THE Christian Science practitioner always works with the consciousness that there is only one cause in existence. This distinguishes his practice from that of every other; for no healing system extant among men, except Christian Science, is based on the understanding that God, Spirit, is the one and only cause of all that has real being. Christian Science denies that matter, so called, is real, and therefore that it is causative. It is thus in complete accord with John when he writes, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made;" and with Paul: "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things."
The fallacy which underlies so much of the theological reasoning of ancient and modern times is that God, who is Spirit or Mind, is the creator of that which purports to be the opposite of Spirit or Mind, of that which is utterly devoid of mentality or spirituality, — namely, matter. This fallacy entirely overlooks the fact that grapes can never be gathered from thorns, nor figs from thistles,—that like always produces like, never its unlikeness; that God, Spirit, never could create His opposite, matter. And if Spirit did not create what is called matter, what is so-called matter? There can be only one answer, — that which Christian Science makes, — namely, that matter is an unreal concept of the real or spiritual creation.
On page 331of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy gives a wonderfully clear definition of God as the universal cause. She writes: "God is individual, incorporeal. He is divine Principle, Love, the universal cause, the only creator, and there is no other self-existence. He is all-inclusive, and is reflected by all that is real and eternal and by nothing else." It is probable that the majority of Christians on first thought would readily agree with this definition. Theoretically, they would admit God's incorporeality; would admit that He is Love, and the universal cause and the only creator; and that He includes within Himself all that really exists. But failing to grasp what Mrs. Eddy means by reflection, or probably because they have never considered the meaning of reflection in this connection, they would not agree that spiritual ideas alone are "real and eternal," and that matter is consequently unreal. But the issue is now plainly set forth before the eyes of all men by Christian Science: God is Spirit, and His creation is spiritual; God is the only cause, the universal cause; and there is no material cause.
