Article June 9, 1923 Issue

The Language of Science and Health

JOHN ELLIS SEDMAN

When Moses was instructed to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, he failed to respond to the prompting of divine wisdom in one particular: he declined to be his own spokesman. Apparently, Moses found it difficult to believe that even the omnipotent and omniscient Mind, which prepared him for his great work, could liberate him from the sense of personal limitation indicated in his utterance: "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." Aaron became Moses' spokesman. But when called upon to proclaim to the people the divine messages which Moses received, Aaron did not always value those messages at their true worth; nor did he understand them so well as did Moses. It is significant that Moses ascended alone to the summit of mount Horeb to receive his most important message for humanity; and there, upon tables of stone, were placed the Ten Commandments in language which has come down to this day.

When Mary Baker Eddy was prepared by divine Mind for the discovery of the Science of Christianity, she also was equipped to express divine Science in the right way, in language which can be understood by this age. Mrs. Eddy's preparation in this regard was not sudden. Prior to her great discovery, she was a diligent and accurate student of English and a writer of repute. In order to present her teaching properly to the world, it was most necessary that she express her meaning with scientific accuracy. Moreover, she had to cover the ground with an adequacy sufficient to make plain every point which the student must grasp in order to gain, step by step, a perfect understanding of that Science which Jesus taught and lived, and which is destined to redeem the whole human race. This achievement Mrs. Eddy accomplished. Consequently, she was able to proclaim with certainty in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 174): "Truth is revealed. It needs only to be practised."

The farther a student progresses in gaining a demonstrable knowledge of Christian Science, and the more he ponders the language of Science and Health, the more he is impressed by the clearness, beauty, aptness, and adequacy with which the pure theology of Christ Jesus is set forth in this book. It is exceedingly important for every student of Christian Science to see clearly on this point. If a student allows error to persuade him that there is something defective about the language of the textbook, then that student is permitting error to place a temporary barrier between him and a right apprehension of the true theology which alone can liberate him from all discord and usher him into the enjoyment of all good.

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