Article March 4, 1933 Issue

In the Mirror of Divine Science

LEROY G. STUMP

The Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," was the successful outcome of Mrs. Eddy's effort to elucidate for human comprehension the truth of her spiritual discovery that "all is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation" (p. 468). In expounding this discovery, Mrs. Eddy uses different forms of expression, such as statements of absolute truth, argument, and similes or illustrations, these being similar to the method utilized by Jesus in his teaching.

Of the similes or illustrations found in Science and Health, none, perhaps, is clearer than that on pages 515 and 516, where, in an explanation of man as the reflection of God, Mrs. Eddy writes: "Now compare man before the mirror to his divine Principle, God. Call the mirror divine Science, and call man the reflection. Then note how true, according to Christian Science, is the reflection to its original." To one student, this citation unfolded much of helpfulness when studied in conjunction with another from pages 476 and 477: "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick."

Some years ago the writer had occasion to spend a night in a small country hotel. One of the few articles of furniture in the room was a mirror which was far from perfect. The uneven surface of the mirror caused distortions of the image of the face and form of the person standing in front of it, some ludicrous, some repulsive; and the lack of completeness in the mirror's backing or silvering caused some portions of the body to appear to be missing. However, there was nothing of permanence in the untrue image; changing one's position in the slightest degree brought out a complete new set of imperfect presentments, or a new evidence of lack of some essential portion.

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