Mrs. Eddy, I regret to say, made these and other errors but it is not my purpose to evaluate either the merits or demerits of her cult. She had her part to play in the spiritual instruction of the Western world, and if she made serious mistakes, she nevertheless brought to birth a widespread movement which, as she says, has done much good. The system which she founded contains elements of the highest truth, and if her followers will only have the courage to remove the fetters which have been placed upon their independent thought, if they will not hesitate to utilize the powers of free inquiry which God has bestowed upon them, and if they will not shut their eyes but adopt an attitude of wider sympathy and less intolerance towards other systems, they may avoid the fate which overtakes most spiritual movements, when growing numbers kill the spirit and adhere to the letter. I have introduced Mary Baker Eddy's name into this book to render some small service of correction for the sake of her large following, if not for the benefit of the world at large. I cannot conceal a certain admiration for the dignified way in which Christian Science is doing its work in the world, much as I deplore its fanatical narrowness and intellectual mistakes. It contains truths which are sorely needed by ignorant humanity today.    (#20419)

The New Thought or Christian Science claims, where correct, are true only of the adept, for he alone has fully aligned himself with the Spirit.    (#20420)

The thought service of teachers like H.P. Blavatsky and Mary Baker Eddy was to help those people who were ready to move away from the materialistic view of Nature which prevailed in the nineteenth century, and which was created by the scientific activities of that century. Theosophy and Christian Science helped to arouse such people to question their materialistic beliefs and provided them with the necessary higher faith to which they could step across. These cults provoked new ideas and gave new points of view.    (#20425)

We hope no one will misunderstand us to be supporting the enemies of Christian Science and taking sides against it when we state--without ill feeling and quite as a matter of scientific observation--certain facts. We are not here judging these facts but only stating them. These paragraphs are intended to explain, and not to justify, a point of view which we do not hold. It is an unreasonable point of view, but anyway it is an intelligent one. Although we do not accept it, at least we understand how and why others come to accept it. But we do not stand on the same platform with them. It is not that we are hostile to their attitudes. It is simply that we feel we cannot participate in them. Christian Science has its virtues and faults. It contains a number of needed truths, but it also contains a number of dangerous errors. Hence it cannot be accepted as it stands. Nevertheless we are always glad to give our blessing and not our opposition to a genuine spiritual movement. Therefore we give it to Christian Science.    (#20430)

Mrs. Eddy's fundamental contribution of importance was the teaching that the world is Mind, and thus she paved the way for the higher truth which is based on this doctrine and which has yet to be unfolded to the Western world. But it is a truth which is purely spiritual, that does not attempt to bribe people with material benefits to enter the Kingdom of Heaven--a thing which can't be done. That is why I criticized her doctrine in my book.

We are all working in our different ways--Christian Science people and myself--for the spiritualization of the world; but that need not cause one to confuse the issues. There are different grades of perception and consequently different grades of truth.    (#20432)

Studies in Christian Science and Unity will also have been useful in preparing you for the metaphysical studies.    (#20433)

Christian Science has taken up this great truth of mentalism. For this it must be praised and respected. But, in important ways, it has also misunderstood and misapplied it. Moreover, it is not enough simply to make the affirmation, "Divine Mind is the only reality." It is also necessary to adopt the practical course of self-discipline and mental re-education which will enable one to realize this truth.    (#20435)

The progress of Christian Science students and the success of the movement itself does, however, afford some encouragement, some hope that mentalism will not be entirely a voice in the wilderness but will also find a few receptive hearers.    (#20436)

It is regrettable to have to make strictures on the logical side, for Mrs. Eddy followed a trail of original thinking and deserves commendation on this account. Christian Science comes close to the philosophy expounded in my books at several points, and consequently I am interested in it and rejoice at its spread. Nevertheless, there are points where it flies off at a tangent, partly due to some confusion of thought on the part of its founder. Those critics who say that it is based principally on emotion and not on reasoning are not correct; rather, it is based on both, but, as I have said, its reasoning becomes faulty at times and its emotion attempts, not quite successfully, to mix the highest aspirations with self-centered human ones. In any case, it does not offer a complete answer to the questions "Who am I?" and "Why am I here on this earth?"    (#20438)

If the orthodox religionist seriously takes up Christian Science, this would be an excellent advance on the old standpoint. He ought, therefore, to be encouraged to travel in such a direction. Christian Science makes greatly exaggerated claims about its practical results and physical possibilities, but on the whole its metaphysical and religious aspects especially are to be approved for people of this mentality.    (#20440)

Although we have ventured to disagree with Christian Science on a number of points, we recognize the valuable truths it certainly contains. Our criticisms do not despoil its genuine merits, and there are many--enough to overbalance the account in its favour. Despite all difference of view, it is propagating the foundational doctrine of mentalism in the world of theory, as it is inculcating the casting out of negatives in the world of thinking.    (#20441)

The Christian Science doctrine is only partly true and its claim only partly tenable. This is because the human mind is only the part-maker of the world of its experience.    (#20442)

The Christian Science Church achieved success not at all because it taught mentalism, which is too hard and too subtle for most to grasp, but for two reasons. First, it gave visible results in the healing of sick people. If some of the cases were quite trivial, others were spectacular. Second, it taught a practical method of not letting the ego's "mortal mind" manage its own affairs (since it is so faulty and so limited) but of turning them over or surrendering them to the Overself for management. This is similar to the Ramana Maharshi's story of a passenger in a railway carriage who was advised to put his parcel down from his shoulder and let the train carry it.    (#20444)

The great error of all these worldly-happiness Spiritual teachings like New Thought, Unity, Christian Science, and especially Dr. Peale's "Power of Positive Thinking" is that they have no place for pain, sorrow, adversity, and misfortune in their idea of God's world. They are utterly ignorant of the tremendous truth, voiced by every great prophet, that by divine decree the human lot mixes good and bad fortune, health, events, situations, and conditions; that suffering has been incorporated into the scheme of things to prevent man from becoming fully satisfied with a sensual existence. They demand only the pleasant side of experience. If this demand were granted, they would be deprived of the chance to learn all those valuable and necessary lessons which the unpleasant side affords and thus deprived of the chance ever to attain a full knowledge of spiritual truth. It is the ego which is the real source of such a limited teaching. Its desire to indulge itself rather than surrender itself is at the bottom of the appeal which these cults have for their unwary followers. These cults keep the aspirant tied captive within his personal ego, limit him to its desires. Of course, the ego in this case is disguised under a mask of spirituality.    (#20452)

The fallacies of Christian Science arise not only from its ignorance of the law of karma but also from its ignorance of the law of opposites. Every kind of experience in this space-time world is conditioned by its opposite kind. Thus light appears to us only because darkness also appears. We can call some things large only because we are able to call others small. We are accessible to joy only because we are also accessible to misery. We live only because we die. Consequently, in claiming the right and power of mankind to physical immortality, unbroken prosperity, and continuous good health, in wanting pleasure without the pain which it rests upon, Christian Science claims what is contrary to universal law; and when it believes it has succeeded in making a demonstration of truth, it has merely succeeded in making a demonstration of self-delusion.    (#20453)

The greatest limitation of these cults, whether Christian Science or New Thought, is their refusal to admit any limitations at all. They would part the universe from God's control and put it under their own.    (#20456)

The failure of cults like New Thought and Christian Science, which make so much of the power of thought, is that they make so little of the power of will.    (#20460)

When World-Mind withdraws the entire cosmos into itself and there is literally nothing at all, it only then fulfils the Christian Science teaching of having no existence whatsoever.    (#20465)

A proper argument possesses steps and must move by logical jumps. But here Christian Science's first facts do not justify its last conclusions.    (#20469)