It is sometimes difficult for the beginner to understand that Christian Science does not destroy the doctrine of Christ Jesus' atonement upon which Christian churches strongly base the plan of salvation, especially in reference to the efficacy of the shedding of blood. In considering this subject it may be well to glance first at the place which the concept of blood holds in the human thought about life. The universe, which includes man in God's image and likeness, is recorded as complete and good in the first chapter of Genesis. Being the work of an infinite creator, it is itself infinite, the sufficient and only expression of the one and only cause, and is necessarily good, since evil, being inharmonious, is self-destructive. Man is thus recognized as a spiritual being, not limited to physical form or to the boundaries of physical surroundings, but perfect, even as the Father is perfect.
Following the account of man's creation given in the first chapter of Genesis is that of the second chapter, which differs from the first in every particular. Man is here represented as made of dust and possessing a life which is supposed to be dependent upon material blood and also subject to death. His body is surrounded by a similarly constituted universe. The first account reveals an infinite creation which is illuminated by eternal Life, and the second a finite creation darkened by the forecast of ultimate death. Being thus opposite in character both cannot be true, and since life is the fact of being, the belief of death and of a material universe represents falsehood or illusion. This lie about the truth constitutes mortal mind, which is the ruler of the darkness in which mortal man seems to be chained.
The human concept of life bears a seeming resemblance to truth. In all human activity there is one right way of accomplishment, and this right way is the science or truth in any particular field of endeavor. Thus we have the science or understanding of mathematics, physics, banking, government, and so on. But in the application of the basic laws of the various sciences human beings fall into a multitude of errors. These errors do not constitute any knowledge of the science, but are simply beliefs. One who has merely what may be called a reading knowledge of a science is baffled by these beliefs or illusions until his knowledge is deepened so that he is able to apply the laws of the science in the solution of the problems pertaining thereto; he may then begin to speak with some authority about the science. This is true also in the Science of being; to the degree that one has a living knowledge of Christian Science is he able to apply the Principle of being to the problems of daily life in the healing of discordant conditions, and this ability determines the value of his conclusions concerning Christian Science.
