SALVATION has rarely been regarded as a scientific process. On the contrary, during the last century, which claims to be the most scientific in history, the belief was at one time widespread that science had struck a death-blow at religion, and thus rendered the salvation of mankind largely problematical. In the world-thought, approaches to salvation have been attempted through so-called science. Many have held, for example, that the inebriate could be released from his besetting vice by means of various medical discoveries; but had what is called medical science released the victim from this particular chain of bondage, he might still be a long, long way from salvation, even in the usually accepted sense of that word. Again, it has been held that children in the schools might be so thoroughly and scientifically instructed, according to medical standards, that through much knowledge of the effects of evil, they would be saved from certain forms of impurity. But has not this method proved worse than futile, even according to many eminent physicians and psychologists? And, moreover, the children might still bear false witness, steal, covet,—in short, be far from salvation.
Though various material methods and theories have been tried to bring about reforms, complete salvation has neither been attempted nor apprehended as possible through material science. It has been left, almost universally, to the realm of religious experience, wherein it was held to be quite divorced from science; for while theology—the expression of religion through the churches—in its original interpretation meant the science of God, not only has it failed to make the salvation of mankind scientifically demonstrable, but, according to one of its highest authorities, it quite lost its original import and became merely an intellectual statement of religion. Both religion and science, as separate agents, have earnestly sought to cooperate in their redemptive mission, one through the well-being of a mortal's "body;" the other, through the welfare of his "soul." The old Adam still stands, or, rather, continues to fall; and this supposititious fallen mortal is the original cause of the divorcement of science from religion, which began as far back as the second chapter of Genesis. It is usually believed that mortals must be saved; and the Christian world has turned to Christ Jesus as the means; but after the first two or three centuries of his influence, the Christ as the way of salvation was to a large extent lost sight of until our own time.
With the discovery and founding of Christian Science by Mary Baker Eddy, the salvation of mankind is now coming to be regarded as a thoroughly scientific process, because a truly religious one, accomplished, not through blind faith in the name of Christ Jesus, but by actual demonstration of the Christ, the spiritual idea, as the Way. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." It was revealed to Mrs. Eddy that the theology of Jesus was indeed the Science of God, therefore the only Science, because inclusive of all truth; and his religion was to apply this Science to every human condition. He acknowledged no other creator, or Father; no other cause, or Principle; no other effect, substance, law, but that which is of God, Spirit, Mind.
