In the material world physical force is considered to be power and believed to be irresistible in many phases. This belief springs from the theory that life and intelligence are in matter. In the world of physical sense chance and physical force are thought to determine the course of human events and the fate of mortals.
But the Bible reveals God to be Spirit, the only creator, and man to be the spiritual offspring of God, His image and likeness. On this established premise Christian Science declares that all the power, substance, and intelligence attributed to matter is mere supposition and weighs not one jot in the scales with the almightiness of Spirit, Mind. Mary Baker Eddy explains in an inspired passage from the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp.109, 110), that "the three great verities of Spirit, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience,—Spirit possessing all power, filling all space, constituting all Science,—contradict forever the belief that matter can be actual. These eternal verities reveal primeval existence as the radiant reality of God's creation, in which all that He has made is pronounced by His wisdom good."
The allness of Spirit and the consequent nothingness of matter were fully demonstrated throughout the life and ministry of our Master. His pure perception of the perfect unity of God and man was evidenced in healing the multitudes. As the Son of God, he spoke and acted with authority; hence his healing works were immediately effective. At the culmination of our great Exemplar's ministry of Christ healing, when the malice of the world was being vented upon his person, he rose to sublimest heights of devotion to God and love for man in the forgiveness of his enemies. The eternal supremacy of Spirit had its crowning proof that man is the immortal idea of Love. This vision of the infinite power of Spirit must ultimately come to all through the individual acceptance of Christian Science as thought grows humble and is willing to turn away from matter, and as it becomes receptive and obedient to God's purpose and direction.
Humanity often seems bound by the belief in a power apart from God. It is this superstitious belief that such a power exists which seems to fetter mankind. Since God, good, is infinite Life, the one cause and creator, it follows that every manifestation of Life exists intact and imperishable under the protecting and preserving power of Spirit.
The protection afforded by Christian Science is complete. It would be scientifically impossible for the individual who fully understood the government of omnipotent Mind, to be controlled by fear, disease, or evil of any sort. Even a degree of understanding of the allness of Spirit enables us to be strong, steadfast, serene in temptation, and victorious in trial. The understanding of the scientific unity of God and man gives to each one dominion and freedom from a false sinful self.
Soon after receiving several remarkable healings in Christian Science I was afforded further opportunity to use the understanding of Truth I had gained. I was living in a small railroad city at the time, and there were a series of train wrecks in the freight service for eight successive days. The assistant train dispatcher, a Christian Scientist, called upon me for help. I consented, though with some misgivings, owing to my brief experience in Christian Science. From that day there was no more trouble. It was a wonderful revelation to me that even a degree of understanding of Christian Science, sincerely applied, can be effective in adjusting conditions incident to the operation of a railroad system. In deep humility and gratitude I realized in a measure the vast power of this Science.
There is a constant demand upon us as Christian Scientists to rely implicitly upon the guidance and protection of divine Principle and to pray fervently for grace to withstand fleshly temptations. Mortal mind, counterfeiting the ceaseless activity of the divine Mind, would try constantly to press its specious claims upon us through the avenues of the physical senses. It would ensnare the unwary into idleness, apathy, and self-indulgence. Christian Science lays bare these deceptions and reveals the great scientific fact that evil is not mind and can find no field of operation in true, intelligent thinking.
No false doctrine, dogma, or ideology can penetrate the consciousness governed by divine Principle, nor determine the course of one's conduct. The Science of Mind reveals man's intelligence and his entire being as spiritually pure and perfect, impervious to all hypnotic or mesmeric influence. Through Christian Science, mankind is awakening to the glorious fact that the real man is not subject to sin and mortality, but is forever at one with God, entirely and eternally free.
In Science and Health our Leader writes (p. 445), "No hypothesis as to the existence of another power should interpose a doubt or fear to hinder the demonstration of Christian Science." Farther on, she continues, "You render the divine law of healing obscure and void, when you weigh the human in the scale with the divine, or limit in any direction of thought the omnipresence and omnipotence of God." Unyielding trust in divine Principle and the faithful application of its rules will bring a perfect solution in every case.
In scientific practice there is no occasion for temporizing with error. Apparently plausible arguments that opposition is too great, that there is not sufficient understanding to cope with a situation, or that conditions are not favorable for demonstration at the time must be firmly denied. We must turn unreservedly to God for divine strength. We must never postpone handling error in any form. We can be fully assured that the supremacy of Spirit is available at all times.
A sense of aggressive personal power is never real. The power of the Christ strips personal sense of all its pride. Occultism, ecclesiastical despotism, atheism, totalitarian dictatorships, are found to be destitute of reality in the light of the truth as revealed in Christian Science. Omnipotent Spirit is irresistible, invincible, irreversible in its sublime influence. It enlightens, governs, and sustains all its creation. It is an impregnable fortress, in which all live and may freely work, completely shielded from the seeming shafts of evil. It is even more than our defense, for the all-power of divine Principle is a law of utter extinction to every fictitious claim, false law, and fabulous belief in a power opposed to God.
As Christian Scientists, we must be signally alert to all the daily opportunities to support our great Cause in its mission to redeem mankind from its self-imposed material bondage. Inspired by the example of our undaunted Leader, we must continue to do this holy work with courage, patience, and enduring love for God and man, with full assurance of complete triumph over evil. We can say with confidence (I Chron. 29: 11), "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty:... and thou art exalted as head above all."
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:
for I am God, and there is none else.—Isaiah 45:22.
