TO Contributors.—Sometimes writers for the Journal send —with the best intentions— what has been useful to and what is most prominent in their thought at the moment, but is, in reality, mere reminiscence of readings in Science And Health, and generally on what may be called the "deep questions" of Science. When Truth from Science And Health has been lived,and comes out from demonstration, instead of being taken from memory, it is useful to all. This book is the common fountain of Science, and all that we can think or write on Science, that is true, can be traced to it. Whatever we have made real in consciousness belongs to us, but only that; there is no word of such thought that is not precious. Some brief communications printed in this number of the Journal illustrate what is meant.
The power of words—no matter how simple or unlettered—that come through individual demonstration, instead of memory or hearsay, is instantly recognized. Such words find echo in the consciousness of each one who is in Spirit, whether learned or unlearned, according to his state of consciousness. These are words in the "new tongue," to speak in which, earthly knowledge, all that is called "learning" amongst men, must be unlearned. He who is in Christ, Truth,—the life of spiritual—sense knows what is the "unity of Spirit" in which are "many members but one body." Let every reader of the Journal who is in this life, only ever so little, send to it words from that life, and it will be such a periodical as the world has never seen; not made up of ambitious theorizing, hysteric "fine" writing, the product of self-mesmerism, memories of great statements of Truth made by somebody else,—a feast of cold and broken meats,—but of thought honestly worked out in demonstration.
There are, unconsciously, it seems to us, very loose ideas as to honesty, in the use often made of Science And Health, and there is demand for a good deal of careful self-examination under this head. It is common property in so far as realized, but it is no more honest to repeat over from memory passages from that book and sign our names to it, than it is to do the same—which no one would think of doing—from Thackeray, or Longfellow, or Holmes. The case is of course still worse when persons take the thought and illustrations of Science And Health, and pervert them from the meaning of the author, under the dishonest pretense that "Truth belongs to no one," as in the case of books recently noticed in the Journal.
