Christian Science brings incalculable blessings to mankind in its teaching that God is the only power. Joined to this truth is the correlative fact that there is no such thing as an evil power, and that any belief in one is wholly without support. We gain a fuller appreciation of Mrs. Eddy's teaching as to the nothingness of evil by remembering that in this respect it contradicts the beliefs of many philosophers, poets, theologians, and metaphysicians who have preceded her. Nearly every philosopher of the past has recognized evil as a power and made it a part of his philosophy. In Emerson we find a glowing exception, for he writes, "Omit the negative proposition and chant only the beauty of the good." Many of the poets have given the same reality to evil that they have to good, and not a few of the so-called masterpieces of the ages revolve around the excesses attending the acceptance of evil as a power. This is true of the works of Homer, Dante, and preeminently so of Milton's "Paradise Lost" and "Paradise Regained."
Even more disastrous to the welfare of the race than doctrinal discussions as to the finite capacity of God in the so-called presence of evil, has been the actual application of this false teaching in theology and medicine. The purpose of theology has always been to better mankind, but prior to Mrs. Eddy's perception that Mind alone is power, because God is Mind, it has undertaken reformatory work while holding to the reality of evil and limiting the might of Mind. In all the scholastic teaching as to Satan, everlasting punishment, and the fall of man, evil is recognized as a power; yet in Psalms we read, "The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil;" "There shall no evil befall thee." St. Paul earnestly besought his followers to "be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Materia medica, giving very little thought to Spirit as power, and very much consideration to the dominating influence of sin and sickness, has taught men to rely upon matter as a healing agent.
In taking its stand for the all-power of God, Christian Science is in strict accord with the spiritual teaching of Scripture, for we read in Romans: "There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." In the forty-fourth verse of the eighth chapter of St. John's gospel, Jesus described the so-called evil power as "a liar" in which "there is no truth;" that is, a fabrication. Science and Health unfolds this truth of the omnipotence of God in such an orderly, masterful way that there is no occasion whatsoever for any careful student to give credence to the existence of an evil power. It shows, too, that the antidote for evil thoughts is good thoughts; and for doubts, certainties. On page 327 we read, "Evil has in reality neither place nor power in the human or the divine economy."
