The San Francisco call., 1908-12-20

dragon" Of the Apocalypse, which
Is said 10 be the same "old SER
pent called Satan and devir' which
ST. John said "decefveth the whole
world" It was called serpent be-
cause Of its cunningness The
Masters declaration that Satan is a
liar and that his own his offspring,
IS q lie is unmistskable in its mean
ing. Jesus referred to Satan as ''fe,
but declared that he was never in the
truth, that there is no truth in him, and
that he is altogether liar. II is nei-
ther person nor intelligence that lies
but a mere mystihcation or want of in
teiligence which appears as q false
sense OF things. The Scriptures refer
70 Satan IS a deceiver. Evil like dark
ness is not a real power, it simply OBJ
scures and il disappears with the reve-
lation OF truth. Sin. sickness and death
which are said to be the works of the
devil. are the result OF deception, the
offspring OF darkness. They are occa-
stoned by a lack Of true understanding
and are overcome by Truth, God Jesus
spoke OF the woman as having been
hound by Satan. 10, these eighteen
years" and he said "Ye shall know the
truth and the truth shall make you
free" II Satan IS a liar. Satan's bonds
must be oeceptions. The only way that
q liar or devil can bind is by deceiving-
Hence deception or faIsity is the proper
name for the works OF the devil, sin,
sickness and death
From this description It is seen that
Christian Science does not fndorse the
tabled devil with horns and hoofs. but
regards Sstsn in the light OF Scriptural
teaching. and while Christian Scientists
believe that Satan" is the cause of
disease they are not entertaining the
sUperstitious belief that a peculiar per-
sonake by some sort Of a spell has pro-
6uced this disorder, but that because Of
a lack Of understanding and practice of
righteousness mortals have lived in
that state OF consciousness wherein
they are not properly protected and are
consequently subject 10 disease Now,
the Christian Scientist does not believe
that a lie can be doctored with medi-
cine, that an error OF consciousness can
be destroyed by drug. He knows and
demon strates the fact that II must be
overcome by spiritual regeneration.
HUMAN WILL
BASIS OF DISEASE
It may be asked here how drugs and
viii power heal the sick, and if there
are two distinct mental methods Of cur
ing. human woes These questions In
volve a consideration OF the premises
OF Christian Science as well as OF Its
conclusions. Human will is the cause
Of all trouble, its misconceptions con-
stitute the basis Of all disease. Sick
ness is q false belief based upon the
evidence Of personal sense. This belief
may be temporarily displaced by a form
OF suggestion which is based upon the
same sense. but the patient would not
be really cured because the foundation
Of the disease would not be destroyed.
To iIIustrste: one who believes that
four times three are eight may by per-
sussion be convinced that four times
three are sixteen and thus be cured Of
his belief that four times three are
eight: but he has another error In its
place. II, however. one who under
stands the truth quietly makes clear to
him the fact that four times three are
twelve, he is permanently cured Of his
bclief that four times three are eight,
since he can not again believe that
fslsehood after the truth is made plain
TO him. The false belief has not been
overcome by will force. nor by persua-
sion as in the former case, but by a
clear consciousness OF eternal truth.
sickness is based upon the belief that
man is material and has therefore
iapsed into discord, while Science
teaches that materiality. evil. disease
are no more part Of the real, spiritual
man than the smoke Is a part of the
object which IL hides. that the material
claims concerning man are no more
than q cloud OF false sense which 10
mortal sense temporarily hides the spir-
itual fact OF being. and which is dis
reIled as the individual awakens to a
realization OF his true being. Hence
the Pstriarch's declaration: i shall be
satisfied when I awake in his likeness"
II one is cured by suggestion which
is based upon the evidence OF the
senses, upon the same belief which
admits OF the sickness in the FIRST place,
he is not actually cured, though the
disease temporarily disappears. for he
xfsil has the error in consciousness
which constitutes the foundation Of
lis disease namely. the belief that
man Is mortal and material Christian
science makes 1t clear TO him that he
is the reflection or manifestation OF
God. and thus destroys bis beiief that
he is material and consequently his
belief that he is sick. Thus he is
pdfmanenfly cured. IN this manner we
illustrate the fact that there is but
one method Of producing actual heal
ines. namely. through that understand
ing OF God and His creation which the
Scriptures teach.
70 - sh<..,1d accent the suEgestion-