On page 1 of "Rudimental Divine Science" Mrs. Eddy, its Discoverer and Founder, has defined Christian Science "As the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine Principle and rule of universal harmony;" and, again, in the same article, on page 4 she says, "Science is Mind manifested." Then a Christian Scientist must, of necessity, be one who is seeking to know, understand, demonstrate, and manifest Mind. He is striving daily, diligently, to learn and prove the rules for correct thinking and right Christian living, first discovered and demonstrated and then given to all the world by Mrs. Eddy. As he progresses in his study and becomes more familiar with her writings the student finds that Mrs. Eddy has left no phase of human living in uncertainty, no possible earthly circumstance untouched by the words of loving wisdom and healing truth. Inspired by divine intelligence and sent forth with the true prayer of an unselfish, consecrated heart, the expression of truth is as varied as human need.
Christian Science reveals to mankind God as ever present and to be understood and truly loved, here and now. In order to aid in the understanding and availability of the God power, or power of good in daily living, Mrs. Eddy has defined God thus (Science and Health, p. 465): "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth. Love," and, asked if these terms are synonymous, she says: "They are. They refer to one absolute God. They are also intended to express the nature, essence, and wholeness of Deity." The children of men are taught to believe in, and fear the power of matter, in all its numerous forms and claims of life and activity. Accepting one belief of evil or a power which can and will hurt and injure health and happiness, leads to the seeking for and accepting of a belief to eliminate or at least lessen the power of the first accepted so-called material law. Thus the beliefs multiply and accumulate, until existence seems to be one perpetual struggle with numberless conflicting forces, more evil than good.! I has seemed thus since "there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground," since the first acceptation of a belief in man's ability to serve two masters, matter and Spirit. Yet even while mankind is acknowledging evil in one way or another as an actuality and force, they are seeking to find a way out of trouble and unhappiness.
Among the various social, religious, and political classes in the world may be found countless forms of human thought and reasoning, alike only in this, that each clings to the claim of two active forces or powers, namely, divine power and the power of devil or evil. To be sure there are different qualities and grades of thought, some attaining seemingly better beliefs than others, but they all begin with that which, in reality, is not,— with mortal mind or intelligent matter. How is it possible, therefore, to reach any right conclusion?
