Energy may be considered as the capacity to produce an effect. We can see in the harmonious spiritual universe and man the effect of the divine energy coming from the creative Principle, God, and manifesting the nature of divine Love. But if we are faced with the evidence of evil, sin, disease, and death, we might well ask, "What is the energy involved in producing these effects, and how do we counteract such energy and destroy these errors?"

Mrs. Eddy states in Science and Health (p. 534), "The Son of the Virgin-mother unfolded the remedy for Adam, or error; and the Apostle Paul explains this warfare between the idea of divine power, which Jesus presented, and mythological material intelligence called energy and opposed to Spirit."

This mythological material intelligence is named in the Bible the carnal mind, and it is based upon the belief that there is life and intelligence in matter. The carnal mind is the so-called energy involved in all the discord and suffering of mankind. It is further defined by Paul as "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7) and is variously referred to as devil, Satan, evil. But it should be remembered that a myth has no foundation in fact.

Christian Science teaches that there is one Mind, one creative intelligence, or energizing power, which is divine Spirit. This Mind forms man in its own image and likeness and governs him with perfect control, with the laws of health, harmony, and holiness. This Science teaches that it is the understanding of the oneness and allness of divine Mind that destroys the belief in another mind, another creator, and strikes at the very root of error. It uncovers the carnal mind as an impostor. Jesus defined ''evil" as "a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). And Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings'' (p. 334), "Whatever simulates power and Truth in matter, does this as a lie declaring itself, that mortals' faith in matter may have the effect of power; but when the whole fabrication is found to be a lie, away goes all its supposed power and prestige."

With the knowledge gained through the study of Christian Science, one can uncover the unreality of error and increasingly dissipate the so-called energy that results in sin, disease, and death. He can intelligently deny the carnal mind, in its various modes of presenting itself, and deprive it of its effects. Jesus came to show us the way to accomplish this goal. He demonstrated the power of the Christ to destroy the works of the devil, and he taught his followers to go and do likewise.

The carnal mind or the so-called energy of error may be broken down into various elements, such as fear, malice, envy, hatred, lust. If we, through the power of the Christ, purge our thinking of these errors and flood our consciousness with the right ideas of Truth and Love, we shall counteract the false energy and eliminate the erroneous effects.

As an example, we may use the illustration of the modern television set. When we turn off the current, the picture disappears. We have deprived it of the energy that caused it. It has been proved many, many times in Christian Science that when one destroys fear, disease disappears. The lie has been deprived of its energy.

The beliefs of the carnal mind, such as theories of disease and temptations to sin, may through general acceptance pose as intelligence in matter and parade as laws—laws of disease and laws of sin. But this so-called mind is still a myth and has no foundation in fact. Paul spoke of this influence when he wrote (Rom. 7:22, 23), "I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

In order to free ourselves from the pull of general belief, we must consistently reject the claims of the carnal mind. The Science of Christ, Truth, has come to enable us to do this. We can understand that man is the child of God, the offspring of Spirit. He is made up of the elements of Soul and is responsive only to the laws of God.

The Christ is the divine energy, the activity of infinite Principle, which dispels the mesmerism of fear and liberates men from error. It is the law of Love, which counteracts hate, the law of Life, which eliminates death and disease, and the law of Truth, which overrules the claims of sin. Mrs. Eddy invites us to take this holy influence into our experience. She says (Science and Health, p. 249): "Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy. Let us rejoice that we are subject to the divine 'powers that be.' Such is the true Science of being."

William Milford Correll