We have all observed the truth of this inspired utterance in the fact that the physicians, as a body, are almost constantly in bed of one disease or another. The wonder is that any of them ever survive
the courses of preparatory study.
Again: “Not because of muscular exercise, but because of the blacksmith’s faith in muscle, his arm becomes stronger.”
All one has to do to develop his biceps is to have faith that his biceps will develop, if Mrs. Eddy really speak by inspiration of God.
Again: “You say or think because you have partaken of salt fish that you are thirsty, and you are thirsty accordingly; while the opposite belief would produce the opposite result.”
That is to say, you may partake of all the salt fish you please; but if you persistently say and believe it cannot cause thirst, thirst is the last sensation that will afflict you.
Again: “Question. Do not brains think and nerves feel, and is there no intelligence in matter? Answer. Not if God be true and mortal man a liar.”
In other words, if God be true, brains do not think and nerves do not feel. That brains do not think, Mrs. Eddy, when she contemplates her foolish following, may have some reason to believe; but she will have some difficulty in satisfying the rest of us that brains do not possess the function of thought. I think, therefore I am not a Christian Scientist.
Again: “The blood, heart, lungs, brain, etc., have nothing to do with life.”
When this impressive passage was first presented to my darkened mind, I was inclined to believe it to contain no element of truth; but I am persuaded that there is a grain of truth in it. I have sat in a Christian Science church repeatedly and have seen some thousands of people with open mouths and ecstatic expressions listening to material from the platform wholly unintelligible to those who read it and wholly unintelligible to every person in the building who heard it; and I have come slowly, very slowly and regretfully, to the conviction that it is true, that amongst large masses of people there are times when the brain has absolutely nothing to do with life. As to the blood, heart and lungs, I am still of my early prejudice that they have something to do with life, notwithstanding Mrs. Eddy’s affirmation that God has informed her to the contrary.