christian science-第3章

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understood　before。　　Not　even　by　the　twelve　Disciples。　　She　begins　thus
I　will　read　it　to　you。〃

But　she　had　forgotten　to　bring　her　glasses。

〃Well；　it　is　no　matter；〃　she　said。　　〃I　remember　the　wordsindeed；　all
Christian　Scientists　know　the　book　by　heart；　it　is　necessary　in　our
practice。　　We　should　otherwise　make　mistakes　and　do　harm。　　She　begins
thus：　'　In　the　year　1866　I　discovered　the　Science　of　Metaphysical
Healing；　and　named　it　Christian　Science。'　And　She　says　quite　beautifully；
I　think'　Through　Christian　Science；　religion　and　medicine　are　inspired
with　a　diviner　nature　and　essence；　fresh　pinions　are　given　to　faith　and
understanding；　and　thoughts　acquaint　themselves　intelligently　with　God。'
Her　very　words。〃

〃It　is　elegant。　　And　it　is　a　fine　thought；　toomarrying　religion　to
medicine；　instead　of　medicine　to　the　undertaker　in　the　old　way；　for
religion　and　medicine　properly　belong　together；　they　being　the　basis　of
all　spiritual　and　physical　health。　　What　kind　of　medicine　do　you　give　for
the　ordinary　diseases；　such　as〃

〃We　never　give　medicine　in　any　circumstances　whatever！　　We〃

〃But；　madam；　it　says〃

〃I　don't　care　what　it　says；　and　I　don't　wish　to　talk　about　it。〃

〃I　am　sorry　if　I　have　offended；　but　you　see　the　mention　seemed　in　some
way　inconsistent；　and〃

〃There　are　no　inconsistencies　in　Christian　Science。　　The　thing　is
impossible；　for　the　Science　is　absolute。　　It　cannot　be　otherwise；　since
it　proceeds　directly　from　the　All…in…all　and　the　Everything…in…Which；
also　Soul；　Bones；　Truth；　one　of　a　series；　alone　and　without　equal。　　It　is
Mathematics　purified　from　material　dross　and　made　spiritual。〃

〃I　can　see　that；　but〃

〃It　rests　upon　the　immovable　basis　of　an　Apodictical　Principle。〃

The　word　flattened　itself　against　my　mind　in　trying　to　get　in；　and
disordered　me　a　little；　and　before　I　could　inquire　into　its　pertinency；
she　was　already　throwing　the　needed　light：

〃This　Apodictical　Principle　is　the　absolute　Principle　of　Scientific　Mind…
healing；　the　sovereign　Omnipotence　which　delivers　the　children　of　men
from　pain；　disease；　decay；　and　every　ill　that　flesh　is　heir　to。〃

〃Surely　not　every　ill；　every　decay？〃

〃Every　one；　there　are　no　exceptions；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　decayit
is　an　unreality；　it　has　no　existence。〃

〃But　without　your　glasses　your　failing　eyesight　does　not　permit　you　to〃

〃My　eyesight　cannot　fail；　nothing　can　fail；　the　Mind　is　master；　and　the
Mind　permits　no　retrogression。〃

She　was　under　the　inspiration　of　the　Third　Degree；　therefore　there　could
be　no　profit　in　continuing　this　part　of　the　subject。　　I　shifted　to　other
ground　and　inquired　further　concerning　the　Discoverer　of　the　Science。

〃Did　the　discovery　come　suddenly；　like　Klondike；　or　after　long　study　and
calculation；　like　America？〃

〃The　comparisons　are　not　respectful；　since　they　refer　to　trivialities
but　let　it　pass。　　I　will　answer　in　the　Discoverer's　own　words：　'God　had
been　graciously　fitting　me；　during　many　years；　for　the　reception　of　a
final　revelation　of　the　absolute　Principle　of　Scientific　Mind…healing。〃

〃Many　years。　　How　many？〃

〃Eighteen　centuries！〃

〃AllGod；　Godgood；　goodGod；　Truth；　Bones；　Liver；　one　of　a　series；
alone　and　without　equalit　is　amazing！〃

〃You　may　well　say　it；　sir。　　Yet　it　is　but　the　truth　This　American　lady；
our　revered　and　sacred　Founder；　is　distinctly　referred　to；　and　her　coming
prophesied；　in　the　twelfth　chapter　of　the　Apocalypse；　she　could　not　have
been　more　plainly　indicated　by　St。　John　without　actually　mentioning　her
name。〃

〃How　strange；　how　wonderful！〃

〃I　will　quote　her　own　words；　from　her　Key　to　the　Scriptures：　'The　twelfth
chapter　of　the　Apocalypse　has　a　special　suggestiveness　in　connection　with
this　nineteenth　century。'　Theredo　you　note　that？　　Thinknote　it　well。〃


〃Butwhat　does　it　mean？〃

〃Listen；　and　you　will　know。　　I　quote　her　inspired　words　again：　'In　the
opening　of　the　Sixth　Seal；　typical　of　six　thousand　years　since　Adam；
there　is　one　distinctive　feature　which　has　special　reference　to　the
present　age。　　Thus：

〃'Revelation　xii。　　I。　　And　there　appeared　a　great　wonder　in　heavena
woman　clothed　with　the　sun；　and　the　moon　under　her　feet；　and　upon　her
head　a　crown　of　twelve　stars。'

〃That　is　our　Head；　our　Chief；　our　Discoverer　of　Christian　Science
nothing　can　be　plainer；　nothing　surer。　　And　note　this：

〃'Revelation　xii。　　6。　　And　the　woman　fled　into　the　wilderness；　where　she
had　a　place　prepared　of　God。'

〃That　is　Boston。　　I　recognize　it；　madam。　　These　are　sublime　things；　and
impressive；　I　never　understood　these　passages　before；　please　go　on　with
thewith　theproofs。〃

〃Very　well。　　Listen：

〃'And　I　saw　another　mighty　angel　come　down　from　heaven；　clothed　with　a
cloud；　and　a　rainbow　was　upon　his　head；　and　his　face　was　as　it　were　the
sun；　and　his　feet　as　pillars　of　fire。　　And　he　held　in　his　hand　a　little
book。'

〃A　little　book；　merely　a　little　bookcould　words　be　modester？　　Yet　how
stupendous　its　importance！　　Do　you　know　what　book　that　was？〃

〃Was　it〃

〃I　hold　it　in　my　handChristian　Science！〃

〃Love；　Livers；　Lights；　Bones；　Truth；　Kidneys；　one　of　a　series；　alone　and
without　equal　it　is　beyond　imagination　for　wonder！〃

〃Hear　our　Founder's　eloquent　words：　'Then　will　a　voice　from　harmony　cry；
〃Go　and　take　the　little　book：　take　it　and　eat　it　up；　and　it　shall　make
thy　belly　bitter；　but　it　shall　be　in　thy　mouth　sweet　as　honey。〃　　Mortal；
obey　the　heavenly　evangel。　　Take　up　Divine　Science。　　Read　it　from
beginning　to　end。　　Study　it；　ponder　it。　　It　will　be；　indeed；　sweet　at　its
first　taste；　when　it　heals　you；　but　murmur　not　over　Truth；　if　you　find
its　digestion　bitter。'　You　now　know　the　history　of　our　dear　and　holy
Science；　sir；　and　that　its　origin　is　not　of　this　earth；　but　only　its
discovery。　　I　will　leave　the　book　with　you　and　will　go；　now；　but　give
yourself　no　uneasiness　I　will　give　you　absent　treatment　from　now　till　I
go　to　bed。〃




CHAPTER　III

Under　the　powerful　influence　of　the　near　treatment　and　the　absent
treatment　together；　my　bones　were　gradually　retreating　inward　and
disappearing　from　view。　　The　good　work　took　a　brisk　start；　now；　and　went
on　swiftly。　　My　body　was　diligently　straining　and　stretching；　this　way
and　that；　to　accommodate　the　processes　of　restoration；　and　every　minute
or　two　I　heard　a　dull　click　inside　and　knew　that　the　two　ends　of　a
fracture　had　been　successfully　joined。　　This　muffled　clicking　and
gritting　and　grinding　and　rasping　continued　during　the　next　three　hours；
and　then　stoppedthe　connections　had　all　been　made。　　All　except
dislocations；　there　were　only　seven　of　these：　hips；　shoulders；　knees；
neck；　so　that　was　soon　over；　one　after　another　they　slipped　into　their
sockets　with　a　sound　like　pulling　a　distant　cork；　and　I　jumped　up　as　good
as　new；　as　to　framework；　and　sent　for　the　horse…doctor。

I　was　obliged　to　do　this　because　I　had　a　stomach…ache　and　a　cold　in　the
head；　and　I　was　not　willing　to　trust　these　things　any　longer　in　the　hands
of　a　woman　whom　I　did　not　know；　and　whose　ability　to　successfully　treat
mere　disease　I　had　lost　all　confidence。　　My　position　was　justified　by　the
fact　that　the　cold　and　the　ache　had　been　in　her　charge　from　the　first；
along　with　the　fractures；　but　had　experienced　not　a　shade　of　relief；　and；
indeed；　the　ache　was　even　growing　worse　and　worse；　and　more　and　more
bitter；　now；　probably　on　account　of　the　protracted　abstention　from　food
and　drink。

The　horse…doctor　came；　a　pleasant　man　and　full　of　hope　and　professional
interest　in　the　case。　　In　the　matter　of　smell　he　was　pretty　aromaticin
fact；　quite　horsyand　I　tried　to　arrange　with　him　for　absent　treatment；
but　it　was　not　in　his　line；　so；　out　of　delicacy；　I　did　not　press　it。　　He
looked　at　my　teeth　and　examined　my　hock；　and　said　my　age　and　general
condition　were　favorable　to　energetic　measures；　therefore　he　would　give
me　something　to　turn　the　stomach…ache　into　the　botts　and　the　cold　in　the
head　into　the　blind　staggers；　then　he　should　be　on　his　own　beat　and　would
know　what　to　do。　　He　made　up　a　bucket　of　bran…mash；　and　said　a　dipperful
of　it　every　two　hours；　alternated　with　a　drench　with　turpentine　and　axle…
grease　in　it；　would　either　knock　my　ailments　out　of　me　in　twent