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Chapter 3 - The Christ and Christian Science.
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96
The current deterioration of the once easily attained dominion over diseases and bodily functions, evidently, has not resulted from Truth becoming less true, but represents a growing acceptance of concepts of limitation under which humanity has blocked its own path by an innate doubting that so fantastic a science (evidenced in such healing) can really exist. There appears to exist, however, a still deeper cause behind the lacking strength of conviction of the validity of God, or Truth. This deeper cause comes to light as a general lack of continuing discoveries. When a living Science is compressed into an institutionalized form with finite limits placed on it, it is held static, and with it, its impetuous is being removed. Something as inherently dynamic as the Science of Life, cannot long remain in operation on a static platform. The thrust in consciousness must always be fresh, new, vital and vibrant, and be fed by ever deeper unfolding in divine Science. Without this unfolding, spiritual perception decays into formalism, narrowness, and impotence.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote on the subject: "The Master said, 'No man cometh unto the Father (the divine Principle of being) but by me,' Christ, Life, Truth, Love; for Christ says, 'I am the way.'.... To understand all our Master's sayings as recorded in the New Testament, sayings infinitely important, his followers must grow into that stature of manhood in Christ Jesus which enables them to interpret his spiritual meaning. Then they know how Truth casts out error and heals the sick. His words were the offspring of his deeds, both of which must be understood. Unless the works are comprehended which his words explained, the words are blind.... The elucidation of Christian Science lies in its spiritual sense, and this sense must be gained by its disciples in order to grasp the meaning of this Science.... The lack of spiritual power in the limited demonstration of popular Christianity does not put to silence the labor of centuries. Spiritual, not corporeal consciousness is needed... Strangely enough, we ask for material theories in support of spiritual and eternal truths, when the two are so antagonistic that the material thought must become spiritualized before the spiritual fact is attained.... The truth taught by Jesus, the elders scoffed at. Why? Because it demanded more than they were willing to practice. It was enough for them to believe in a national Deity; but that belief, from their time to ours, has never made a disciple who could cast out evils and heal the sick.... The author became a member of the orthodox Congregational Church in early years. Later she learned that her own prayers failed to heal her as did the prayers of her devout parents and the church; but when the spiritual sense of the creed was discerned in the Science of Christianity, this spiritual sense was a `present help.` It was the living, palpitating presence of Christ, Truth, which healed the sick.*(Science and Health 286:9-11 / 350:6 / 67:25-28 / 355:32-3 / 41:28 / 351:8 /349:18-21)
Towards achieving this essential freshness of thought, Mary Baker Eddy appears to have created the outline for the Key of David, which in itself is of little use except for building a structure to channel thought into the land of divine Science where each one is alone with God and the universe of Spirit. Here we touch upon views that are vital, rather than old hat, that are infinite in scope, rather than finite in form. As stated before, Mary Baker Eddy said that her "highest creed has been divine Science, which, reduced to human apprehension, she has named Christian Science."*(Science and Health 471:29) The Key of David is set up in thought through a framework that commands immensely complex enquiries, that pushes the search for Truth beyond the current limits of a comfortably documented religious science, to the exciting loneliness of divine Science in which there exists no human authority nor finite limitation.
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