Dangerous knowledge
459:12 Any attempt to heal mortals with erring mortal mind,
instead of resting on the omnipotence of the divine
Mind, must prove abortive. Committing the
459:15 bare process of mental healing to frail mor-
tals, untaught and unrestrained by Christian Science,
is like putting a sharp knife into the hands of a blind
459:18 man or a raging maniac, and turning him loose in
the crowded streets of a city. Whether animated by
malice or ignorance, a false practitioner will work mis-
459:21 chief, and ignorance is more harmful than wilful wicked-
ness, when the latter is distrusted and thwarted in its
incipiency.
Certainty of results
459:24 To mortal sense Christian Science seems abstract, but
the process is simple and the results are sure if the Science
is understood. The tree must be good, which
459:27 produces good fruit. Guided by divine Truth
and not guesswork, the /theologus/ (that is, the student -
the Christian and scientific expounder - of the divine
459:30 law) treats disease with more certain results than any
other healer on the globe. The Christian Scientist should
understand and adhere strictly to the rules of divine meta-
460:1 physics as laid down in this work, and rest his demonstra-
tion on this sure basis.
Ontology defined
460:3 Ontology is defined as "the science of the necessary
constituents and relations of all beings," and it under-
lies all metaphysical practice. Our system of
460:6 Mind-healing rests on the apprehension of the
nature and essence of all being, - on the divine Mind
and Love's essential qualities. Its pharmacy is moral,
460:9 and its medicine is intellectual and spiritual, though used
for physical healing. Yet this most fundamental part of
metaphysics is the one most difficult to understand and
460:12 demonstrate, for to the material thought all is material,
till such thought is rectified by Spirit.
Mischievous imagination
Sickness is neither imaginary nor unreal, - that is,
460:15 to the frightened, false sense of the patient. Sickness
is more than fancy; it is solid conviction. It
is therefore to be dealt with through right ap-
460:18 prehension of the truth of being. If Christian healing
is abused by mere smatterers in Science, it becomes a
tedious mischief-maker. Instead of scientifically effect-
460:21 ing a cure, it starts a petty crossfire over every cripple
and invalid, buffeting them with the superficial and cold
assertion, "Nothing ails you."
Author's early instructions
460:24 When the Science of Mind was a fresh revelation to
the author, she had to impart, while teaching its grand
facts, the hue of spiritual ideas from her own
460:27 spiritual condition, and she had to do this orally
through the meagre channel afforded by language and by
her manuscript circulated among the students. As for-
460:30 mer beliefs were gradually expelled from her thought, the
teaching became clearer, until finally the shadow of old
errors was no longer cast upon divine Science.