IN order to acquire a working knowledge of Christian Science it is necessary to learn something of the truth about God's law of cause and effect. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of this Science, gives a fundamental statement on this law on page 173 of "Miscellaneous Writings," where she declares: "Mind is its own great cause and effect. Mind is God, omnipotent and omnipresent."
Through Mrs. Eddy's revelation of Christian Science we have learned to know God not only as Mind, but also as Principle, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love. This all-inclusive understanding of our Father-Mother God assures mankind that only such effects as are beautiful, good, loving, perfect, spiritual, without a single material element, are real and omnipresent, because effect is the result of cause. All so-called effects of an opposite nature should be refused immediately; for they are false, having no existence whatever, since they are entirely without real cause. Hence we are supplied with a definite, demonstrable rule with which to work out each problem as presented, always beginning with perfect cause, God, and perfect effect, man.
The only effect the master Metaphysician, Christ Jesus, ever recognized as real was that which was good and perfect, because he knew its Principle or cause to be perfect, all-inclusive good. Did not he say, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God"? Likewise, we too have the authority to recognize only good effects as real . for we know that our perfectly good and infinite God is the only cause. To illustrate: A student of Christian Science was placed in an exceedingly trying environment, where error seemed most insistent in its endeavors to mesmerize her into believing that the discordant conditions were real. After considerable faithful work to overcome these conditions, it was made clear to her that none of them were true, could be true, since God, who is Love and always supreme, is the only cause. Consequently, the apparently unhappy surroundings were not in any way an effect or result of the perfect cause, Love. With a clearer understanding she went to work again and became so absorbed in radically turning to recognize only the supreme presence of Love, that in a very short time she was removed from the entire environment into one of freedom and activity in the Father's business, where it has been daily and hourly proved that Love is indeed the liberator (see Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mrs. Eddy, p. 225). This may be proved true in anyone's experience.
