Article August 22, 2005 Issue

PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE

By Mary Baker Eddy

This article by Mary Baker Eddy was first published in the Christian Science Sentinel of September 1, 1917, nearly seven years after her passing. The original manuscript has this note in one of the margins: "Dictated to me by Mary Baker Eddy in the fall of 1910. Adam H. Dickey. Oct. 1. 1915" The staff of The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity has reviewed the 1917 Sentinel article against the manuscript pages, and some minor corrections have been made.

The nature and position of mortal mind are the opposite of immortal Mind. The so-called mortal mind is belief and not understanding. Christian Science requires understanding instead of belief; it is based on a fixed eternal and divine Principle wholly apart from mortal conjecture, and it must be understood, otherwise it cannot be correctly accepted and demonstrated.

The inclination of mortal mind is to receive Christian Science through a belief instead of the understanding, and this inclination prevails like an epidemic on the body; it inflames mortal mind and weakens the intellect, but this so-called mortal mind is wholly ignorant of this fact, and so cherishes its mere faith in Christian Science.

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