Article May 18, 1946 Issue

Spirit the Only Basis

KATHERINE PUFFER

Among the basic teachings of Christian Science is that of the complete separateness of the spiritual truth about man as the image and likeness of God, divine Mind, and the false, physical theory of man as a mortal with a material beginning and end. At no point do these two concepts of man coincide; at no point do they unite.

On page 14 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy writes: "Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth. This understanding casts out error and heals the sick, and with it you can speak 'as one having authority.'" And repeatedly in her writings does our Leader point out the impossibility of mingling matter and Spirit, evil and good.

Paul makes the same separation in a letter to Corinth (II Cor. 6: 14-18). Word had come to him that the Corinthians were corrupt in their mode of living, and that the Christians there had not entirely freed themselves from former practices and lusts. So Paul sent this challenging epistle to arouse them from the materialism in which they seemed about to be engulfed. "Ye are the temple of the living God," he declared. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate."

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