PROBABLY the meaning that comes most frequently to our thought on hearing the word "coincidence" is that of a chance happening. But when Mary Baker Eddy uses this word in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she does so in accordance with a less familiar meaning, namely, "Correspondence in nature, character, result, etc." An example of this use of it occurs on page 194 of the textbook.
Mrs. Eddy relates in this textbook the healing, through her treatment, of Mr. Clark of Lynn. It is a wonderful example of the instantaneous healing of one who to mortal sense was dying. This is sufficient reason for its inclusion, but when we ponder our Leader's words which immediately follow her description of the case, we may well conclude that she also wished to teach us the certain and immediate healing that results from the realization of the divine coincidence of God and man. After saying that "the dew of death was on his brow," she adds a few lines farther on (p. 193): "In about ten minutes he opened his eyes and said: 'I feel like a new man. My suffering is all gone.'" And her concluding comments are: "It has been demonstrated to me that Life is God and that the might of omnipotent Spirit shares not its strength with matter or with human will. Reviewing this brief experience, I cannot fail to discern the coincidence of the spiritual idea of man with the divine Mind."
We may surely conclude that our Leader's clear understanding and absolute recognition of life harmonious and eternal, and of man's forever unity therewith, annulled the claims of life in matter and immediately overruled the false, supposititious material laws claiming to cause and control disease and to result in death. The false, mesmeric mental picture faded in the spiritual light of God's presence acknowledged and demonstrated. Jesus described the self-surrender indicated in this attitude of thought in the familiar words (John 5:19), "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."
