Imperial Valley press., 1917-01-29

at best, and for ones self
alone; whereas he who proceeds in
an orderly and effective manner to-
ward the ultimate annulment of op-
pressive and unjust enactments with
regard to health is thereby perform
ing a service, not merely to himself
but to all mankind.
MUST LOOK BACK OF MATERIAL
EFFECTS.
1t is observed in this connection
that all system of treatment for the
sick take more or less account of the
fact that diseased condition of the
body as it appears to the physical
senses is only the effect of something
else, but as rule these systems are
content to discern a cause possibly
one or two or three stages removed
but not whit less physical than the
outward manifestation of the disease.
Such a so-called cause is itself only
an effect. Correctly speaking, nothing
IN or of the material body could be
the cause of disease, for matter, of
which the body is composed, cannot
do anything of and by itself. Mat
ter does not have initiative or intel
ligence or creative power. It cannot
make itself sick or we'll, weak or
strong, alive or dead. The things
matter appears to do are done always
by something else. If a dozen bricks
be placed on end in row, with reg
ular intervals between, and brick
number one be toppled against brick
number two, all the bricks in the row
will one by one fall. Number twelve
brick clearly was knocked over by
number eleven, which in turn fell be-
cause of number ten, and so on back
to number one, and to the hand that
toppled it. Here we have merely a
series of material effects. But what
caused the hand to move? We OBJ
serve we are now approaching the ac-
tual source of the disaster to the row
of bricks, and that it was not mate
rial but mental. Thus if every So
called physical action, whether in the
body or in that which we call nature,
were to be traced to it's absolute be-
ginning, it would be necessary to 90
on back through successive so-called
material causes until one should come
to either intelligence or it's counter
felt.
In this way is at least indicated the
reasonableness of employing in aid
of the sick mental method by which
we may look beyond the visibly bod
lily effects for the actual origin of the
difficulty. But it is evident that a
system devoted solely to the healing
of physical disease would not be en-
titled to be termed Christian Science.
The fact is that Christian Science
healing is spiritual healing, in which
the physical benefits. notable as they
may be, are but Incidents. This heal
ing is always and only the result of
moral or spiritual regeneration. 1t
is the fruit of intelligent, applied
righteousness. Christian Science
healing can be practiced best by those
who are purest in heart, and its eff
fects could not be otherwise than
good.
Christian Science, therefore is
unique in both means and aims, and
it does not resemble in any import
ant respect systems. whether mental
or physical, that strive only to make
humanity comfortable in a material
sense of existence. that involve no
moral standard whatever, and that
could be employed as readily for i'm.
proper as for proper purposes. With
these distinctions clearly in view one
may understand how far removed is
this spiritual healing from whatever
might be attempted through the use
Of human will, mental suggestion, or
any "mind-over-matter" process, and
one may also understand why various
latter-day attempts at combining
hypnotism with religions and medi-
cine have failed to achieve anything
comparable with the good works that
are being wrought through Christian
Science.
CLEAN THOUGHTS AND GOOD
HEALTH
In view of what has been here said
it should be evident that Christian
Scientists have no fanatical objection
to drug medicines, or other material
curatives, as such. The Christian
Scientist dispenses with material
medicines under no species of COM
pulsion, but as a matter of voluntary
choice, based upon his observation
and experience. If material remedies
were capable of doing all that is
CldiIIlcu IOI lHcln ny llclI HlOSJ Gil
thusiastic advocates, they would yet
fail to meet the requirements Of the
Christian Scientist, for the reason
that the whole system of material
medicine is devoted solely to physical
conditions which the Christian Scien-
tist understands to be only effects,
not causes.
Consider in this connection the mat
ter of germs. The bacteriologist for
the time being occupies the center of
the medical stage, and tells US that
the chief foe to the well-being of hu-
manity is an infinitesimal material or
ganism called microbe. Carried on
the swift wings Of fear, the germ
theory has within few years quite
generally infected human thinking,
and strong men everywhere tremble
in apprehension of the ravages of
these microscopic monsters. Fortu-
nately a glimmer or two or light is
through this dark cloud.
1t is observed. for instance, that un-
der certain Favorable conditions" of
the body the germ is unable to op-
crate, and it is beginning to be real
lied to some extent also that persons
who live clean lives are least suscep-