christian science-第32章
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to anybody else。 Also； when she talks； she is unstable； she wanders； she
is incurably inconsistent； what she says to…day she contradicts tomorrow。
But her acts are consistent。 They are always faithful to her； they never
misinterpret her； they are a mirror which always reflects her exactly；
precisely； minutely； unerringly； and always the same； to date； with only
those progressive little natural changes in stature； dress； complexion；
mood； and carriage that markexteriorlythe march of the years and
record the accumulations of experience； while interiorlythrough all
this steady drift of evolution the one essential detail； the commanding
detail； the master detail of the make…up remains as it was in the
beginning； suffers no change and can suffer none； the basis of the
character； the temperament； the disposition； that indestructible iron
framework upon which the character is built； and whose shape it must
take； and keep； throughout life。 We call it a person's nature。
The man who is born stingy can be taught to give liberallywith his
hands； but not with his heart。 The man born kind and compassionate can
have that disposition crushed down out of sight by embittering
experience； but if it were an organ the post…mortem would find it still
in his corpse。 The man born ambitious of power and glory may live long
without finding it out； but when the opportunity comes he will know； will
strike for the largest thing within the limit of his chances at the time…
constable； perhapsand will be glad and proud when he gets it； and will
write home about it。 But he will not stop with that start； his appetite
will come again； and by…and…by again； and yet again； and when he has
climbed to police commissioner it will at last begin to dawn upon him
that what his Napoleon soul wants and was born for is something away
higher uphe does not quite know what； but Circumstance and Opportunity
will indicate the direction and he will cut a road through and find out。
I think Mrs。 Eddy was born with a far…seeing business…eye； but did not
know it； and with a great organizing and executive talent； and did not
know it； and with a large appetite for power and distinction； and did not
know it。 I think the reason that her make did not show up until middle
life was that she had General Grant's luck Circumstance and Opportunity
did not come her way when she was younger。 The qualities that were born
in her had to wait for circumstance and opportunitybut they were there：
they were there to stay； whether they ever got a chance to fructify or
not。 If they had come early； they would have found her ready and
competent。 And theynot shewould have determined what they would set
her at and what they would make of her。 If they had elected to
commission her as second…assistant cook in a bankrupt boarding…house；
I know the rest of itI know what would have happened。 She would have
owned the boarding…house within six months； she would have had the late
proprietor on salary and humping himself； as the worldly say； she would
have had that boarding…house spewing money like a mint； she would have
worked the servants and the late landlord up to the limit； she would have
squeezed the boarders till they wailed； and by some mysterious quality
born in her she would have kept the affections of certain of the lot
whose love and esteem she valued； and flung the others down the back
area； in two years she would own all the boarding…houses in the town； in
five all the boarding…houses in the State； in twenty all the hotels in
America； in forty all the hotels on the planet； and would sit at home
with her finger on a button and govern the whole combination as easily as
a bench…manager governs a dog…show。
It would be a grand thing to see； and I feel a kind of disappointment
but never mind； a religion is better and larger； and there is more to it。
And I have not been steeping myself in Christian Science all these weeks
without finding out that the one sensible thing to do with a
disappointment is to put it out of your mind and think of something
cheerfuler。
We outsiders cannot conceive of Mrs。 Eddy's Christian Science Religion as
being a sudden and miraculous birth； but only as a growth from a seed
planted by circumstances； and developed stage by stage by command and
compulsion of the same force。 What the stages were we cannot know； but
are privileged to guess。 She may have gotten the mental…healing idea
from Quimbyit had been experimented with for ages； and was no one's
special property。 ＇For the present； for convenience' sake； let us
proceed upon the hypothesis that that was all she got of him； and that
she put up the rest of the assets herself。 This will strain us； but let
us try it。＇ In each and all its forms and under all its many names；
mental healing had had limits； always； and they were rather narrow ones
Mrs。 Eddy； let us imagine； removed the fence； abolished the frontiers。
Not by expanding mental…healing； but by absorbing its small bulk into the
vaster bulk of Christian ScienceDivine Science； The Holy Ghost； the
Comforterwhich was a quite different and sublimer force； and one which
had long lain dormant and unemployed。
The Christian Scientist believes that the Spirit of God （life and love）
pervades the universe like an atmosphere； that whoso will study Science
and Health can get from it the secret of how to inhale that transforming
air； that to breathe it is to be made new； that from the new man all
sorrow； all care； all miseries of the mind vanish away； for that only
peace； contentment and measureless joy can live in that divine fluid；
that it purifies the body from disease； which is a vicious creation of
the gross human mind； and cannot continue to exist in the presence of the
Immortal Mind； the renewing Spirit of God。
The Scientist finds this reasonable； natural； and not harder to believe
than that the disease germ； a creature of darkness； perishes when exposed
to the light of the great suna new revelation of profane science which
no one doubts。 He reminds us that the actinic ray； shining upon lupus；
cures ita horrible disease which was incurable fifteen years ago； and
had been incurable for ten million years before； that this wonder；
unbelievable by the physicians at first； is believed by them now； and so
he is tranquilly confident that the time is coming when the world will be
educated up to a point where it will comprehend and grant that the light
of the Spirit of God； shining unobstructed upon the soul； is an actinic
ray which can purge both mind and body from disease and set them free and
make them whole。
It is apparent； then； that in Christian Science it is not one man's mind
acting upon another man's mind that heals； that it is solely the Spirit
of God that heals； that the healer's mind performs no office but to
convey that force to the patient； that it is merely the wire which
carries the electric fluid； so to speak； and delivers the message。
Therefore； if these things be true； mental…healing and Science…healing
are separate and distinct processes； and no kinship exists between them。
To heal the body of its ills and pains is a mighty benefaction； but in
our day our physicians and surgeons work a thousand miraclesprodigies
which would have ranked as miracles fifty years agoand they have so
greatly extended their domination over disease that we feel so well
protected that we are able to look with a good deal of composure and
absence of hysterics upon the claims of new competitors in that field。
But there is a mightier benefaction than the healing of the body； and
that is the healing of the spiritwhich is Christian Science's other
claim。 So far as I know； so far as I can find out； it makes it good。
Personally I have not known a Scientist who did not seem serene；
contented； unharassed。 I have not found an outsider whose observation of
Scientists furnished him a view that differed from my own。 Buoyant
spirits； comfort of mind； freedom from care these happinesses we all
have； at intervals； but in the spaces between； dear me； the black hours！
They have put a curse upon the life of every human being I have ever
known； young or old。 I concede not
