Scientific Separation

Violet Ker Seymer

On page 586 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy defines "fan" as "separator of fable from fact; that which gives action to thought." This symbolism is, no doubt, drawn from the threshing and winnowing which results in the separation of grain from chaff. Mentally speaking, it denotes order and activity.

One foe of mankind is apathy, or mental slackness. The Christian Scientist cannot afford to take a passive attitude toward any problem, for, as a scientific thinker, his duty is to prove the power of Truth. Christian Science lifts the alert, loyal student out of the fabulous, nebulous material sense of existence into the perception of spiritual being, and his need is to maintain this perception.

The unity between God, man, and the universe is the established fact which Christian Scientists are called upon to realize and demonstrate. Perfect coöperation between all ideas in divine Mind is also the established fact which can reconcile all human differences on the common basis of divine Principle.

Because of this all-embracing unity of good, mortal mind, the reverse of the truth, claims to separate persons from God and from one another, to separate one from health, purity, joy, abundance. Christian Science stands immovably for the scientific unity of God and of all God's ideas, and for the harmony of Spirit, God, as manifested in man and all creation. The spiritual link which divine Love has welded can never be broken. By showing that good alone is real, and obedience to divine Principle imperative, Christian Science establishes unity between all right thinking individuals.

If, then, we are tempted to feel estranged from our fellows or cut off from harmony, we need to winnow out the false accusations against man and to prevent false beliefs from abiding in our consciousness, or untruthful statements from passing our lips, for "he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends." The gratuitously rehearsed error may be more difficult to unsee than that which is silently denounced and dismissed. No Christian Scientist should lend himself to harmful repetition of evil in regard to himself, to any human being, or nation, for as a true thinker he must do his share in nullifying the mischief wrought by the ignorance of material thinking.

Christ Jesus could liberate others because he maintained his own God-given freedom. Through his fidelity he partook of the incorruptibility of Christ, Truth, and of him it is written, "Such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." Into the highways and byways of human experience Jesus carried the authority of Truth and the heavenly qualities of spiritual man; and those who came to him to be released from all that is unholy, harmful, and defiling were healed.

Mrs. Eddy says, "As dross is separated from gold, so Christ's baptism of fire, his purification through suffering, consumes whatsoever is of sin" (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 94). Truth can consume error, but error cannot consume Truth. The chaff of erroneous suggestion, the material argument devoid of truth, honestly challenged, cannot remain as a depressing weight in human thought, cannot withstand the vigorous use of the fan of spiritual understanding.

Wherever he goes, the Christian Scientist should carry with him the silent benediction of divine Love, for man is the expression of all the good with which his heavenly Father is supplying him, and man knows naught of any lack. Christian Science restores health and righteousness on the ground that Spirit and matter have no contact; that health and disease have no common ground, for true health is wholly spiritual and apart from matter, even as the true sense of righteousness is utterly untouched by any sense of sin.

"Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth" (Science and Health, p. 14). Here one may observe the sequence of separation, revelation, and dominion. We cannot rightfully expect the revelation and the dominion without constantly realizing the scientific separation between the real and the unreal, between that which is and that which is not. When tempted to believe in phases of error, the Christian Scientist himself utilizes the fan of spiritual understanding, which is ever in motion, for Mind is omni-action. This activity is spiritual, backed by divine omnipotence; and "the love of Christ" prevails. As this love of Truth governs an individual's thoughts, motives, and actions, he can constantly show forth the sequence of separation, revelation, and dominion. Man's great legacy is Godlikeness, and he consciously glories in it. By indivisible prayer and proof, the Christian Scientist is persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate him "from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus."

Violet Ker Seymer

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