Article March 29, 1919 Issue

Correct Reasoning

RACHEL PARSONS

In order to demonstrate Christian Science the student must learn to think accurately, to base his reasoning on Principle, and think correctly in accordance with the demands of Principle, irrespective of the apparently contradictory testimony of the material senses. The result of this correct thinking is illustrated very clearly by Mrs. Eddy on page 476 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," where she says, "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals." As our thoughts conform more closely to the demands of Principle so will the "perfect man" appear to us in place of the counterfeit, named mortal man.

In studying the gradual revelation of truth as described in the Bible, it seems that in many instances its discernment was coupled with some perception of the necessity for correct and logical reasoning. A very interesting parallel for this is given in Josephus, by whom it is related that Abraham, when he traveled into Egypt, taught the Egyptians mathematics. We read as follows: "For whereas the Egyptians were formerly addicted to different customs, ... Abram conferred with each of them, and confuting the reasonings they made use of, every one for their own practices, he demonstrated that such reasonings were vain and void of truth; whereupon he was admired by them in those conferences as a very wise man, and one of great sagacity when he discoursed on any subject which he undertook; and this not only in understanding it, but in persuading other men also to assent to him. He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy; for before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with those parts of learning" (The Antiquities, Chapter 8, Book 1).

Mathematics is the branch of human knowledge which above all others requires correct reasoning in accordance with a definite principle and rule, and this reasoning, as every student of the subject realizes, often leads to a direct contradiction of the evidence of the senses. Possibly it was some perception of this fact that led to the tradition that Abraham, who represented, as we read in Science and Health (p. 579), "fidelity; faith in the divine Life and in the eternal Principle of being," valued this branch of study. Again, the building of the ark by Noah must, if we take the story literally, have involved very complicated calculations, or else his spiritual perception was so clear that he was enabled to build it without all the processes that a shipbuilder of the present day would have to go through.

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