Article February 20, 1971 Issue

The Mirage of Animal Magnetism

ROSALIE B. TREWORGY

Because evil seems so real in human experience, the question is frequently asked, "Where does evil come from?" Someone once asked Mrs. Eddy, "If God made all that was made, and it was good, where did evil originate?" Her answer was: "It never originated or existed as an entity. It is but a false belief; even the belief that God is not what the Scriptures imply Him to be, All-in-all, but that there is an opposite intelligence or mind termed evil." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 45;}

One day while driving across the desert, we saw what appeared to be a lake covering the road in the distance ahead. As we drove closer, the lake changed to look like puddles in the road, and as we drew still closer, the puddles vanished, leaving only the dry road. Again and again we saw this phenomenon. Of course, what we were seeing was a mirage. Where did the water that we thought we saw come from? Where did it go when it vanished? The answer is that there never was any water on the road.

Evil is like the mirage. It never exists, except as an illusion. When we seem to see evil, we are seeing something that is not really present. Knowing this fact about evil helps us reject it and so destroy it. Mrs. Eddy gave evil a new name, animal magnetism. Sometimes students of Christian Science are afraid of animal magnetism. They hear it talked about and think it is a real power to be reckoned with. But is there a power apart from God? The Psalmist said, "Power belongeth unto God." ^{Ps. 62:11;} Is there any limit to God's power? Is there another power?