Article October 6, 1945 Issue

The Value of Mental Argument in Healing

PARK WOLAVER

If you were to climb by ladder out of a dark pit into the sunlight and open country, it would not be the ladder which eliminated the darkness and confinement. Darkness is eliminated by light rays; confinement, by the gaining of freedom of action. In Christian Science healing, mental argument —the denial of what evil claims and the affirming of what is spiritually true—is somewhat like the ladder, in that it helps to lift human consciousness above mortal beliefs of sin and discord and leads on to the realization of God's allness. Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes on pages 454 and 455 of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "Remember that the letter and mental argument are only human auxiliaries to aid in bringing thought into accord with the spirit of Truth and Love, which heals the sick and the sinner."

Christ Jesus' healings illustrate what it is that heals. The instantaneous nature of his healings proves that he did not need argument. His clear realization of divine Love's infinite presence and power was alone sufficient to dispel error, as light dispels darkness. Mrs. Eddy, following Jesus' example, likewise accomplished many instantaneous healings. At one time she healed someone instantly and permanently with just a loving smile, which evidenced our Leader's reflection of divine Love, without even a word having been spoken (see "Historical Sketches from the Life of Mary Baker Eddy" by Clifford P. Smith, pp. 74. 75).

Although healings are possible without the aid of mental argument, the student necessarily uses it until he is so clear in his understanding of Christian Science that he can heal without it. As an illustration: a child at first solves such problems as "three times twenty-one" on paper, but as he grows in the understanding of mathematics he no longer needs the aid of paper. Our Leader writes (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 359). "On the same principle, you continue the mental argument in the practice of Christian healing until you can cure without it instantaneously, and through Spirit alone."

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