm, from the demonstrations we have been able to make, that the science of man understood would have eradicated sin, sickness, and death, in a less period than six thousand years. We find great difficulties in starting this work

right: some shockingly false claims are already made to a metaphysical practice: mesmerism, its very antipode, is one of them. Hitherto we have never in a single instance of our discovery found the slightest resemblance between mesmerism and metaphysics. No especial idiosyncrasy is requisite to acquire a knowledge of metaphysical healing; spiritual sense is more important to its discernment than the intellect; and those who would learn this science without a high moral standard of thought and action will fail to understand it until they go up higher. Owing to our explanations constantly vibrating between the same points, an irksome repetition of words must occur, also the use of capital letters, genders, and technicalities peculiar to the science; variety of language, or beauty of diction, must give place to close analysis and unembellished thought. “Hoping all things, enduring all things:” to do good to our enemies, to bless them that curse us, and to bear to the sorrowing and the sick consolation and healing, we commit these pages to posterity.

MARY B. GLOVER EDDY.

I. Science of Being

SCIENCE AND HEALTH.

CHAPTER I.

SCIENCE OF BEING.

At the Oxford University, England, a prize of one hundred pounds has been offered for the best essay on Natural Science that refutes the tendency to attribute physical effects to physical causes rather than a final spiritual cause. A demand for metaphysics expresses the wants of the race. It is the one question to be considered, for it relates more intimately than all others to the progress of mankind. The age seems ready to verge upon this subject, to think briefly on the supremacy of Spirit, and to touch the hem of its garment and be made whole. The utter control of mind over body is no longer a question with us; we have gained its proof by demonstration, and have reduced our discoveries to a system, stated the principle upon which it is based, and the rules for applying metaphysics to the treatment of disease.

After careful examination of the discovery in metaphysics that mind governs the body not in part but wholly, we submitted our metaphysical system of treating disease to the broadest practical proofs. Our theory has gradually gained ground, and established its own

proof whenever it has been employed honestly and under circumstances that permitted its demonstration as the most effectual curative agent in medical practice.

As time is working wonders in the world we call material, the swift pinions of thought are soaring to the realm of the real, the first cause of all things. A material basis whence to deduce all that is deemed rational is yielding slowly to a metaphysical basis of reasoning, changing from matter to mind to discover cause and explain effect. The honored materialistic philosophers, Professors Tyndall, Huxley, Agassiz, and so on, appear to challenge to final combat physics and metaphysics; and at this Utopian period, like the shepherd-boy with his sling, woman goes to battle with the Goliath. The theories that we contest, stated fairly, are these: that all is matter; else matter originated in mind, and possesses the actual of mind, — sensation and life. The first-named theory, that all is matter, is quite as feasible as the second, that Mind and matter coexisted and co-operates. But the fact remains that one of the following statements can alone be true; namely, that all is matter, or that all is mind: which one is it? The conservative position that gives place and power to both matter and mind falls to the ground: science is radical, and permits no half-way positions for a rule. The metaphysical statement that all is mind is not supported by the evidence before the senses until we take the principle and rule of this statement to prove it; then we can arrive at no other conclusion. Our discovery that mind produces all the action of the body set thought to work in new channels, and we found the above statement true and demonstrable. Few will deny that an intelligence apart from man formed

and governs the spiritual universe and man: and this intelligence is the eternal Mind, and neither matter nor man created this intelligence and divine Principle; nor can this Principle produce aught unlike itself. All that we term sin, sickness, and death is comprised in the belief of matter. The realm of the real is spiritual; the opposite of Spirit is matter; and the opposite of the real is the unreal or material. Matter is an error of statement, for there is no matter. This error of premises leads to error of conclusion in every statement of matter as a basis. Nothing we can say or believe regarding matter is true, except that matter is unreal, simply a belief that has its beginning and ending.

The conservative firm called matter and mind God never formed. The unerring and eternal Mind destroys this imaginary copartnership, formed only to be dissolved in a manner and at a period unknown. This copartnership is obsolete. Placed under the microscope of metaphysics matter disappears. Only by understanding there are not two, matter and mind, is a logical and correct conclusion obtained of either one. Science gathers not grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. Intelligence never produced non-intelligence, such as matter: the immortal never produced mortality, good never resulted in evil. The science of Mind shows conclusively that matter is a myth. Metaphysics are above physics, and drag not matter, or what is termed that, into one of its premises or conclusions. Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul. These ideas are perfectly tangible and real to consciousness, and they have this advantage, — they are eternal. Mind and its thoughts comprise the whole of God, the

universe, and of man. Reason and revelation coincide with this statement, and support its proof every hour, for nothing is harmonious or eternal that is not spiritual: the realization of this will bring out objects from a higher source of thought; hence more beautiful and immortal.

The fact of spiritualization produces results in striking contrast to the farce of materialization: the one produces the results of chastity and purity, the other the downward tendencies and earthward gravitation of sensualism and impurity.

The exalting and healing effects of metaphysics show their fountain. Nothing in pathology has exceeded the application of metaphysics. Through mind alone we have prevented disease and preserved health. In cases of chronic and acute diseases, in their severest forms, we have changed the secretions, renewed structure, and restored health; have elongated shortened limbs, relaxed rigid muscles, made cicatrized joints supple; restored carious bones to healthy conditions, renewed that which is termed the lost substance of the lungs; and restored healthy organizations where disease was organic instead of functional.

Aside from the opposition to what is new, the greatest difficulty in introducing our metaphysical system is to express metaphysics in physical terms, and then to be understood metaphysically. This difficulty is overcome only by teaching the student the metaphysical meaning of the terms in common use. Out of twelve lessons to our class a shorthand writer produced over twelve hundred pages, all of which were unfit for use, owing to her ignorance of our subject, misapplication of our terms, and omitting our full statement as we translated physics into

metaphysics, the original text of all things real and eternal.

The science of Mind explains cause and effect, lifts the veil of mystery from Soul and body, reveals the scientific relation of God to man, unwinds the interlaced ambiguities of being, sets free the imprisoned thought, and explains the divine Principle of man and of the universe. This metaphysical science explains man and the universe spiritually, and reveals them only as spiritual, not material, and harmonious and eternal. The discovery of harmonious being is more important than the discoveries relating to astronomy, or any advanced idea that science has promulgated.

Human views, conflicting opinions and beliefs, are mortal mind that can emit a poisonous atmosphere more destructive to health than what is named material miasma.

Nothing but the understanding can correct this atmosphere, invigorate and immortalize the body. But, before this result is obtained, understanding and belief must be classified as Truth and error, that meet in a war of ideas, until the thunderbolts of belief shall burst and die away in the distance, and the rain-drops of Truth refresh the parched earth.

Because we apply the word science to Christianity, and Christendom resists this word, we shall lose no faith in Christianity, and Christianity shall lose no hold on us. The Principle of things must interpret them; and we should never attempt with an opinion or belief to steady the altar of science. God is the Principle of all that represents Him, that is harmonious and eternal: and science alone reveals Principle; therefore divine science, as demonstrated by Jesus, alone reveals God, the Prin

of all that really is, and whose government is supreme over all. There is no physical science. All science proceeds from a Divine Intelligence: it cannot be human, and is not a law of matter, for matter is not a law-giver. Science is an emanation of Mind: it has a spiritual and not a material origin, and is a divine utterance, the comforter that leadeth into all truth.

We learn from divine science that the unerring and eternal Mind is omnipotent and omnipresent, a universal cause and the only Creator, and there is no other causation, He alone creates the real and it is good; therefore evil, being the opposite of good, is unreal, and cannot be the product of God. In the original text good was the term for God, and all that He made was good like unto Himself. Because Spirit is real, and matter its direct opposite, matter is the unreal. Spirit is Principle, and man its idea: immortality is the real, and mortality the unreal. God is Spirit, and Spirit is Principle; and Principle is Life, Truth, and Love, — the only substance and intelligence, the Soul of the universe and of man. Principle and idea are God and man, and the universe is embraced in the idea; Principle being Spirit, its idea must be spiritual. All is Mind: there is no matter. The visible universe, and what is termed material man, are the poor counterfeits of the invisible and spiritual, universe and man. Eternal things are God's thoughts in the realm of the real. Temporal things are the beliefs of mortals, and are the unreal, they being the opposite of the spiritual and eternal.

There is but one Mind. The erring, sinful, sick, and dying, termed mortals, are not man and are not Mind; but to be understood we shall classify evil and error as mortal

mind, in contradistinction to good and Truth, the Mind which is immortal. What we term matter is one of the beliefs of mortals. Spirit is the only substance, and consciousness in science: the senses oppose this, but there are no senses material, for matter has no sensation. What we term the five personal senses are simply beliefs of mortal mind, that say Life, substance, and intelligence are matter instead of Spirit. These beliefs and their products constitute error, and this error opposes the Truth of being; hence the scripture, “For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other.” There is nothing in Spirit out of which to create matter: it destroys it: to Spirit there is no matter, and as we approach it we shall lose all consciousness of matter. What is this “I” that is personality and not Spirit? It is a mortal belief that saith man is both mind and matter; but this is self-contradictory; for if man was that, the loss of a limb would take away a portion of manhood. There is nothing in God out of which to make a devil. The so-called personal senses afford no evidence of God. We can neither see through the eye, hear through the ear, feel through the senses, taste or smell Spirit; and that which affords no evidence of God gives but an incorrect testimony of Life, Truth, and Love; and God never created such false heralds of himself as a mortal man, sin, sickness, or death. Truth is real: error is the opposite of Truth; therefore error is unreal. Spirit and its formations are all that are real: no partnership or fellowship exists between those two opposites, Spirit and matter. They cannot co-exist or co-operate, and either one can no more create the other than Truth can create error, and vice versâ.

The temporal and unreal never touch the eternal and real; the mutable and imperfect, the immutable and perfect; the inharmonious and self-destroying, the harmonious and self-existing. Those are the tares and wheat that never mingle: but to belief they appear to grow side by side, until science separates them through the understanding of God; for one is Truth, and the other error; and error is without the reality of Truth. When we understand Spirit, we shall yield the belief that Life, substance, or intelligence is aught but God. Nature and revelation inform us that like produces like. We classify matter as error, because it is a false claim to Life, substance, and intelligence; and ignored by Spirit, it is dust to dust.

Natural history presents mineral, vegetable, and animal, preserving their original species; a mineral is not produced by a vegetable, or the human by the animal. In the order of reproduction, throughout the entire round of universal nature, the rule relating to genus and species is preserved, and it indicates the spiritual fact of being. But error claims the opposite statement, namely that Spirit produces matter, that good is the author of evil, etc., which contradicts natural science. Metaphysical or divine science reveals the great facts that God is not the author of sin, sickness, or death; that Spirit is exempt from either one of those; that matter is a falsity, — not the fact but the fable of existence, a belief and illusion, that nerves, brain, stomach, lungs, etc., have no intelligence, Life, substance, or sensation. That Mind is in matter, or that matter is the medium of Mind, is no more natural or real, than for a rock to embrace a tree in embryo and become the medium of its development

and identification. The only excuse for entertaining such opinions is our ignorance of Spirit, that can yield only to the understanding of divine science, whereby we enter into the kingdom of Truth, and learn that Spirit is supreme, and matter but an error of belief, and they no more commingle than light and darkness; when one appears the other disappears. Harmony is real and immortal: discord is unreal and mortal. Belief and understanding never mingle; the latter destroys the former: discord is the nothingness of error; harmony is the somethingness of Truth.

The so-called mind beneath a skull-bone is a myth, a false statement of man; and we shall all learn that sin and mortality are without any actual origin or rightful existence, having neither Principle nor permanency; they are the native nothingness out of which error would simulate creation through dust instead of Deity. Error alone presupposes man both mind and matter, while divine science, contradicting the so-called personal senses, rebukes belief, and asks, What is the “I,” whence its origin, and what its destiny? The “I” is Spirit, Soul not sense, God and not man, Principle and not person: and there is but one I, but one Mind or Spirit, because there is but one God, and man reflects this one God; he is the image and likeness of Him, and is harmonious and immortal. Spirit or Soul, which is God, is not in man, else there would be but one, and no longer two, namely God and man, and man the reflection of Him. Man should have no other mind but God; and he has not in reality: it is only to belief that he seemeth to have, and this belief is the inverted image of Truth and intelligence; it is upsidedown in every thing, claiming Soul in body, Spirit in matter,