THE greatest elucidator of practical Christianity in this age, Mary Baker Eddy, has revealed religion as a demonstrable Science. Through her writings, especially through the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy has become, after Christ Jesus, the greatest religious emancipator in the world's history. In the textbook of Christian Science, just referred to, she has given the complete, scientific, and practical exposition of the way to gain mental emancipation from slavery to all kinds of false masters. Under the marginal heading ''Mental emancipation," on pages 224 and 225 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes concerning it: 'Truth brings the elements of liberty. On its banner is the Soul-inspired motto, 'Slavery is abolished.' The power of God brings deliverance to the captive. No power can withstand divine Love. What is this supposed power, which opposes itself to God? Whence cometh it? What is it that binds man with iron shackles to sin, sickness, and death? Whatever enslaves man is opposed to the divine government. Truth makes man free."
Now, what is the meaning of the term "emancipation;" and from what do men need to be emancipated? Emancipation is the act or process of liberating from bondage, the freeing from false power or control. And in Christian Science we learn the ways and means of bringing about this emancipation. We have the privilege—yea, the divine promise and command—to reenter and to remain forever in holy, conscious oneness with God, in the unity with Him which gives us full authority and divine wisdom to handle every false belief by spiritual understanding.
When we learn that "God is All in-all" (Science and Health, p. 113), we see that it is from the belief in the existence of something unlike God we need deliverance and freedom. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof," saith the Scriptures. Whence then come fear, sin, sickness, sorrow, lack, worry, death, when all that God made is good? Are not these the false masters, the works of the evil one, of whom Jesus said, "He was a murderer from the beginning, ... he is a liar, and the father of it"? And is it not to abolish these spurious taskmasters that we are to continue our Leader's mental crusade, armed with God's weapons of truth and love? Why be surprised at error masquerading as a power, or at its apparent assumption of authority? Since the beginning of time, so-called evil has tried to pursue infinite good, God; and even the Master, Christ Jesus, bade the tempter get behind him. But evil, being a negation, can never succeed in placing the All-power in abasement; and it is just as impossible for evil to place man, the child of God, in any precarious position, or in any erroneous mental or moral condition whatsoever. Neither sin, sickness, nor even death, can reach one who has complete trust in the presence and power of Life, Truth, and Love.
