The arresting words of the title appear on page 183 of "Miscellaneous Writings" by Mary Baker Eddy. These words form part of a sentence which reads: "Man must love his neighbor as himself, and the power of Truth must be seen and felt in health, happiness, and holiness: then it will be found that Mind is All-in-all, and there is no matter to cope with."
A world where there is "no matter to cope with," where one is not pressed into constant struggle with material ills which he is said to be heir to, presents a most attractive prospect, even though it may at first seem impossible. The admonition at the beginning of the sentence quoted, that one must "love his neighbor as himself," acts as a keynote for the Christian Scientist who desires to enter the healing work, for it is through the reflection of divine Love that spiritual healing is accomplished.
When confronted with complaints and descriptions of many ills and ailments, the Christian Science practitioner needs to remember that he is not called upon to change or cope with matter, since it is thought alone which requires healing. This does not mean that the Scientist ignores matter with its claim to rule and control mankind, to determine their chances for happiness or misery. Far from ignoring, the worker clearly recognizes that matter's boastful claim to reality is entirely false. Knowing that "Mind is All-in-all," he turns away from the counterfeit claim and looks to the realm of Spirit, away from the unreal to the real, as the basis of treatment. If the practitioner inadvertently finds himself being mesmerized by suggestions that matter is real, that it must be changed, treated, made over, he has placed himself in the same category as medical thought, and he may be drawn into a sense of futile struggle.
