Mortals believe themselves to be members of a fallen race, a weak and stumbling race, hedged about by unnumbered limitations and bound by a thousand chains. But the real man is unfallen, perfect, absolutely free; his faculties cannot be impaired, nor can his harmony be invaded. Since he is the beloved son of God, and God is Spirit, the real man is spiritual, not material. He therefore does not make mistakes or involve himself in sin and punishment. He is above the possibility of either ignorance or sin. In nature and character, activity and graciousness, man is the image of Spirit; he reflects Spirit's illimitable completeness.
How, we ask, may we discover, understand, and prove that we are, each one of us, in very truth an individual manifestation of unfallen, eternal manhood, and not the troubled, erring mortal that we have believed ourselves to be? The priceless truth of being is set forth in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. This, the textbook of Christian Science, is now the highly valued possession of thousands of the world's citizens. It is in numerous homes, numerous private and public libraries, and may be read or purchased in any of the Reading Rooms maintained by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, and by its branches throughout the world.
On page 171 of this book Mrs. Eddy has written, "Through discernment of the spiritual opposite of materiality, even the way through Christ, Truth, man will reopen with the key of divine Science the gates of Paradise which human beliefs have closed, and will find himself unfallen, upright, pure, and free." Truly this is a magnificent promise, bringing to light man's wonderful destiny, and revealing unlimited possibilities of marvelous achievement. "Unfallen, upright, pure, and free"! What a vastly different concept of man from that generally held by the world's philosophers and teachers, do these words awaken in thought!
