Article April 10, 1937 Issue

Characteristics of Divine Science

HORTENSE W. LEWIS

"Divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas" (Science and Health, p. 123). This sentence by Mrs. Eddy concisely states certain characteristics of divine Science which distinguish it from any other so-called science the human race has ever known. Is there any material science or physical science that entirely rises "above physical theories," that "excludes matter," that "resolves things into thoughts," and that "replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas"? No; these are characteristics which make divine Science unique. Christian Science dishonors matter, objects of material sense, for it honors Spirit, God, and spiritual sense. Christian Science makes understandable and practical the statement from the Bible, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all."

When a human being begins to understand Christian Science, he has started to rise above physical theories and to find them less and less interesting, because something of their theoretical, and consequently unstable, nature is becoming apparent to his awakened thought. Christian Science teaches that all consciousness, intelligence, substance, law, action, existence belong to Spirit, Soul, God. In so teaching, it excludes matter; for if matter is divested of consciousness, intelligence, substance, law, action, existence, is there anything left to matter?

"Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul" (ibid., p. 269). So it is the nature of metaphysics, or divine Science, to resolve things into thoughts, and to replace, or exchange, the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas, or facts.

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