Editorial July 16, 1927 Issue

"Perfection underlies reality"

Duncan Sinclair

Mrs. Eddy defines reality in terms of perfection when she writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 353) : "All the real is eternal. Perfection underlies reality. Without perfection, nothing is wholly real." And in the sentence immediately following she points out significantly that "all things will continue to disappear, until perfection appears and reality is reached."

One of the first things the student of Christian Science learns is to distinguish between the real and the unreal ; and this he is able to do from the understanding of God which Christian Science gives him. God is infinite and perfect Mind; and as Mind, God expresses or manifests Himself in spiritual ideas. Hence, the universe of spiritual ideas, being as perfect as the Mind from which it emanates, is the one and only real universe. On the other hand, material sense seems to indicate that another creation exists — the material creation, consisting of material things. But since the objects of this so-called creation are imperfect, in that they are subject to change, decay, and annihilation, it cannot be real. Thus, Christian Science enables one to draw the plainest possible distinction between the universe of spiritual ideas and the socalled material creation, designating the former as real and the latter as unreal.

How wonderful to know with certainty the truth about the real universe, the perfect and eternal universe of God, and to be able to characterize matter in its every shape and form as unreal ! And the knowledge is of the greatest practical value. Consider, for example, its bearing on man. Man is the spiritual idea of God, the image of God, the reflection of God. Hence, man is perfect, and not subject to change, decay, or annihilation. But that cannot be said of a mortal, the false material sense of man; hence, the mortal or material sense of man is unreal. The practical significance of this is that in the midst of seeming decay; in the midst of sickness, even when life may be believed to be at stake; in the midst of seething evil, when harmony and love would appear to be nonexistent, one with an understanding of the continuity, the indestructibility, of perfect spiritual being can stand fast, awaiting with equanimity the final mastery over the decay, the sickness, the sin, because he knows them to be unreal.

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