"There is but one primal cause," states Mrs. Eddy in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health. "Therefore there can be no effect from any other cause, and there can be no reality in aught which does not proceed from this great and only cause." Science and Health, p. 207.
This absolute truth that Spirit is the only cause, that its effect is wholly spiritual, that it is the only Ego to be adored and the only power to be obeyed, is fundamental to the teachings and practice of Christian Science. The First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," Ex. 20:3. expresses this great truth. It is about this commandment that Mrs. Eddy writes: "The First Commandment is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science." Science and Health, p. 340. It is of particular importance to note that the spiritual effect of the one primal cause, being unlimited, would necessarily embrace only good. "And God saw every thing that he had made," the spiritual account of creation states with childlike simplicity, "and, behold, it was very good." Gen. 1:31.
The opposite of these spiritual, all-encompassing verities of creation is the myth that matter is a creator and can be both cause and effect. But contrary to what one might expect, mythical material sense does not present its counterfeit creation as wholly evil, but as a mixture of good and evil. I pondered why this would be, and it became evident that evil presenting itself only as evil would simply have no allure; and evil presenting itself as wholly good wouldn't even convince itself. It is the mixture that seems believable, the mixture that appears inviting, the mixture that disguises the utter depravity of the belief in a life separate from God, divine Love. And perhaps the most unholy aspect of this mixture is matter's claim to be able to save mankind, because this claim would prevent mankind from turning away from matter to the wholly spiritual, saving Christ.
