Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-10-08

claims to be intelligence, but is in
herently non-intelligent: it knows
nothing of itself, it has to be educat-
ed. 1T claims to be substance, but is
really shadow, since it is based on
raise testimony. 1t claims to be life,
out is really death, since it is not self
sustaining. Recognizing the nature of
this so-called mind, st. Paul named it
carnal," and Mrs Eddy designated
1t mortal" since sin, disease and
death are its inevitable products.
Thus we see that all discordant
conditions exist solely as phenomena
and experiences of this carnal, mortal
mind, as states of human conscious
ness; hence their healing, their cor
rection or destruction involves a
| transformation OF this consciousness.
AS existence implies consciousness,
and as the body is eXternalized con-
seriousness, the conditions of existence
and of the body depend upon ones
mental state. A discordant con-
sciousness results in discordant exist
ence. 1t is therefore necessary to
change the human consciousness if we
wish to change conditions. How
is this to be done?
First, it is necessary to determine
whether the mortal or carnal mind
with its experiences is true, for we
know that the initial step in the cor
rection of any mistake is the percep-
ton of the mistake. We recognize
an error when we know the truth
which it falsifies. When we apply
the corrective truth to an error it
disappears, and right, harmonious
conditions prevail If the phenomena
of mortal mind were true, they could
never be altered. If untrue, they
cannot be corrected until we know
their falsity. 1t is impossible to cor
rect an error until it is recognized
as such. For example, if we receive
wrongly computed bill and believe
it right, we are deceived and suffer
for it. Yet we do not perceive that
it is wrong until we know what is
right. Directly we know the truth
about the facts involved, this knowl-
edge corrects or displaces the error,
the wrong concept.
The Nature of Truth.
Let us then examine into the essen
tial nature and character of Truth,
of that which really is, and learn
whether matter and mortal mind are
true and real, for we have seen that
matter and material existence are
mental, and we must now determine
the truth regarding this mentality.
Truth by its very nature is infin-
lite, everywhere. Being that which is,
there can be no place where Truth is
not; therefore Truth is omnipresent.
Truth is intelligent, always knowing
enough to be itself, and never any
thing else; being infinite, it is inf
nitely intelligent; that is, omniscient.
Truth is almighty, having power to
be itself and to resist being anything
else, power to correct that which
seems to falsify it. Truth being in
finite, the power of Truth is infinite,
omnipotent. Truth is indestructible,
since it is impossible for any element,
quality or particle of omnipresence
or real being to be annihilated.
We thus see that Truth is actual
ity; absolute, fundamental, independ-
ent; without beginning or ending,
without dimensions or limitations. 1t
is immortal, forever self-sustained; it
Is eternal Principle, the source of all
true being, harmonious and perfect.
Truth is thus identified in Chris
tian Science as Spirit, Mind, Soul,
Life, the supreme Ego. the great /
AM, the one infinite God, the God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the
God whom Jesus called his Father,
the God whom st. John defined as
Love. This infinite, all-inclusive, all
creating, omnipotent, omnipresent,
omniscient divine Love is the incor-
poreal God revealed through Chris
tian Science. Man is the image and
likeness of God, the real man of the
Scriptures, must be like his Father,
not corporeal but incorporeal; not
material but mental, spiritual con-
sciousness; not mortal but immortal.
The universe created and constantly
sustained by God must be like Him,
for like produces like; therefore the
real universe is not finite but in
finite; not destructible but indestruct-
ible; not material but spiritual.
The Nature of Reality.
Thus reality Is essentially infinite,
without limitations or dimensions, in
finite in extent, in presence, in wis
dom and in power. 1t is unchanging,
indestructible, eternal. 1t is harmo-
nious, perfect, spiritual. Therefore
the standard of infinity, indestructi-
bility and perfection is the test of
reality. Whatever has not these
qualities or attributes of infinity and
perfection does not express Truth.
Matter, mortal mind and the discord-
ant material consciousness being
finite, mutable, destructible, are not
true, not absolutely real. Perfect
God, perfect man and perfect spirit
ual being-this is the basis of all
Christian Science teaching, analysis
and practice. This is the standard
by which Christian Sciense measures
and tests all human phenomena and
experiences in order to determine
their true value.
Truth, however, cannot be cog
nized by the physical senses, for be-
cause of their material limitations
these senses cannot perceive infinity,
the finite cannot cognize the infinite
Truth Is perceived only through the
understanding, Which is not depend
ent upon the testimony of the physi-
cal senses. For example, even the
truths of the multiplication table are
discerned not through the sense of
sight, but through the understanding.
The physical figures which we see are