Christian Science teaches that since God made man in...

Albert E. Lombard

[Extracts from a talk given at the Palace of Entertainment, California Pacific International Exposition, San Diego, March 15, 1936, by Albert E. Lombard, Committee on Publication for Southern California]

Christian Science teaches that since God made man in His own image and likeness, the man whom God created is spiritual, not material. God endowed this man out of His own perfection. Therefore, this man is perfect. He is the true man or new man to whom Paul referred when he said, "Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24). God gave this true man dominion over all—a dominion which includes health, harmony, and peace. However, we see all about us men who are far from perfect—men who are in bondage to sickness, discord, and limitation. But there are not two sides to man, a kind of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde combination. There is actually only the true man or real man, whom God made. Thoughts which are hateful, dishonest, and fearful are counterfeits of the true man. The material, carnallyminded mortal has problems in economics, sociology, and morality because he fails to turn understandingly and unselfishly to God for guidance. Problems are unknown to the true man, who is always under the control of God's unerring law of good.

To sense testimony evil also may seem very real, but evil is not from God; therefore evil has no more actual existence than the false statement that two times two makes five. Evil is unreal because it is the opposite of infinite good. However, one cannot use this teaching as a cloak to cover wrong practice; for if one does evil from a mistaken belief that it will bring him good, he is ascribing reality to evil and will suffer for his mistake. Christian Scientists do not ignore evil and gloss it over with a blind optimism. On the contrary, Christian Science enables them to bring evil from under cover, show up its falsity, and annihilate it with the truth that makes free. Thus Christian Science proves evil to be unreal.

What is the Christian Science program to meet the economic, social, moral, and religious needs of our changing times? Let us go to the root of the present difficulty from which we need to be made free. To correct an economic, social, or moral disorder, it is helpful to see clearly what the trouble is. To many people their distress has appeared to be due to a lack of money, or a lack of employment; and some of them seem to lack health; but the fact is that any lack of good is a lack of spiritual understanding—a lack of reaching up to the perfect Principle, divine Love, under whose law demand and supply are always in balance.

The Bible relates a story in which a young man asked Jesus what good thing he should do to have eternal life. Jesus indicated that if he would keep the commandments and give up materialism, he would have treasure in heaven; and then Jesus said, "And come and follow me" (Matthew 19:16—21).

Christianly scientific religion holds the key to all problems, for spiritual precepts and practice alone can change the individual human viewpoint from the love of money to the love of divine Principle. To the extent that the thinking of individuals is corrected, their moral and social standards are raised. They no longer see money as a despotic power but as a convenient means of exchange; and the brotherhood of man begins on earth. True religion alone can accomplish this liberation. Mary Baker Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 340), "One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, 'Love thy neighbor as thyself.'"

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From a letter dated 1901

July 11, 1936

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