Article December 2, 1967 Issue

Starting from a Right Premise

ELIZABETH BICE LUERSSEN

How important is a right premise! It is helpful in forming human opinions. It is necessary in classes of logic and courts of law. And it is absolutely vital to the successful practice of Christian Science.

One derivation of the word "premise" is from a word meaning "to place ahead," and the definition of "premise" in line with this is "a proposition antecedently supposed or proved: a basis of argument." Mrs. Eddy writes, "To begin rightly is to end rightly."^{Science and Health, p. 262;} How do we begin with a right premise? By beginning with God. By beginning with the premise that God is perfect and that He is the only creator of the universe including man. And reasoning correctly, we come to the conclusion that creation is perfect.

Christ Jesus held steadfastly to the fact of perfection and as a result accomplished many marvelous healings. He never went along with the premise of incurable disease, inherited evil, unforgivable sin, or certain death. He did not credit matter with having power or reality. Mrs. Eddy writes, "The master Metaphysician understood omnipotence to be All-power: because Spirit was to him All-in-all, matter was palpably an error of premise and conclusion, while God was the only substance, Life, and intelligence of man."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 200;}

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