WHATEVER may be said in praise of independent thinking, Christian Scientists are increasingly thankful that they understand something of the truth of Paul's statement in his second epistle to the Corinthians, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God."
Mrs. Eddy defines God as divine Mind, as Principle; and in doing this she clarifies our understanding of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Principle implies definite regulation; and divine Principle, which is all-power, all-knowledge, all-presence, necessarily precludes any thinking other than that inspired and regulated by supreme intelligence. Nothing originates with man; but through man, the idea of divine Principle, must eternally be revealed the brightness of the glory of the one creative Mind.
Jesus said, "I do nothing of myself." In calculating the value of true mental processes, the Christian Scientist must consider the relation of cause to effect. Given a universal law, everything real conforms to it; everything must obey it and its orderly procedure and operation. In a scheme of things in which one infinite causative Mind everlastingly animates and sustains its whole creation, there can be no opportunity for thinking independently of God. Truly original thought, then, emanates from God, Mind; it appears as a manifestation of that which the divine Mind eternally knows; while an ephemeral concept, however beautiful and brilliant it may appear, can have no real permanence.
