Article December 2, 1916 Issue

Christian Science Teaching

KENNETH B. ELLIMAN

While Christian Science makes its appeal to intelligent thought, the pride and self-satisfaction of the human intellect rob it of teachableness; and since Christian Science is not humanly intellectual, but spiritual, it can be understood only through spiritual sense. On the other hand, dogmatism is the attempt of the human mind to formulate its own conceptions, and these may be stated intellectually and accepted intellectually. An individual's conception of Christian Science may also be formulated and stated intellectually, but it then becomes a finite conception. Intellect defines; spiritual sense unfolds.

Some readers of our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, object to what they call its vagueness and lack of formulation. Some have even claimed that they could write a clearer statement. But Science and Health needs to be understood spiritually; its teaching appeals not to the human sense of intellect, but to spiritual understanding, and he who persists in reading it with open mind and sincere desire to apprehend the truth, will find the spiritual understanding of God, man, and the universe gradually unfolding in his thought.

Thus Christian Science is seen to be a revelation, not a dogmatic statement or mere human system; and since each individual may gain an understanding of his own, direct from divine Mind, he does not need to depend upon another's theology or formulation of truth. Through his study of the Scriptural truth as interpreted in Science and Health, his spiritual sense is roused to activity and he gains his own understanding. Instead of having to rely on another person's statement or proof for authority, he had his own inward conviction or intuition of what is true, and can prove its truth by testing it in his daily life and experience. Since one's own experience includes all he really knows,—all else being believed or accepted on faith,—the student of Christian Science who demonstrates the verity of his understanding has the strongest possible evidence of its correctiness.

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