Editorial February 19, 1921 Issue

For the Beginner

Gustavus S. Paine

One turning his attention to Christian Science for the first time needs, from the start, to study the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. It is, of course, logical to read this latter from beginning to end. In no other way can the student be sure of familiarizing himself with all that the textbook contains. Such a reading should be deliberate. It is better to study carefully as one proceeds than to read many pages rapidly at a sitting. One may find it helpful to use a good dictionary, for the considering anew of the meaning of even the simpler words used sets one to reasoning the more for himself. Yet the student need not think that, from a single perusal of the book, with the aid of a dictionary, he will understand all of Christian Science. Each rereading will give him new glimpses of the truth there explained, as he comprehends more of the infinity of Principle. As the student progresses, he will naturally accept what he understands, and patiently expect further illumination of the rest while he continues.

The basis of Christian Science is that divine intelligence governs the true man and expresses itself as right action. Intelligence is, of course, much more than human intellect or brain. The term, rightly used, means the Mind that is entirely good. As Mrs. Eddy says on page 469 of Science and Health: "Intelligence is omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. It is the primal and eternal quality of infinite Mind, of the triune Principle,—Life, Truth, and Love,—named God." The very fact that one is alive and intelligent, in any sense of the word, proves that intelligence exists. Christian Science reveals that the governing Principle of living is truly intelligent, and that the understanding of this Principle is practical for the solving of every problem in everyday experience.

Divine intelligence is real, tangible, and usable. Being good, it must express itself as harmonious action. Inactive intelligence would be a contradiction of terms. Infinite Mind produces right action without limit. In the Glossary of Science and Health (p. 588) Mrs. Eddy gives this definition: "Intelligence. Substance; self-existent and eternal Mind; that which is never unconscious nor limited." If the divine Mind could be inactive or unconscious, it would not be intelligent. The conscious action of the Mind governing true being is unlimited, neither too much nor too little. Just to know that there is infinite Principle, or Mind, producing only orderly action here and now is good in itself. If the one considering Christian Science for the first time comprehends nothing more than this, he will find, nevertheless, that this simple reasoning is a solid basis on which to work. This reasonable foundation need not even be expressed in these particular words, for the statement of truth is infinite; but in some way one needs to understand from the beginning that there is only one controlling power and that this power expresses itself as unlimited good.

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