Article May 28, 1904 Issue

Regarding Evil

Willard S. Mattox

Meriden (Conn.) Record

A critic complains that Christian Science does not satisfy a philosophic inquiry by its statements as to the origin of evil and the nature of death. This is a big subject and theology has vainly attempted to explain it. Natural Science has offered no more satisfying explanation than speculative philosophy. It is the world-old question of the origin of evil; it is the futile attempt of a finite, limited mind to cognize the tremendous facts of limitless extension.

Christian Science, in attempting to frame an answer to this question, makes its reply as simple as possible, so that the metaphysical fact may be understood somewhat by the material consciousness to which it is addressed. Christian Science says, in effect, that there is an origin for all things, a great First Cause, a creator, whom men call God. The creator must be intelligent, and must be good, else the oneness, the integrity and continuity of all things could not be guaranteed for the hundredth part of a second. All things emanate from the creator and are, must be, like Him, good. This is reasonable, logical, natural, Scriptural, and scientific. It follows that evil, as entity, as intelligence or power, does not exist, and the term evil is intended to include all the phases discord familiar to organic life. There seems to be an illusion, or, if you please, a dream existence, in which disease, sin, and death are actualities. How do you account for the dream? Where did the dream originate? It is not real from the standpoint of God and therefore never did exist, and men do not spend their time trying to account for the origin of nothing. That twice two is five is not true. It is a lie. Where did it originate? How did it begin? No one knows; but the man who knows the truth that twice two is four does not fret himself as to how and where and when the falsehood got its start. He is busy availing himself of the knowledge that twice two is four and getting out of it all the good he can. In Science and Health, p. 274, occurs this sentence, "The conventional firm, called matter and mind, God never formed. Science and understanding, governed by the unerring and eternal Mind, destroy this imaginary co-partnership, formed only to be destroyed in a manner and at a period as yet unknown," and no p. 553 we read, "You may say that mortals are formed before they think, or know aught of their origin; and you may also ask how belief can affect a result which precedes the development of that belief. It can only be replied, that Christian Science reveals what 'eye hath not seen,'—even the cause of all that exists,—for the universe, inclusive of man, is as eternal as God, who is its immortal Principle."

Willard S. Mattox. Meriden (Conn.) Record.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Regarding Evil

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access