While the purpose of physical science is largely to describe and explain the material universe, the objective of Christian Science is to translate the material universe back into the spiritual substance that constitutes creation as God forms it. According to modern physics, matter and material energy are not distinguishable—the atom is composed of electrical particles, and mass is congealed energy. Christian Science goes a step further in the explanation of matter. Mary Baker Eddy says in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 484), "Physical force and mortal mind are one." And elsewhere in her writings Mrs. Eddy indicates that matter is made up of mortal mind-force (see Science and Health, p. 310).

To describe physical force as mortal mind, or false consciousness, is indeed a departure from the physicist's findings. But this departure is necessary if matter is to be brought under the control of divine Mind and made eventually to disappear. Because human progress in physics has deduced that matter is comprised of electrical energy, it is incumbent upon Christian Scientists to apply their scientific understanding of true energy to the solution of many material problems.

On page 293 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy gives specific explanations which indicate how this application is to be made. She says, "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." A few lines farther on we read, "Electricity is the sharp surplus of materiality which counterfeits the true essence of spirituality or truth,—the great difference being that electricity is not intelligent, while spiritual truth is Mind."

Consciousness without intelligence must necessarily express itself in all that manifests non-intelligence—matter, sin, disease, limitation, death. Hence electricity—non-intelligent consciousness—is involved in every material problem of mankind. Christian Science reveals intelligence as the most important, in fact, the fundamental attribute of divine Mind, God; it is omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence. Intelligence characterizes the real man, Mind's idea, and is the essential element of power which mankind must demonstrate in order to prove the unreality of matter and the powerlessness of non-intelligence.

One cannot cope with matter without destroying the forces which constitute matter. Such spiritual energies as goodness, joy, purity, and truthfulness comprise the real man, and they have dominion over the Soul-less, Love-less physical forces which act blindly to produce the pains and deformities, the discords and disarrangements of material man. The more certain the Christian Scientist is of the power of intelligence over non-intelligence, of real consciousness over false consciousness, the more effectively he works to overcome material thought in all its forms and thus bring spiritual man to light.

When spiritual attributes are established in human consciousness, negative physical thought cannot produce disorder; it cannot cause deterioration or insubordinate growths, cannot stubbornly resist the presence or government of Love or hold mankind in a personal and materialistic state of consciousness.

True energy is never inert or congealed. It is never negative in action. It flows freely from Mind, its source, and is subordinate to God alone. In the measure that we demonstrate our true identity by reflecting the qualities of Spirit in goodness, wisdom, and love, we are protected from the destructive action of physical force. It is the intelligence which these qualities signify that preserves peace and health and life.

Christ Jesus reflected the Mind which he knew as Father with such perfection that he dispelled with authority the discords which false consciousness claimed to produce. He said (Luke 10:18), "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Jesus recognized Spirit as the only consciousness, and this recognition enabled him to prove man's eternal freedom from the supposed action of material mentality. The Master's demonstrations of the power of Spirit over matter should be especially understandable in this age, since the explanation of matter as concentrated material energy has been made.

Materiality is fundamentally opposed to spirituality, but it finds itself at great disadvantage in its struggle for supremacy, because it is unreal. Spirit can overcome the unreal, whatever form it takes, and this is the lesson that Christian Scientists are learning. Mrs. Eddy makes a statement of tremendous significance to the modern world when she says (Science and Health, p. 534), "The Son of the Virgin-mother unfolded the remedy for Adam, or error; and the Apostle Paul explains this warfare between the idea of divine power, which Jesus presented, and mythological material intelligence called energy and opposed to Spirit."

In the ascension Jesus' unlimited ability to reflect Spirit gave him power to dissipate the energies that comprised his material body. If we would demonstrate the dominion which God bestows upon His image, we must follow the Master in reflecting the power inherent in unselfed love. Electrical energy, called matter, will vanish when the presence of Spirit is demonstrated as the only substance. Man and the universe will be understood as the embodiment of Love and Truth, not a false non-intelligent mind "opposed to Spirit." The mystery of matter will be penetrated, and there will be no "least material form of illusive consciousness" to obscure the perfection of the kingdom of heaven.

Helen Wood Bauman