THE word "science" means systematized knowledge of any subject. There is, for example, the science of chemistry, of physics, of astronomy, of botany, of zoology— natural sciences they are called. And never before has such interest been taken in these studies as is being shown by the general public to-day. This is largely because of the fact that the discoveries of more recent years, chiefly in chemistry and physics, have been of great value to mankind in that they have brought additional comforts into the homes of the people and aided tremendously the business enterprises of men. Everybody knows how electricity has been harnessed to light our buildings and to act as motive power, and how its use in the telegraph and telephone has served to bring the ends of the earth together.
Because of having been brought into intimate touch with the practical side of more recent discoveries, many have been induced to follow the natural scientist into the realm of theory. The result is that to-day the latest hypotheses of physicist, chemist, and astronomer are discussed in more or less accurate terms by not a few who are not themselves natural scientists, in a manner which would have been impossible half a century ago. And consequent upon this interest men are observing, among other things, the decided change that has taken place among natural scientists themselves on the nature of so-called matter, noticing that the latter are now regarding matter as fundamentally electrical in its constitution; as electric energy, indeed, acting under so-called physical law.
No doubt the situation in the world of natural science to-day is deeply interesting. How could it be otherwise, since it is now conceded by the natural scientist that matter is not at all what the material senses superficially report it to be, but something entirely different? The situation is interesting to the Christian Scientist, and especially so in that his study of it is convincing him, more than ever, of the speculative nature of all human hypotheses relative to matter. He sees these hypotheses constantly changing, yet never reaching finality. He knows that they never will reach finality, however subtle to human sense they may become. He is certain of this because through Christian Science he understands that since Spirit is infinite matter is unreal.
