Article January 7, 1933 Issue

What Do We Really Know?

CLAUDE WALLACE WOODRUFF

Of the many important phases of the teachings propounded by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, to a world that is often dulleared, undoubtedly the one most reluctantly admitted by mankind is that relating to the unreality of matter and evil. Yet an admission of the unreality of the negative side of human existence is absolutely essential to the acceptance of the fundamental facts of God's spiritual creation. These facts, when comprehended, heal sin and disease—all forms of evil.

When it is recognized that matter and evil are unreal, it will be evident that Truth alone can be actually known, and that matter and its various claims of sin, disease, want, and woe can be only falsely believed. Students of Christian Science must of necessity have an increasing understanding of Mrs. Eddy's teachings regarding reality and unreality, substance and supposition; but thought ascends slowly to that level of spiritual enlightenment which perceives the truth set forth in the following extracts from our Leader's writings (No and Yes, pp. 16, 17): "For God to know, is to be; that is, what He knows must truly and eternally exist. ... 'In Him we live, and move, and have our being;' consequently it is impossible for the true man—who is a spiritual and individual being, created in the eternal Science of being—to be conscious of aught but good."

Christianly scientific healing should be, and often is, accomplished comparatively quickly. If a case is not readily healed, may it not indicate that the sufferer, wittingly or unwittingly, through desire or fear, is still clinging to material gods or beliefs? Sometimes the offending error of thought persistently evades detection, hence is not corrected. In such cases it is well to examine one's thought to make sure that the tares of false believing do not simulate the wheat of knowing. Human consciousness, in so far as it patterns the divine, can know the truth about man, which is wholly good; but unenlightened human thought may entertain any sort of belief, calling it a knowledge of good or evil. To regard mere belief as knowledge is illogical, and leads into difficulties. It tends to hinder and delay scientific healing. This wrong thought must be set in order, and when this is done its physical expression or disorder will not remain in evidence. Knowing that man is the image of God, spiritual and perfect, and that whatever proceeds not from God is no part of man, is the opposite of believing in material origins and conditions; and this false believing does not liberate but enslaves. It is the knowing of the truth which sets one free.

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