A City is naturally thought of as a place where people have come together to dwell. Through the study of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we find, however, that man does not really live in a material body or in a material city. Spirit being the only cause and structure of man's being, it follows that, in reality, man is spiritual, and that his dwelling place is in Mind.
Abraham "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God," and Mrs. Eddy, the beloved Leader of the Christian Science movement, also looking for this city, found her spiritual dwelling place. Referring to this true consciousness, she writes in Science and Health (p. 577), "This spiritual, holy habitation has no boundary nor limit." Here is a statement which calls upon every earnest seeker to find his "holy habitation." Mrs. Eddy encourages the student of Christian Science by saying (ibid., p. 454), "Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action." Nobility, sincerity, all generous impulses exercised and cherished, aid men in finding the heavenly city. They help them to discern spiritual ideas, which are vital and dynamic, being the expression of divine Mind. And these ideas are the omnipotence of God working with and for us. They utterly discount and nullify all self-assertive, false, discordant beliefs, the revengeful, envious, and hypocritical intrigues of the carnal mind. The spiritual sense of justice and righteousness which the Christian Scientist manifests in proportion to the recognition of his individual relationship to God as an indestructible, incorporeal idea will ultimately be manifested in the entire administration of his city.
Self-conscious matter, so called, ignorantly proclaiming its origin and existence in God, will inevitably discover its own nothingness. The man whom God has created can have no consciousness apart from God. When this fact is understood, each one will demonstrate complete self-control. A denial of the Christ, Truth, would expose one to any hazardous experience arising from the belief of life in matter. The unchanging and eternal law of Mind uncovers all deceit and treachery and causes error to destroy itself. Sin, sickness, and death are displaced by Truth, Life, and Love.
