Editorial November 5, 1955 Issue

MIND, NOT MESMERISM, CONTROLS MAN

Robert Ellis Key

In "Miscellaneous Writings," in answer to the question, "Is a belief of nervousness, accompanied by great mental depression, mesmerism?" Mary Baker Eddy replies (p. 51), "All mesmerism is of one of three kinds; namely, the ignorant, the fraudulent, or the malicious workings of error or mortal mind." In this passage our beloved Leader uncovers the modes of mesmerism and alerts us to the claims of mesmerism in general and how it appears to operate in particular. She thus provides a protection against it.

In recent years mesmerism or hypnotism has come to the front more than ever before and is said to be recommended by some physicians as a recognized form of treatment. This sign of the times points to a mentalized existence which is rapidly superseding the physical. The danger of mesmerism is obviously grave and far-reaching.

We are aware that a person under hypnotic, or mesmeric, control may be made to believe almost anything. Pointing to this fact, Mrs. Eddy writes in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 490, 491): "Under the mesmeric illusion of belief, a man will think that he is freezing when he is warm, and that he is swimming when he is on dry land. Needle-thrusts will not hurt him. A delicious perfume will seem intolerable."

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