Article July 29, 1905 Issue

The Declaration of Independence

W. D. MC CRACKAN.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE startles thought by statements of fact which are contrary to physical testimony, but self-evident in the eternal realm of beyond-physics or metaphysics. Such statements are truly scientific, although they are generally denoted as abstract or transcendental. Public opinion is still much inclined to be skeptical as to the practical value or availability of statements which cannot be propounded in terms of matter, and yet the investigator into any kind of knowledge who would allow himself to be deterred from further investigation by the abstract nature of the statements used, would make no progress at all. Indeed humanity has generally resorted to abstract statements in order to mark the gradations of its advance towards better conditions. Almost every step away from the slavery of evil in its various forms, and in the direction of the greater freedom of good, has been signalized by some proclamation of metaphysical facts, which humanity at large has by no means either proven as yet or even admitted to be true. The value of proclamations of this sort is in direct proportion to the metaphysical or spiritual truth they contain, and to their denial of beliefs which physical testimony declares to be established and obvious.

A study of the Scriptures will show that they especially abound in enunciations of the kind indicated, signalizing growth away from matter and its limitations into Spirit and its boundless freedom. The Christian Science text-book elucidates the spiritual meaning of these passages, and makes them available as prayers, affirmations, and declarations of the power of good over evil.

But while public opinion may be willing to concede that it is perfectly natural for the Scriptures to contain statements of fact contrary to physical testimony, it is not generally realized how frequently statements of this same character occur in the best of what are known as secular or national documents.

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