In spite of the seeming din and clamor attendant upon a false, material sense of living, the "still small voice" of Truth is ever speaking to all who will listen. That this voice is being heard is indicated by an increasing recognition of the fact that the perfect and permanent salvation of mankind can come only through a demonstrable understanding of the spiritual nature of the real man and the real universe. Mrs. Eddy's definition of "salvation," on page 593 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," is as follows: "Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; sin, sickness, and death destroyed." This comprehensive interpretation should arrest the attention of all who regard salvation chiefly as offering happiness in a remote and uncertain future life, as a reward for some measurable overcoming of sinful habits in a world of sensuality. The Scriptures declare, "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
A little reflection should convince any thinker that salvation cannot be realized through some attempted refinement of matter. There is no mental alchemy that could work such an unnatural and impossible transformation. Just as evil cannot be transformed into good, so matter cannot be transmuted into Spirit. Because evil is overcome by good, matter and its consequences are destroyed by spiritual understanding. Animality can never grow into spirituality. As well say that disease is harmony in the making as to say that matter is in any degree the genesis or concomitant of Spirit. Try as we may, we can never convert a counterfeit of anything into the genuine article.
But while matter cannot be improved, our concept of reality must show constant and progressive improvement, and as this is done the false sense of substance called matter will grow beautifully less. The consuming fire of spiritual understanding separates the dross from the pure metal, for the dross is never more than worthless refuse. Scholastic theology would comfort discordant mortals with the precarious assurance of a better life hereafter, while the devotees of materia medica, with the best intentions, strive to alleviate or prevent disease by purely material methods. What hope do these things offer of the promised present-world salvation which must necessarily include immunity from sin and disease, helpless old age, and accident? Any promise of redemption that falls short of perfection would thereby presume to rend the seamless garment of Truth and can only engender despair.
