Rudimental Divine Science | Page 5

basis of Christian Science, renders it impossible to demonstrate the Principle of this Science, even in the 6 smallest degree.
A mortal and material body is not the actual individuality of man made in the divine and spiritual image of God. 9 The material body is not the likeness of Spirit; hence it is not the truth of being, but the likeness of error ? the human belief which saith there is more than one God, -- 12 there is more than one Life and one Mind.
In Deuteronomy (iv. 35) we read: "The Lord, He is God; there is none else beside Him." In John (iv. 24) 15 we may read: "God is Spirit." These propositions, un- derstood in their Science, elucidate my meaning.
When treating a patient, it is not Science to treat every 18 organ in the body. To aver that harmony is the real and discord is the unreal, and then give special attention to what according to their own belief is diseased, is scientific; 21 and if the healer realizes the truth, it will free his patient.
What are the means and, methods of trustworthy Christian Scientists? 24
These people should not be expected, more than others, to give all their time to Christian Science work, receiving no wages in return, but left to be fed, clothed, and sheltered 27 by charity. Neither can they serve two masters, giving 1 only a portion of their time to God, and still be Christian Scientists. They must give Him all their services, and 3 "owe no man." To do this, they must at present ask a suitable price for their services, and then conscientiously earn their wages, strictly practising Divine Science, and 6 healing the sick.
The author never sought charitable support, but gave fully seven-eighths of her time without remuneration, ex- 9 cept the bliss of doing good. The only pay taken for her labors was from classes, and often those were put off for months, in order to do gratuitous work. She has never 12 taught a Primary class without several, and sometimes seventeen, free students in it; and has endeavored to take the full price of tuition only from those who were able to 15 pay. The student who pays must of necessity do better than he who does not pay, and yet will expect and require others to pay him. No discount on tuition was made on 18 higher classes, because their first classes furnished students with the means of paying for their tuition in the higher instruction, and of doing charity work besides. If the 21 Primary students are still impecunious, it is their own fault, and this ill-success of itself leaves them unprepared to enter higher classes. 24
People are being healed by means of my instructions, both in and out of class. Many students, who have passed through a regular course of instruction from me, 27 have been invalids and were healed in the class; but ex- perience has shown that this defrauds the scholar, though 1 it heals the sick.
It is seldom that a student, if healed hi a class, has left 3 it understanding sufficiently the Science of healing to im- mediately enter upon its practice. Why? Because the glad surprise of suddenly regained health is a shock to 6 the mind; and this holds and satisfies the thought with exuberant joy.
This renders the mind less inquisitive, plastic, and tract- 9 able; and deep systematic thinking is impracticable until this impulse subsides.
This was the principal reason for advising diseased 12 people not to enter a class. Few were taken besides inva- lids for students, until there were enough practitioners to fill in the best possible manner the department of healing. 15 Teaching and healing should have separate departments, and these should be fortified on all sides with suitable and thorough guardianship and grace. 18
Only a very limited number of students can advanta- geously enter a class, grapple with this subject, and well assimilate what has been taught them. It is impossible 21 to teach thorough Christian Science to promiscuous and large assemblies, or to persons who cannot be addressed individually, so that the mind of the pupil may be dissected 24 more critically than the body of a subject laid bare for anatomical examination. Public lectures cannot be such lessons in Christian Science as are required to empty and 27 to fill anew the individual mind.
If publicity and material control are the motives for 1 teaching, then public lectures can take the place of private lessons; but the former can never give a thorough knowledge 3 of Christian Science, and a Christian Scientist will never undertake to fit students for practice by such means. Lec- tures in public are needed, but they must be subordinate 6 to thorough class instruction in any branch of education.
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