Article October 11, 1958 Issue

CORRECT MENTAL DIAGNOSIS

ROBERT DOLLING WELLS

Christian Scientists do not seek medical diagnoses, because they are not interested in physical anatomy. But a central point in their teaching is the diagnosis of disease as mental, and hence mental anatomy is an important study to the Christian Scientist.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 462, 463): "The anatomy of Christian Science teaches when and how to probe the self-inflicted wounds of selfishness, malice, envy, and hate. It teaches the control of mad ambition. It unfolds the hallowed influences of unselfishness, philanthropy, spiritual love. It urges the government of the body both in health and in sickness. The Christian Scientist, through understanding mental anatomy, discerns and deals with the real cause of disease."

Sickness is part of the error or unreality which obtains in human consciousness. On this point Christian Science departs from all other systems of religion and healing. When we say that sickness is part of the error, we mean that it never becomes something outside of mortal thought and thought's grosser substratum, called the body.

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