IN his second epistle to the Corinthians Paul writes, "Our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth. but the spirit giveth life." The great Apostle to the Gentiles well knew whereof he spoke, for before his conversion to Christianity he had been of those Jews who believed that their religion demanded of them strictest obedience to the letter, and who in striving to do their duty as they saw it almost, if not wholly, neglected the spirit of true religion. "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life"! When Paul wrote these words he had radically changed from the days when he persecuted the first Christians. The spirit of Christianity, the Christ, Truth, now inspired him; and thus spiritually enlightened he taught the truth of eternal Life and demonstrated its healing power wherever he went.
Christian Science is the Science of the Christianity of Christ Jesus, the Christianity whose letter Paul knew so well, and whose spirit he lived so nobly after his conversion. This Science makes plain the fundamentals of Christianity, revealing the nature of God and His universe, including man, and shows that Christ Jesus must have possessed a profound understanding of these fundamentals in order to teach and do the works he did. Further, this Science, while revealing the letter of these truths, constantly affirms that to accomplish works similar to those of Jesus, men must be equipped not only with the letter of Truth but with the spirit of Truth as well. Mrs. Eddy goes so far as to say that without the spirit of Christian Science there can be neither "the comprehension of its Principle nor the practice of its Life." Her words are (No and Yes, p. 28), "What is demonstrably true cannot be gainsaid; but getting the letter and omitting the spirit of this Science is neither the comprehension of its Principle nor the practice of its Life."
Now, the student of Christian Science has honestly to face the situation. The Bible is open to him; Mrs. Eddy's books are open to him: the letter of Christian Science is therefore plainly set before his eyes for him to make his own. But the letter of itself is not sufficient. Without the spirit—the quickening spirit of inspiration—the letter is dead. This is illustrated by the fact that one may read many times Mrs. Eddy's great textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," wherein divine Science is so wonderfully elucidated, thereby becoming well acquainted with the letter of divine Science, without receiving healing from some specific disease. What is wrong? In all probability "the spirit of this Science" is absent. Something more than mere intellectual acquiescence in the truths of Christian Science is required—although this acquiescence is necessary; there must also be the spirit of Christianity, the spirit which embraces such divine qualities as humility, purity, gratitude, gentleness, compassion, and love.
