One of the most difficult problems for the beginner in Christian Science is to understand the clear-cut distinction which its teachings bring out between a so-called material creation and the spiritual universe, including man. The two records of creation—one, of God's perfect, spiritual creation, in the first chapter of Genesis and the first, three verses of the second chapter, and the other, the record of a false or material creation, in the remainder of the second chapter of Genesis—have been there in the Book of books down through the ages, but have been misunderstood by mortals during all those years. Hence God, or the divine Mind, has been charged, practically without question or demur, with creating twice: once, creating man good, in the likeness of Himself; and again, creating him weak, imperfect, prone to sin "as the sparks fly upward," finally to fall, condemned to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, doomed to die and return to the dust whence he was taken.
Surely, having eyes men saw not; and hearing they could not understand. Not until the spiritual glory of Mrs. Eddy's understanding flashed upon the horizon of material darkness did men begin to see the distinction between these two records of creation, and to realize the inconsistency of a perfect, good God, who is Spirit, being the author of two forms of creation so radically different in every way. The very nature of error from first to last is to charge God with all that it is and does.
John said to his fellow disciples. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God;" but it took Mrs. Eddy's spiritual insight to enable us to realize that this statement was true when John made it, is true now, and ever has been true—but true only of spiritual man. It was her spiritual insight also which took hold of the Bible record and brought out in a practical way the further fact that the Adam-sense of life is not and never will be, the true man or the son of God. Nevertheless, in spite of Mrs. Eddy's careful exposition of the facts, in our early efforts to demonstrate Christian Science we frequently find ourselves drifting back into the old habits of thought. We are willing to accept Mrs. Eddy's realization that "now are we the sons of God;" but we unconsciously apply that truth to our sense of mortals, and thus reiterate the second chapter of Genesis, saying, "God made me, made a mortal."
