In the discovery of Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy has revealed that Mind is substance and that matter is shadow—a misconception of substance. This basic fact has been approached by philosophers at different stages of human history, but it has never been fully documented and scientifically explained in practical terms until the discovery of this Science in 1866.

Mrs. Eddy has stated this basic fact in "the scientific statement of being," which appears in Science and Health. This statement includes these words: "All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all." ^{Science and Health, p. 468;} God, infinite Spirit, or Mind, is the creator of man and the universe. This creation is spiritual and perfect, the work of unlimited intelligence and perfect Love. Jesus so thoroughly understood the nature of God and of man, created in God's image and likeness, that he was able to prove the spiritual laws of being and to demonstrate that health, harmony, and holiness constitute the natural state of man as God's child. His obvious dominion over matter showed his grasp of the fact that Mind, or intelligence, is the actual substance of creation.

The fact that Mind is substance can be corroborated, even from a human standpoint, in what is called the material universe. For instance, when we see a skyscraper being built, a home being constructed, or a product being manufactured, we might well ask ourselves: "What is the substance of this project? What is it that gives a building its usefulness and shape? What gives a home its convenience, function, and comfort? What makes an automobile run properly?" The answer to all these questions is intelligence. The intelligence reflected is what gives shape, function, usefulness, and durability to the products involved. Without intelligence you would have nothing but a shapeless mass of matter.

It is to be understood that in this latter discussion it is the human mind and the human sense of intelligence that are referred to. But it is a helpful step toward solving all problems when we realize the mental nature of experience.

Matter cannot do anything of itself. It has no inherent power or intelligence. The substance of any experience or situation is the thought involved. This thought may reflect the real and actual source of being, the divine Mind; or it may reflect the false sense of mind, mortal mind, or the carnal mind, as named in the Bible. Sin, sickness, and death are products of mortal mind. It is this false mind that gives form, symptoms, duration, and danger to disease. And so it is this false mind that must be destroyed in order to eliminate disease and suffering.

For instance, according to human theories of physiology, the matter composing the human body is constantly being renewed. And it is said that this complete renewal takes place every few months. Then we might ask: "What continues a diseased condition beyond this point of renewal? What causes chronic disease?" It is the false state of thought, the fear, the conviction, or mental picture of disease. What needs to be changed is the false belief involved.

Again, when doctors have removed all the evidence of disease through surgery, why does the disease reappear as is so often the case? Because of the mental nature of disease and because the patient has not been healed of the fear. These same lines of thought might applied to hereditary ills and to beliefs of contagion.

It is only the Christ, Truth, the reflection of the divine Mind, that will destroy the fear of disease and thoroughly cleanse consciousness of the false beliefs involved. Mrs. Eddy states, "When we remove disease by addressing the disturbed mind, giving no heed to the body, we prove that thought alone creates the suffering." And further on in the same paragraph she says, "The action of so-called mortal mind must be destroyed by the divine Mind to bring out the harmony of being." ^{p. 400;}

To understand that God is divine Love and that He never creates disease or causes mankind to suffer brings us a great release from fear. To worship only one God, Spirit, and to refuse to bow down to matter strip it of any power to disable one. To honor only divine Mind and to refuse the suggestions of mortal mind free one from false beliefs including sin, disease, and suffering.

When we realize that our consciousness is the substance of our experience, we shall understand how Jesus healed through spiritual means, through prayer, and why he stressed the purification of thought and life as important contributions to one's health and well-being. He cautioned mankind against hate, malice, revenge, pride, and so forth—all products of the false, or mortal, mind—and said, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." ^{Matt. 5:8;}

Mrs. Eddy has explained the power to heal that was manifested in Jesus' ministry and has revealed the fact that Mind is substance. She says: "The Christian Scientist, understanding scientifically that all is Mind, commences with mental causation, the truth of being, to destroy the error. This corrective is an alterative, reaching to every part of the human system. According to Scripture, it searches 'the joints and marrow,' and it restores the harmony of man." ^{Science and Health, p. 423.}

William Milford Correll