Page:Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.djvu/490

478 of illusion or error. That which is real is sustained by Spirit.

Vertebrates, articulata, mollusks, and radiata are evolved by mortal and material thought. By this thought they are classified, and supposed to possess life and mind. These beliefs will disappear, when the radiation of Spirit destroys forever any belief in intelligent matter. Then shall the new heaven and new earth appear, for the former things will have passed away.

Mortal belief fulfils the conditions of belief. It dies, to live again, in renewed forms, only to go out at last forever; for Life everlasting is not to be gained simply by dying. Christian Science may absorb the attention of sage and philosopher, but the Christian alone can fathom it. It is made known most fully to him who understands best the Divine Life.

Did all the enlightenment of the race emerge from the deep sleep that fell upon Adam? Sleep is darkness; but God's creative mandate was, “Let there be light.” In sleep, cause and effect are mere illusions. They seem to be, but are not. Oblivion and dreams, not realities, come with sleep. Even so goes on the Adam-belief, of which mortal and material life is the dream.

Ontology receives less attention than physiology. Why? Because mortal mind must waken to spiritual Life, before it cares to solve the problem of being; but when that awakening comes, existence will be viewed from a new standpoint.

It is related that a father, anxious to try such an experiment, plunged his infant babe, only a few hours old, into water for several minutes, and repeated this operation daily, until the child could remain under water