On page 352 of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy gives the basis on which Christ Jesus performed the works which proved him to be master of the limitations and evil beliefs which restrict, disable, and destroy mankind. There she writes that "to Jesus, not materiality, but spirituality, was the reality of man's existence." This is according to Jesus' own statement found in the Gospel of St. John, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." Only in Spirit then can the reality of man's being be found; the ideas of divine Mind constitute his identity and the qualities of Spirit his undying substance.
As spirituality is the reality of man's existence, the faculties of man are spiritual and indestructible. Man has these spiritual faculties by reflection. He sees because divine Mind sees. He hears because divine Mind hears. This is very definitely taught in Science and Health, where, on page 586, we are given this definition: "Eyes. Spiritual discernment,—not material but mental." Does not this give a great spiritual significance to that record of healing in the Bible of two blind men who begged Jesus to restore their sight? The story reads: "And Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened." Surely this indicates a mental activity. Their faith, touched by spiritual discernment, revealed the reality and unmarred perfection of spiritual vision and dispelled the darkness of false belief. Jesus "touched . . . their eyes"—awakened their "spiritual discernment"—and they saw.
Today Christian Science is touching our eyes, awakening our spiritual discernment that we may see. Spiritual discernment sees only the perfection of reality, and one can consistently and intelligently cultivate this faculty. He can cease trying to make material organs see. He can patiently and persistently refuse to accept as real the pictures of sense testimony, mentally refuse to see aught but the perfection of God. This means that wherever or whenever blight, mental or physical deformity, disease, or decay presents its perverted pictures he will deny it identity, place, cause, or governing law, and in the light of Truth declare the ever-present perfection of Spirit.
