One cause supreme
278:12 That matter is substantial or has life and sensation, is
one of the false beliefs of mortals, and exists only in a
supposititious mortal consciousness. Hence,
278:15 as we approach Spirit and Truth, we lose the
consciousness of matter. The admission that there can
be material substance requires another admission, -
278:18 namely, that Spirit is not infinite and that matter is self-
creative, self-existent, and eternal. From this it would
follow that there are two eternal causes, warring forever
278:21 with each other; and yet we say that Spirit is supreme
and all-presence.
The belief of the eternity of matter contradicts the
278:24 demonstration of life as Spirit, and leads to the conclu-
sion that if man is material, he originated in matter and
must return to dust, - logic which would prove his an-
278:27 nihilation.
Substance is Spirit
All that we term sin, sickness, and death is a mortal
belief. We define matter as error, because it is the oppo-
278:30 site of life, substance, and intelligence. Mat-
ter, with its mortality, cannot be substantial
if Spirit is substantial and eternal. Which ought to
279:1 be substance to us, - the erring, changing, and dying,
the mutable and mortal, or the unerring, immutable,
279:3 and immortal? A New Testament writer plainly de-
scribes faith, a quality of mind, as "the /substance/ of things
hoped for."
Material mortality
279:6 The doom of matter establishes the conclusion that
matter, slime, or protoplasm never originated
in the immortal Mind, and is therefore not
279:9 eternal. Matter is neither created by Mind nor for the
manifestation and support of Mind.
Spiritual tangibility
Ideas are tangible and real to immortal consciousness,
279:12 and they have the advantage of being eternal.
Spirit and matter can neither coexist nor co-
operate, and one can no more create the other than
279:15 Truth can create error, or /vice versa/.
In proportion as the belief disappears that life and in-
telligence are in or of matter, the immortal facts of
279:18 being are seen, and their only idea or intelligence is
in God. Spirit is reached only through the understand-
ing and demonstration of eternal Life and Truth and
279:21 Love.