When Mary Baker Eddy proclaimed to the world her discovery of the unreality of matter, she also revealed the all-power of spiritual activity and the utter powerlessness of so-called material action. Mankind has long accepted the belief that matter has life and reality, and that all action is the product of material energy and human will, and has, in consequence, remained enslaved by the so-called laws of material action and reaction. Christian Science, which is the divine panacea for the ills of the world, brings freedom to those who are willing to leave their previous trust in materiality, with its supposititious power, and to turn whole-heartedly to God, the only source of real action.
In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 283) our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, tells us: "Mind is the source of allmovement, and there is no inertia to retard or check its perpetual and harmonious action. Mind is the same Life, Love, and wisdom 'yesterday, and to-day, and forever.' Matter and its effects—sin, sickness, and death—are states of mortal mind which act, react, and then come to a stop." Comparing these statements concerning the spiritual and the material, the earnest student will gain some understanding of what real action is; and he will learn to prove for himself, in the exact ratio of his faithfulness and perseverance, the unreality of so-called reaction. He will learn to differentiate between the so-called action of human will, of fear or ignorance, and the manifestation of the divine energy, the expression of God's will, which spiritual man reflects in intelligent, truthful, and loving activity. The spiritual real man's work, his only true activity, is to reflect the qualities of God; and this does not require any material effort.
Mistaken mortal efforts arise from the false beliefs in "living matter" and that we have two masters to obey,—the one spiritual, the other "of the earth, earthy." These beliefs condemn us to unceasing toil and suffering. They are the voice of the serpent whispering of reaction, in opposition to God's activity, which is wholly good. Throughout the pages of the Bible, reflected power, happiness, and health are seen to be expressed in proportion to the human understanding of, and obedience to, the one real activity, that of divine Mind, which is always good.
