The Glossary to the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, contains an explanation of words and terms necessary for one's spiritual enlightenment and understanding. In fact, the words therein denned lead thought away from the accepted material sense of the words to an apprehension of this spiritual import. An understanding of the spiritual significance of the words defined in the Glossary brings the student much closer to an apprehension of the new language of Spirit referred to in the Scriptures, which ultimately will be the universal tongue.
On page 592 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy has given a practical and useful definition of "oil" as "consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration." Truly, these are potent words of divine import. When a piece of machinery ceases to function smoothly and correctly, we oil it. When our human experience seems to be clogged with a sense of discord in regard to this or that, we should go to the storehouse of consciousness and diligently apply to our thinking each of the qualities named in these synonyms of "oil" in its spiritual meaning.
Christian Science teaches that discordant experiences are but the outward evidences of discordant thinking which has accepted as real the suggestions of mortal mind, and has become clogged with error. If in our experience we are troubled by a sense of ill health, lack, unhappiness, or any of the many woes which result from the mistaken belief of life in matter, it is our thinking which needs spiritual oil. Let us then humbly and sincerely strive to replace the suggestions of mortal mind with those qualities of divine Mind which belong to the real man. Thought externalizes itself. Regarded from the standpoint of wrong thinking, this statement may seem threatening; but as we apply to our thinking the marvelous "oil" of "consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration," the promise of fulfillment appears.
