Article April 19, 1947 Issue

Claiming Man's Divine Rights

ALEC B. MURRAY

In her book "Retrospection and Introspection" Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 21), "It is well to know, dear reader, that our material, mortal history is but the record of dreams, not of man's real existence, and the dream has no place in the Science of being." And farther on she says, "Mere historic incidents and personal events are frivolous and of no moment, unless they illustrate the ethics of Truth."

So much of importance from the standpoint of material history is being enacted at present that the alert student of Christian Science watches carefully that he does not give first place either in thought or in conversation to the merely human aspects of any event. As this is written both press and radio have been directing thought to courts of justice, to trials and sentences. Just how can events of material history teach us valuable spiritual lessons? Let us turn to the allegorical account of what is often called "the trial scene," which begins on page 430 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. Some readers, not realizing the very practical value of this allegory, may be inclined to treat it casually. A careful study of it, however, will uncover profound spiritual truths.

In substance it presents the case of a man on trial in the Court of Error, charged with sickness. He is tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death. He appeals the sentence and permission is granted for a trial in the Court of Spirit, where Christian Science appears as counsel in his defense. The Chief Justice concludes his charge in these words (pp. 441, 442): "We have no trials for sickness before the tribunal of divine Spirit. There, Man is adjudged innocent of transgressing physical laws, because there are no such laws. Our statute is spiritual, our Government is divine. 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?'" Thereupon the prisoner is found by the jury of Spiritual Senses not guilty.

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