Editorial March 26, 1949 Issue

LIGHT IN OUR DWELLINGS

Robert Ellis Key

Mary Baker Eddy discovered Christian Science in 1866 and in 1875 published the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." In this book she gives the definition of electricity as follows (p. 293): "Electricity is not a vital fluid, but the least material form of illusive consciousness,—the material mindlessness, which forms no link between matter and Mind, and which destroys itself." She discovered the nature of electricity because she looked for it in consciousness and not it matter.

Mrs. Eddy discerned that all is Mind, God; therefore all real consciousness must be the expression of Mind. She also discovered that while this spiritual fact is true, it is not always apparent. There seems to be something besides divine Mind, and she named this suppositional consciousness mortal mind and recognized it as synonymous with the carnal mind spoken of by St. Paul. However, Mrs. Eddy reasoned that this consciousness must be wholly false, since there is only one Mind, which is wholly good, and this Mind is God, divine consciousness. The suppositional evil consciousness claims the attributes of true consciousness, namely, life, activity, power, presence, and perpetuity, but its claims are illusive because there is one Mind, one intelligence, and one only.

The material universe, including all material phenomena, is the outcome of this suppositional consciousness, fleeting, evanescent, temporary, and unreal. The apparent action and reaction of material existence is the evidence of this falsity, and therefore it comes and goes, is born and dies, springs up and decays, in the endless kaleidoscope which is named material existence.

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