Article January 4, 1947 Issue

"Speak the truth to every form of error"

EDITH J. LESSING

The writer was struggling one morning with physical pain. Having so often found the solution to her problems in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, she turned to it for the solution of this problem. As she opened the book at random and read the words on page 418, "Speak the truth to every form of error," her prayer was answered. "Well, what is this truth which I must speak to error?" she queried. Instantly came the response, "Man is the perfect reflection of the one infinite God, good."

The Bible states (Gen. 1:27), "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Mrs. Eddy uses seven terms for God: Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love (see Science and Health, p. 587). These synonyms express the wholeness of Deity; and man collectively, as God's reflection, expresses this wholeness, which necessarily excludes any belief in a material selfhood. The writer was led to analyze these synonyms briefly. As she studied them, a great sense of peace and love flooded her consciousness and the pain vanished into nothingness.

Principle—what an all-embracing thought this word invokes! As understood in Christian Science divine Principle, Love, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man. According to a dictionary, principle means "a source or origin; ... ultimate basis or cause.... A fundamental truth." It is inconceivable that Principle, God, can contain any element of error; and man, the image and likeness of Principle, can express or reflect only the fundamental truths of his Principle, or originator. What seems to be in pain is the Adam-dream, the counterfeit of the real man.

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