On page 39 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy has drawn the attention of all who will heed to both the time and the way to gain freedom from all evil. She says: "Now is the time for so-called material pains and material pleasures to pass away, for both are unreal, because impossible in Science. To break this earthly spell, mortals must get the true idea and divine Principle of all that really exists and governs the universe harmoniously."
How many times we have heard the words, "The spell has been broken," particularly in connection with surcease from pain, sorrow, or trouble, implying that the dread power which had imposed the bondage to evil was destroyed. Then, as the evil influence was dispelled, the inharmonious conditions were replaced with harmony and well-being. But what is this mystic power which seems to hold mortals in its rigid grasp, bringing upon them every woe that "flesh is heir to"? When the cry goes up from a heart heavy with doubt and fear, to know the "why" of its anguish, are we willing to listen to the voice of Truth telling us that the cause of all inharmony is the error of believing in an existence apart from God, of believing that life and intelligence are in matter, in the wake of which follows the belief of sensation in matter, with its accompanying claims of pain and pleasure therein?
Mrs. Eddy makes it very clear that the cause of "this earthly spell" is merely a belief; for she speaks of the "so-called material pains and material pleasures," and further states that these pains and pleasures are unreal and impossible in Science. Now, Science is the knowledge of divine facts; and the question might be asked, Why are not the pains and pleasures of matter facts? It would be just as reasonable to ask regarding an error in addition, Why is not the answer correct? It is universally known and accepted that there is an infallible law governing the mathematical process of addition; and any inconvenience, embarrassment, or lack occasioned by a mistake in adding a column of figures is the result of either ignorance, haste, or indifference. Just so long as the belief is indulged that the sum is correct, when it is wrong, the resultant inharmony will seem to be a fact. It only remains to apply the law governing addition to bring about the true result. If the one doing the sum has made a mistake because of ignorance, and has just guessed at the answer, or perhaps relied on some other person's calculation, he must necessarily come to a realization of his lack of knowledge, and correct this mental state by a careful study of the rules governing the problem, before he can add correctly as small a sum as two and two. He may even, in his ignorance, have guessed the correct answer, but this could give him no assurance that he knew how to add. Only a complete understanding of the rule of addition could bring him the confidence which would enable him to attempt adding any column of figures that might be given him, however large the figures or however long the column.
Just so, divine Principle, God, governs true existence; and it is an understanding of Principle which Mrs. Eddy tells us must be gained, in order to become conscious of our unity with Principle. Let us see how such an understanding will cause material pains and material pleasures to pass away. It is clear that there must first be a desire to comprehend divine Principle,—a desire sufficiently earnest to impel the unhesitating relinquishment of these pains and pleasures. There is ever a willingness to lose the pains of matter; but this is not always so in regard to the pleasures of matter. Yet, if the student of Christian Science who is really in earnest and is absolutely honest with himself, will trace to their conclusion the pleasures in matter which he has believed that he experienced, he will find they have ended in discord. While he may argue that they have not always brought pain, if he will look deeper than the physical result, he will find that which should give him reason for alarm; for he will see that they apparently produced only lethargy and contentment with what, in the end, proved but husks and ashes. If, then, thought is to be turned away from both the pains and pleasures of matter, it is inevitable that it be turned wholly away from so-called matter; and this can be done only as it turns to matter's opposite— Spirit. It is then that the "true idea and Principle" (Science and Health, p. 123) are discerned. It is then that the so-called carnal mind, the flesh or matter-belief, is destroyed, with the result that "old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
And how, one may ask, is this wonderful change accomplished? Every one knows that nothing is ever done that has not first been thought of. It is quite plain, then, that before any change in conditions can be brought about, thought must first be changed. In our study of Science and Health we are continually impressed with the truth that there is one Mind, God, and that there is no other. With this realization comes also the recognition that the so-called carnal mind includes all beliefs in matter, and that the carnal mind is only a supposititious mind. The Bible abounds with examples of the triumph of spiritual-mindedness over the erroneous conceptions of the carnal or fleshly mind (so called) and its horde of falsities. Mrs. Eddy says, "Divine Mind is the only cause or Principle of existence" (Science and Health, p. 262). It is not difficult to understand Mind as Spirit. With this understanding as a basis of reasoning the status of true creation and true spiritual existence unfolds naturally. Just as it would be impossible for one, knowing the rules of addition, consciously to add wrongly, so it is impossible for omniscient Mind to know anything unlike itself. Knowing nothing but Spirit, it could create nothing unlike Spirit. As one who understands the rules of mathematics and consciously applies them correctly to his problems has no sense of error in his calculation, so one who is gaining a knowledge of the perfection of the truth of being loses a sense of inharmony.
The whole process, then, of becoming spiritually minded, of having that Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus," is a rejecting of all thoughts which pertain to the flesh, supplanting them with spiritual ideas. With the Bible and Science and Health for our textbooks, and a sincere desire to know the truth, the path to this spiritual perception lies open before us. It may not be easy at first. When, however, it is fully understood and to some extent proved that matter can confer no pleasure, but on the contrary only sorrow and disappointment, thought turns voluntarily to Spirit; and step by step, thought by thought, we gain spiritual strength and moral courage to win the peace that cannot be bought by us or taken from us. We learn through this endeavor to become spiritually minded, that wherever passion, lust, and selfishness are, there we find all there is of discord; and that wherever purity and unselfishness are, there we find harmony—the kingdom of heaven within ourselves. We learn that divine Principle is Life, Truth, Love; that Principle's idea is man in God's image and likeness: and that our task of breaking "this earthly spell" must be accomplished through an attainment of this idea, which enables us to deny all that constitutes a belief of pain or pleasure in matter— even the belief in matter itself.
Over and over again, as we search the Bible for Truth, through the light given us in Science and Health, we find that the divine Principle of existence is Mind, divine intelligence, and that it was Jesus' understanding of the law of God, the law of divine Mind, which enabled him to disregard entirely every suppositional law of material existence. Because of this spiritual discernment, he knew no law of lack; he broke every tie of human relationship that would tend to interfere with the high mission of being about his Father's business; and he proved irrefutably that there is but one law of attraction,—that of Spirit. His victory over Satan's tempting lay in his understanding of Spirit, and in his consequent denial of matter as substance, as able to give him anything or take anything from him. He proved his sonship with the Father through his unwavering reliance on God; and his command to us was that we should do likewise. This can be accomplished only by steadfast, consecrated effort to turn away from matter to Spirit in every thought; and the time to begin is now—steadily, earnestly, prayerfully, always remembering the wonderful promise in Revelation, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne," and also the declaration, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ."
