Editorial September 27, 1952 Issue

THE CORRECT PREMISE

Richard J. Davis

On page 274 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy. its author, writes, "Divine Science is absolute, and permits no half-way position in learning its Principle and rule— establishing it by demonstration." This statement indicates, therefore, that in order to demonstrate the truth of Christian Science, one has to think from a standpoint that is absolutely correct; that is, from the standpoint of the present perfection of God and man. Truth is always absolute and therefore does not permit one to take a halfway position as far as one's thinking is concerned. Because Christ, Truth, is always available and operative in human experience, there is no condition where correct and absolute knowing will not eliminate and destroy an incorrect point of view.

Let us consider an example of spiritually correct knowing and, on the other hand, of thinking from a human or relative standpoint. Not infrequently someone says: "I like Christian Science; I believe in it. But I have so little understanding. How can I demonstrate its truth when I know so little?" At first thought it might seem proper and modest to take this attitude, but if one really wishes to grow in the understanding and demonstration of Christian Science it must be seen that such a statement is purely relative. Indeed it is incorrect, because it is in effect a denial of the truth. It is a denial of one's true and only selfhood.

One cannot grow in spiritual understanding if he is mentally and audibly declaring that he does not possess it. The fact is that if man is, as Christian Science declares, the reflection of infinity, he is now the unfolding manifestation of infinite intelligence and understanding. The great truth that Mind is One and infinite means that there is sufficient understanding for every individual in his true being. This is the spiritual fact regarding man, and this spiritual fact, understood and maintained, must be specifically applied to the erroneous belief that man is finite, material, and limited in understanding.

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