In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy includes a chapter called "Animal Magnetism Unmasked." She writes in her autobiography, Retrospection and Introspection, of her reluctance to include the chapter on animal magnetism in the first edition of Science and Health. At the same time, her printer was unwilling to go any further with the book. She then says: "After months had passed, I yielded to a constant conviction that I must insert in my last chapter a partial history of what I had already observed of mental malpractice. Accordingly, I set to work, contrary to my inclination, to fulfil this painful task, and finished my copy for the book." Ret., p. 38. As it happened, her printer resumed work on the book at that very time, finished printing what he had on hand, and was ready for more —which Mrs. Eddy was now able to supply.
She writes in the textbook: "As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind. It is the false belief that mind is in matter, and is both evil and good; that evil is as real as good and more powerful. This belief has not one quality of Truth." Science and Health, p. 103. Knowing this helps us to be alert to the bogus claims of evil, and teaches us not to be duped by the theatrics of mortal mind.
The well-known British actor Laurence Olivier once said, "I have always tried to believe that my job was to make the audience believe in the story —believe that it was really going on." The Christian Science Monitor, July 18, 1989 . In a way, these words could sum up animal magnetism's job description: to make the audience (you and me) believe in the story (the changing scenes of mortal experience with its evil as well as good)—to make us believe that evil's theatrics are real and are actually going on.
