The question is often asked, why do not the thinkers of the age who seem to be so earnestly seeking higher things, the writers, the preachers, the natural scientists, who in so many ways seem to prophesy of Christian Science, and almost point to it with the finger of an unconscious John the Baptist, perceive and follow this demonstrable Truth?
Now all questions are answered by Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and Mrs. Eddy's other works. Divine Science brings the full revelation of Love, and, as such, it must be complete and perfect, meeting every need. So each one finds his questionings satisfied by daily reading and demonstration of Science, and these fragmentary ideas are offered only as a personal thought-experience, of possible value to those who halt on the ground of this question before seeking for themselves. Out of the keen suffering which came from the contempt of especially brilliant, intellectual friends for Metaphysical Healing,— thinly veiled in its expression by personal regard,— have arisen certain trains of thought. These have connected themselves with the past history of men's research for Truth; for it is the past formulations of thought which each generation absorbs more or less with mother-milk, and which argues against the contradictory Truth of an absolute Science.
Human explanations of Revelation have had a mighty power over men, because they have claimed mighty authority. This is Theology. Human explanations of life and the universe, apart from Revelation, have had almost as powerful a hold on humanity. This is philosophy. It would seem that theology had been worsted by philosophy in history, for theology has clung fast to superstition; while philosophy has gradually grown bolder, and, grasping natural science, logic, and metaphysics by the hand, has set up Revelation as a target which must stand or fall according to whether or not natural reason and discovery can pierce it. To begin with, philosophy timidly called on church for sanction. Now, in fearless criticism, it passes judgment on church and creed. So it would seem to be the controlling thought, representing the resume of human thinking, and claiming all material knowledge, so far as discovered. Certainly it is true, that ages have been dominated by some great philosophic theory, and literature, art, and even theology of these periods have but re-echoed the same thoughts.
