Article July 28, 1917 Issue

The Word Made Flesh

EZRA W. PALMER

Students of Christian Science quickly learn the vast difference between spiritual reality and the belief in matter and mortality. To them reality means God and His ideas, the universe of Mind, the domain of pure reason and unerring logic. One begins to see, as he studies Christian Science, that he had previously been dwelling in a world of human hypotheses and unproved hazy assumptions based upon the supposed reality of matter, and that the human mind unaided is totally inadequate to know the genuine universe beyond its ken of vision. Just as a person who had always dwelt in darkness would have no accurate conception of the glory of light or of what it reveals, so the human mind has of itself no knowledge of spiritual reality.

Throughout the ages Christians have rightly given due glory and honor to Christ Jesus for his unparalleled work for humanity in leading men to know and to worship the true God. When this work is rightly understood, as it is through the study of Christian Science, we find that Jesus bridged the vast distance between divine Science and human beliefs, and through his deeds and words proved the things of Spirit in such a clear, definite manner that despite their blind, mortal limitations men could understand the nature of Spirit and thus gain a grasp of divine reality. As men followed this light in the darkness which "comprehended it not," they were enabled to rise to the full consciousness of Life as God, Spirit, and recognize man as His perfect reflection.

The first nineteen verses of the opening chapter of John's gospel show how the transition of human thought from mortal beliefs to a demonstrable knowledge of God was made possible, and it is stated in words that have purified and inspired human thought for hundreds of years. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God," said the beloved disciple. Then came "the true Light," reflected by Jesus the Christ, who by reason of his sinless conception and sonship with God not only knew the nature of God but could present and demonstrate the word of God in a manner that mortals could appreciate and understand. We are told in the twelfth verse of this chapter that to those who received him, "gave he power to become the sons of God;" in other words, they who perceived the Word, the Christ, were likewise led to recognize the eternal fact of divine Science, namely, that man is spiritual, the immortal creation of Spirit and not the offspring of matter or mortal conception.

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