Article August 29, 1942 Issue

The Proof That Is Essential

[Written Especially for Young People]

NEIL MARTIN

There are no mysteries or abstractions in Christian Science as revealed and presented to the world by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy. There is, of course, a deep metaphysical basis for all her words and works. But the precedent for her metaphysics was found by her in the words and works of the master Metaphysician, Christ Jesus. In these there is no mystery and in the Scriptures there is no abstraction when studied in the light shed upon them by the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, who discovered and clearly stated the Principle and method of Jesus's healing work. She set forth her discovery in language plain to those who have "ears to hear."

As in Jesus' time, so today, Christians who have sought to learn more of the nature of God and of man's relationship to Him have had to guard themselves against pitfalls. Dogma and creed on the one hand, and enticing speculations and philosophies on the other, have often clouded the clear meaning of our Leader's words, as they did the Master's. Every great forward step in spiritual progress has been resisted and threatened by the subtle persuasions of comfortable "systems," by error masquerading as good, by false prophets who, as Jesus warned, "come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

At the present time Christian Scientists need, as never before, to clarify their thought in order that they may help in solving the immense problems confronting the world and threatening the hard-won rights of free men everywhere. In particular we are challenged to review and renew in our thinking the teachings of our Leader. A fundamental necessity of that teaching is proof. As in the science of mathematics, of chemistry or physics, so in divine Science, one must learn the basic rule and apply it to the problem to be solved. If the rule is understood and properly applied, the result is inevitable. The problem is no longer a problem. If any problem is not speedily solved, any error not uncovered or corrected by earnest work in this way, it can mean but one of two things: either we are misunderstanding the rule or we are entertaining a doubt of its infallibility. In any case we are temporarily believing there is a power opposed to God. In Christian Science the rule of demonstration is based on an understanding of perfect God, Principle, omnipresent and omnipotent, and perfect man, in His image and likeness.

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