Those attracted to Christian Science find that it gives them something solid to cling to and implants in them a positive reliance on God for the first time in their experience, perhaps. Through study of Christian Science they learn positive rules which, when obeyed, remove human discords, establish harmony, and lead to demonstration of perfection.
Mathematics furnishes in the exactness of its laws and rules a good analogy to the teachings of Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy uses mathematical examples to point up truths she reveals and to emphasize the infallibility of the healing power of divine Principle, Love. Under the marginal heading, "The spiritual mathematics," she writes in Science and Health (p. 3): "Who would stand before a blackboard, and pray the principle of mathematics to solve the problem? The rule is already established, and it is our task to work out the solution. Shall we ask the divine Principle of all goodness to do His own work? His work is done, and we have only to avail ourselves of God's rule in order to receive His blessing, which enables us to work out our own salvation."
The analogy to mathematics is useful, because only by using the rules correctly can we obtain a correct solution. Imperfect work leads to error; yet in Christian Science as in mathematics a check or test can be applied to verify an answer. The Apostle John wrote (I John 4:1, 6): "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.... Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."
