Article January 20, 1945 Issue

Divine Consciousness versus Human Consciousness

CLARA B. STRICKLAND

The explanation of consciousness given by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, on page 24 of "Unity of Good," is profound and illuminating. Here she says: "All consciousness is Mind; and Mind is God,—an infinite, and not a finite consciousness. This consciousness is reflected in individual consciousness, or man, whose source is infinite Mind. There is no really finite mind, no finite consciousness." In this sweeping statement Mrs. Eddy completely disposes of the fallacy involved in the false belief of two opposing states of consciousness, one divinely infinite and the other humanly finite. This teaching of Christian Science, that Mind is the one and only consciousness and is reflected by man, is a boon to weary searchers for the true state of being here and now. When accepted and understood, it eliminates fear of a so-called evil mind, its effects and consequences.

A student of Christian Science experienced a healing more than twenty years ago which is an illustration of how workable this understanding can be in any case of physical ailment. While out in the country gathering ferns for transplanting, the student stepped into a patch of poison ivy which surrounded the ferns.

After she had reached home one member of the group with her asked if she knew that she had been in contact with the ivy. Having had no previous experience and believing herself to be humanly immune, she paid little attention to the problem until forced to do so when severe symptoms of ivy poisoning appeared on both arms from wrists to elbows. She was entirely free from any suffering and was unafraid, but as she had an earnest desire to prove the truth of her being in Christian Science as quickly as possible, the help of a practitioner was secured. The symptoms vanished so rapidly that in a few days not a trace of the difficulty remained. During this time the student's work was uninterrupted, and no one except one member of her family and the practitioner knew anything about the problem.

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