THE WAY OUT OF BONDAGE

JOHN RICHARD C. KENYON

On one occasion when the writer was reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, he was struck by a definition in the Glossary (p. 587): "GIHON (river). The rights of woman acknowledged morally, civilly, and socially."

At first sight it seemed ridiculous that the name of a river could possibly have such a meaning. On the other hand, he knew that Mrs. Eddy used words most carefully. Science and Health came to her as divine revelation, as evidenced by the fact that she herself was a frequent student of her own book, and she undoubtedly had good reason for giving this definition.

With the idea of trying to see just how she had arrived at the meaning of the word "Gihon," the writer referred to the passage in Genesis which relates to this river. It is in the second chapter of Genesis that Gihon is named as one of the four heads of the river which went out of Eden. The Glossary of Science and Health defines "river" in part thus (p. 593): "Channel of thought. When smooth and unobstructed, it typifies the course of Truth." Since in the chapter on Genesis Mrs. Eddy refers to Eden as standing for the material body, it is clear that Gihon is one of four channels of thought which will lead mankind out of Eden, out of the belief of a mortal, material body.

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