Throughout untold centuries, the children of men have been the hapless victims of illusions, unenlightenment, misrepresentation, ignorance, and fear. All too frequently mankind accepts without question the belief that whatever the material senses cognize, is actually true and real.
Ignorant of the fact that true substance is Spirit, misguided mortals look upon matter as substantial, and consider it to represent the reality of existence. Under the belief that matter can help them, or bring about desirable results in their experience, mortals trust it, strive for it, lean upon it, and often fight for it. At other times, when the belief that matter is detrimental is uppermost in consciousness, mortals distrust, avoid, reject, and fight against it. One of the mortal illusions confronting men is the belief that matter is both helpful and harmful; that it can save life and destroy life; give pleasure and produce misery; create and maintain intelligence within itself, and lose the intelligence through accident and disease. Accompanying this error is the illusive belief that the material body represents man, and that whatever appears to manifest itself materially, is actually true and indicates the fact about him.
Teeming with comfort, encouragement, healing, and joy, Christian Science comes to humanity, bringing the spiritual understanding of reality, substance, the true nature of God and man, and the relationship existing between them. Through its healing ministry, many who have considered themselves bound with unbreakable fetters of disease, sin, sorrow, and lack, have gained release and now rejoice in normal health, freedom, and plenty. Sinful indulgences, unruly tempers, bad habits, moroseness, and fear have been overcome, and in their place are found the gentle graces of purity, love, joy, harmony, and courage.
