Christian Science stands firmly on the basis that God is the only Mind and that the divine Mind is All. But in order to explain the appearance of an evil mind and many minds, Mary Baker Eddy employs the terms "mortal mind" and "human mind." And she uses the two adjectives in various descriptive ways; so they must be understood in their context.
In her writings Mrs. Eddy often uses "human" and "mortal" interchangeably, but on many occasions in their primary meanings: mortal, to describe whatever is subject to death or causes death; human, to describe whatever pertains to humanity, or mankind. If words are synonymous, they are invariably interchangeable; but human and mortal are not always so.
In the definition of mortal mind in the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (see p. 591), Mrs. Eddy explains this so-called mind to be altogether evil. There is no hint of good there; it is total depravity, and its man a counterfeit altogether. But human beings include and express good, for they possess spiritual sense. This sense is what relates them to divinity, and this relationship makes their salvation from mortality possible. Spiritual sense gives the human being entity, makes him valuable, deserving of protection, education, development. It gives him dignity and a sense of worth.
