The textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," written by Mary Baker Eddy, its Discoverer and Founder, states in full the teachings of Christian Science. The student of this book soon realizes that the truth of spiritual existence is therein revealed. Of this the author herself writes on page 98 of her textbook, "Beyond the frail premises of human beliefs, above the loosening grasp of creeds, the demonstration of Christian Mind-healing stands a revealed and practical Science."
As does any textbook upon any subject, this book sets forth the fundamental truth of its subject, furnishes rules for its application, and directs the way for its demonstration. There can be no further discovery of the great fact that God is All, and that His supposed opposite is, in the infinitude of Truth, unreal. The teachings of Christian Science have been fully set forth in its textbook. There can be new applications of its teaching every day, but no new additions to its teaching. Mrs. Eddy labored to state purely the' truth that she saw, and was not satisfied until the statement was true and complete. The textbook sets it forth in its entirety and in a terminology which cannot be surpassed.
The Christian Scientist, then, in referring to this Science, should carefully hold to fidelity of statement. The profound announcements of this textbook keep conviction in line with reason; hold conclusions basic and true; prevent thought from straying into misapprehension. Whatever statement may be made by a student of the book, however fresh a turn may be given to a presentation of Truth, it must refer to what is already said in the textbook and should always lead thought back to it.
Inspiration, in Christian Science, is fresh and spontaneous. All are entitled to it. But it is progressive inspiration which is sought, not mere novelty of phrasing. Original approach in arousing thought is always legitimate, and newness of presentation helpful. This, however, comes not by seeking novelty, but through deeper insight into the one unchanging source of spiritual understanding. Revelation takes care of its own true expression.
The completeness of the textbook of Christian Science is like the completeness of the loved original promises of the Bible: everything of newness is all there for the one who can find it. Take, for example, the beginning of the ninety-first Psalm: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Inspiration is always found in that fundamental promise. It needs no new words. One needs deeper draughts of what is already said there; sweeter comfort in it, swifter healing from it, surer safety in it, stronger fidelity to it. In the deeper understanding of it lies its unfolding newness.
And so one keeps returning to the fountainhead of the Scriptures and the Christian Science textbook. Their very familiarity becomes their dearness, and one can always cast anchor in them. The well-known text glows many times with new meanings, deeper insight, as it is humbly studied.
The human temptation urges that thought can sink, sag, get dull with material pleasures or mortal anxieties, lose its spiritual keenness, fail in alert distinctions. Much of this is the general pressure of the world's wrong belief, and the pull of a negative outlook. The remedy for this, for the Christian Scientist, is the constant study of his textbook. He goes to the eternal springs of revelation for fresh analysis, for renewed discrimination between right and wrong, between Spirit and matter. His thought is lifted to know more positively the allness of God, the power of good, the nothingness of evil. And, as a result, he is renewed in strength and courage and understanding.
There are things to learn about the Christian Science textbook other than just the reading of its paragraphs or pages. It is a textbook, and should be regarded as a textbook. Its student should know its scope, its content, its arrangement, as students of other textbooks know their text. The author of Science and Health arranged the sequence of chapters, the content of each chapter, and the orderly unfoldment of the text from its first statement to its complete conclusion. The student of the book can know the ground each chapter covers. He can find the relation of the main points in each chapter to the chapter title. He can appreciate the continuity of each chapter as it proceeds to its final announcements.
There are also well-defined summaries of outstanding fundamental propositions of Christian Science, clear statements showing the starting point, essential points, right postulates, wrong postulates. These can all be found through the Concordance, and a knowledge of the way they present Christian Science is of great value.
It must be admitted that every Christian Scientist can come to know his textbook better; to know it as a textbook, to comprehend its structure, its composition, its summaries, its rules, its whole orderly presentation of the revelation its author named Christian Science. This book is a complete exposition of spiritually scientific Christianity. With the Scriptures it takes first place in the daily life of all Christian Scientists. To know and obey the teachings presented in their textbook is to find strength and understanding for Christianly scientific demonstration.
And more than all else this textbook spiritualizes the thought of the honest reader. It shows him that without definite demonstration of the divine compassion which animated the life of Christ Jesus, there is little truly known of Christian Science. "The Sermon on the Mount," writes Mrs. Eddy on page 271 of Science and Health, "is the essence of this Science, and the eternal life, not the death of Jesus, is its outcome." To find this Christlike essence there must be prayerful, teachable approach to daily study of both the Scriptures and Mrs. Eddy's writings. There must be humble and reverent desire to find the spiritual meaning of all that these books set forth. Expectation of good flowing from the spiritual facts unfolded in the Christian Science textbook means understanding and inspiration gained and maintained as the result of study and application. So, divinely refreshed, thought goes forth to bless the tasks of the day.
When a prayer for light precedes one's reading of the Christian Science textbook, the baptism of Spirit descends upon thought. That men may know the divine Principle of Jesus' lifework, the textbook of Christian Science has been written. Its teaching is revelation of divine Principle, the elucidation of the saving, healing Christianity which Christ Jesus established and exemplified. Thus recognized, it is the light upon the path of all Christian endeavor.
