When Colonel Patterson wrote of the man-eating lions of Tsavo portraying their animal nature he also portrayed the corresponding nature in the men who hunted the lions. It is this animal nature or characteristic which mankind should endeavor to overcome; and even as in the hunting of wild animals, great watchfulness must be exercised, if it is to be destroyed.
When Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you," he was referring to that which is now interpreted in Christian Science as the handling of the claims of animal magnetism. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, tells us in her writings how animal magnetism was discovered and what it claims to be, describing its basis as a belief and this belief animal, and in its seeming activity corresponding to mesmerism or hypnotism; and in the light of divine Truth she shows it to be nothing, being devoid of divine intelligence, power, or reality; or, in other words, it is the entire false concept of evil or error. Thus it is that animal magnetism constitutes our warfare with the flesh; for, as Paul tells us, "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other."
Animal magnetism, unless guarded against, would try to prevent watchfulness and to put every one to sleep when on an important mission, in church services, in the Christian Science classroom, when studying the weekly Lesson-Sermon, when handling a claim of sickness in treatment, or in the performance of any work for the Cause of Christ. When the disciples slept, Jesus rebuked them, saying: "Couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." This has called the whole world to account, throughout the centuries. One may be sure that if he does not handle animal magnetism and find it to be nothing, it will, in turn, handle him, through fear that its claims are legitimate and real; and he has then forgotten that "the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."
