Editorial May 23, 1925 Issue

Spiritual Power versus Animality

Duncan Sinclair

Every impartial student of the life of Christ Jesus, as it is recorded in the gospels of the New Testament, will readily admit that its chief characteristic was its spirituality. To outward appearance Jesus was probably not unlike other men, but spiritually he was peerless. And because of his spirituality, diseases which had defied the efforts of others were instantly healed by him; sin, grievous enough to cause long years of suffering, vanished at his inspired word; and the raging elements of wind and wave were immediately subdued by his understanding of the harmony and perfection of real being. It was not animality that gave him the power to work these wonders; it was spirituality. Perceiving this, Mrs. Eddy could write in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 67), "The notion that animal natures can possibly give force to character is too absurd for consideration, when we remember that through spiritual ascendency our Lord and Master healed the sick, raised the dead, and commanded even the winds and waves to obey him."

The Christian world, generally, has recognized the facts just stated; but not until the coming of Christian Science did it become clearly known what exactly was the Science behind the power of the Master. Furthermore, in giving the Science of Spirit to the world, Christian Science revealed the method whereby all may gain in spiritual understanding, and so be able to thwart the efforts of animality. This is a tremendous gain to the world, a gain that cannot be estimated; for it means that as divine Science is understood and spirituality becomes the dominating influence, the forces of evil will first of all be held in check and afterwards be utterly discomfited.

The secret of spiritual power lies in the recognition of God's allness. Christian Science teaches that God, Spirit, is infinite, and therefore that there is no real power in existence other than spiritual power. It teaches, further, that since God is infinite Spirit, matter (so called) is unreal; and, consequently, that there is no reality whatsoever in so-called material or animal power. Thus Christian Science presents spiritual truths which are unbelievable by the carnal mind and impossible of recognition by the physical senses,—truths which are discernible only by spiritual sense. Paul in his epistle to the Romans declared, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be;" and to the Corinthians he wrote regarding the power of spirituality, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."

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