CHRISTIANITY as Christian Science, is not one of a number of religious systems of the world that was founded by a, Confucius, a Buddha, a Mohammed, a Moses or by Jesus. It is a universal religion, with a universal Principle, and capable of a universal practice. Its origin is God, Infinite Mind. Infinite Mind is expressed in the Christ. The Christ was never born. The Christ was manifest through the human Jesus. The fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily. The entity and individuality of Jesus as a spiritual being was forever preserved in the Christ. This makes Jesus the pattern for a true humanhood. He was, as Christ Jesus, a manifestation of God. He knew Mind was God. This makes His teaching a study of the Mind that was in Christ Jesus. The Mind that was in Christ Jesus is the Divine Science of Mind, God and his Christ. All that humanity will ever know of Truth they will know as Jesus knew it, by demonstration, revelation or reflection from the infinite Mind. The human body of Jesus reflected nothing. His individuality was a reflection of infinite Intelligence. This made Him a teacher sent from God. His message was from God, and His message was his Theology. His theology was God's Science, and was intended to antidote all human theologies. The study of His teachings is a Science. Webster's definition of science is an extraction from his teachings. He says: "Science is truth ascertained; that which is known." Jesus says, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jesus' words were but wings for God's thoughts to men. His parables were but earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. God had spoken to men in all ages in the degree they could understand through reason and revelation. "Come, let us reason together" saith the Lord, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be like wool." How? By abandoning finite reason and reflecting Infinite understanding.
Let us see the authority of Webster in another definition of science. Science is a complement of cognitions having in point of form that of logical perfection, and in point of character, that of real truth." Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." He proved his theology true by practical demonstration. Let us see Webster's definition of theology. "Theology is the science of God and his creatures; the science which treats of the existence, character and attributes of God, His law and government, the doctrine we are to believe, and the duty we are to practise."
Our great Master said, "If any man shall do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Scientific Theology is not from the human Jesus, but from God. It can all be stated in one sermon, but takes eternity in which to completely demonstrate it. The statements of its letter are of the human intellect, but when reason and affection are moved by divine love, the message is from God, and the messenger is sent from God. His theology as set forth in Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures, by Rev. Mary B. G. Eddy, discoverer and founder of Christian Science, is being practised by more than one hundred thousand of His loving disciples to-day. They begin with the beam in their eye, and heal the sick as their first works. Their statements of Truth understood have Spirit and Life in them. It is a great need in the wide world of professions of God-likeness, to do God's works by the power of God's words. Mankind have grown weary of hearing what others think about God. Will any Christian dare say that the Holy Ghost, that moved the heart and the reason of the men who wrote our Scripture, has no power with men who understand its Scientific, spiritual sense to-day? The theology of Jesus is changeless. Christianity as it is known to-day is but a partial answer to that wonderful prayer in the 17th of John. Christian Science is the Science that enables men and women, through the understanding of Divine Science in our Scripture, to preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. The responsibility of Christendom to preach the Gospel and heal the sick is the sum of their opportunity. Had all mankind been born as sinless as Jesus, still they must know God's way and demonstrate it as did Jesus, by the same Gospel as did Jesus. God has healed the sick in all ages by the same Spirit, but in no age has the absolute Scientific Theology of his sayings been given to the world until now, as set forth in Science and Health. Theologians may be slow to learn that God is no respecter of persons or of person's creeds. They all belong to finite sense and hence their variety. If they were all from God, they would be all alike. The highest in our reach toward the Kingdom of God is ever less than the least in the Kingdom of Infinite Mind. The Infinite never knows the finite; the finite never knows the Infinite. They are opposite. As the Infinite appears the finite disappears. God's idea, or man, is perfect now. He is present with each one of us to-day; as our finite sense of man decreases he will increase in our consciousness. Our zealous, loving strife toward the highest and greatest is the upper chamber where Christ eats his passover with his disciples. He comes in at that open door of faith and love, and sups with us and we with him.
