Editorial December 12, 1931 Issue

Temptation Not of God

Duncan Sinclair

What joy to know that God knows not evil! What a relief to be assured that evil is unreal! Before the revelation which Mrs. Eddy received, Christian Scientists stand with hearts full of gratitude; for through the understanding of God as infinite good, which Christian Science has given them, they have been able to prove in some degree the unreality of evil. Inquire of them, and how often they will tell of the healing of disease, the overcoming of sin, the freeing from lack, through the clear realization of God's allness and goodness and evil's unreality. They are convinced of the veracity of Mrs. Eddy's words to be found on page 207 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "God is not the creator of an evil mind. Indeed, evil is not Mind," and are learning "that evil is the awful deception and unreality of existence."

Evil is unreal; but evil beliefs suggest themselves to men, and too often they fall victim to them. How does Christian Science regard this state of affairs? While affirming that God, good, is infinite, and that evil does not in reality exist, Christian Science does not disregard the claims of evil to presence and power. God exists as the one Mind, from which emanates all that is real and perfect; but there seems to exist another power which in Christian Science is called mortal mind; and it is from so-called mortal mind that there appears to come whatever is imperfect or evil. The temptation to believe in evil and to be victimized by evil does not, therefore, come from God, but from supposititious mortal mind.

Christian Science makes clear beyond possibility of doubt that, being infinite, God, divine Mind, alone is real, and that mortal mind is altogether unreal, illusory, or counterfeit. Being utterly false, mortal mind, with its apparent manifestations, has no trace of true being about it. Yet it appears to tempt mankind. And when its suggestions are accepted by men they fall into sin, or disease, or some other form of inharmony. When they ignorantly, or when off guard, are taken in by mortal mind's erroneous suggestions and accept them as real, they have fallen victim to the wily but supposititious serpent, evil.

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