To the "natural man" the testimony of material sense seems normal, real, and reliable. From early childhood he is taught to accept the reports of the five material senses, usually without question. The so-called material world is the only world he knows; and he can hardly be blamed for believing in it. To him sin, sickness, and death are consequently inevitable; and he sees them feebly and ineffectively opposed by material means. Working from a material basis, this false sense of man often vainly attempts to overcome evil with evil, forgetting that a house divided against itself cannot stand. This unequal struggle continues until, as Mrs. Eddy writes in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 322,) "The sharp experiences of belief in the supposititious life of matter, as well as our disappointments and ceaseless woes, turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love."
To this finite, discouraged, and fearful sense comes Christian Science. It begins at once to heal disease and to liberate from the bondage of sin. How is this accomplished? By overcoming the testimony of material sense with the understanding of Spirit. Mankind learns that because God is Spirit and omnipresent, matter—Spirit's opposite—is necessarily unreal. This reassuring understanding leads to the no less encouraging conclusion that sin, sickness, and death, which claim to operate through matter and by reason of matter, are also unreal. This illumination is a foretaste of heaven; but it is only a beginning, and requires complete demonstration. Because of the falsity of material sense testimony, the task of overcoming error should not be difficult, although there are many pitfalls to be guarded against.
False education, false desires and ideals have been unconsciously accepted by most men before becoming interested in Christian Science. To the extent that these occupy thought they govern action, and mold mankind after the "natural man," thus obscuring the real or spiritual man. The right sense, or spiritual sense, has continuously to replace the wrong material sense or human concept. To accomplish this a very simple rule has to be followed; namely, to obey the admonition of our Leader, who quotes our Master's warning, "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." Mrs. Eddy attached so much importance to this protective warning that she placed it as a watchword on the cover of the Christian Science Sentinel. This watching protects from the acceptance of wrong thoughts, thus preventing them from finding expression in speech and action.
