That persons have gone away from the Massachusetts
Metaphysical College “made insane by Mrs. Eddy's
teachings,” like a hundred other stories, is a baseless
fabrication offered solely to injure her or her school. [30]
The enemy is trying to make capital out of the follow-
[pg 049]
ing case. A young lady entered the College class who, [1]
I quickly saw, had a tendency to monomania, and re-
quested her to withdraw before its close. We are cred-
ibly informed that, before entering the College, this
young lady had manifested some mental unsoundness, [5]
and have no doubt she could have been restored by
Christian Science treatment. Her friends employed a
homœopathist, who had the skill and honor to state, as his
opinion given to her friends, that “Mrs. Eddy's teach-
ings had not produced insanity.” This is the only case [10]
that could be distorted into the claim of insanity ever
having occurred in a class of Mrs. Eddy's; while ac-
knowledged and notable cases of insanity have been
cured in her class.
If all that is mortal is a dream or error, is not [15]
our capacity for formulating a dream, real; is it not
God-made; and if God-made, can it be wrong, sinful, or
an error?
The spirit of Truth leads into all truth, and enables
man to discern between the real and the unreal. Enter- [20]
taining the common belief in the opposite of goodness,
and that evil is as real as good, opposes the leadings of
the divine Spirit that are helping man Godward: it pre-
vents a recognition of the nothingness of the dream, or
belief, that Mind is in matter, intelligence in non-intel- [25]
ligence, sin, and death. This belief presupposes not
only a power opposed to God, and that God is not All-
in-all, as the Scriptures imply Him to be, but that the
capacity to err proceeds from God.
That God is Truth, the Scriptures aver; that Truth [30]
never created error, or such a capacity, is self-evident;
[pg 050]
that God made all that was made, is again Scriptural; [1]
therefore your answer is, that error is an illusion of
mortals; that God is not its author, and it cannot be
real.
Does “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” [5]
explain the entire method of metaphysical healing, or is
there a secret back of what is contained in that book, as
some say?
“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures”
is a complete textbook of Christian Science; and its [10]
metaphysical method of healing is as lucid in presenta-
tion as can be possible, under the necessity to express
the metaphysical in physical terms. There is absolutely
no additional secret outside of its teachings, or that gives
one the power to heal; but it is essential that the student [15]
gain the spiritual understanding of the contents of this
book, in order to heal.
Do you believe in change of heart?
We do believe, and understand—which is more—
that there must be a change from human affections, de- [20]
sires, and aims, to the divine standard, “Be ye therefore
perfect;” also, that there must be a change from the be-
lief that the heart is matter and sustains life, to the
understanding that God is our Life, that we exist in
Mind, live thereby, and have being. This change of [25]
heart would deliver man from heart-disease, and ad-
vance Christianity a hundredfold. The human affections
need to be changed from self to benevolence and love
for God and man; changed to having but one God and
loving Him supremely, and helping our brother man. [30]
[pg 051]
This change of heart is essential to Christianity, and [1]
will have its effect physically as well as spiritually,
healing disease. Burnt offerings and drugs, God does
not require.
Is a belief of nervousness, accompanied by great mental [5]
depression, mesmerism?
All mesmerism is of one of three kinds; namely, the
ignorant, the fraudulent, or the malicious workings of
error or mortal mind. We have not the particulars of
the case to which you may refer, and for this reason can- [10]
not answer your question professionally.
How can I govern a child metaphysically? Doesn't the
use of the rod teach him life in matter?
The use of the rod is virtually a declaration to the
child's mind that sensation belongs to matter. Motives [15]
govern acts, and Mind governs man. If you make clear
to the child's thought the right motives for action, and
cause him to love them, they will lead him aright: if you
educate him to love God, good, and obey the Golden
Rule, he will love and obey you without your having to [20]
resort to corporeal punishment.
“"When from the lips of Truth one mighty breath
Shall, like a whirlwind, scatter in its breeze
The whole dark pile of human mockeries;
Then shall the reign of Mind commence on earth, [25]
And starting fresh, as from a second birth,
Man in the sunshine of the world's new spring,
Shall walk transparent like some holy thing.”
Are both prayer and drugs necessary to heal?
The apostle James said, “Ye ask, and receive not, [30]
because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your
[pg 052]
lusts.” This text may refer to such as seek the material [1]
to