Page:Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.djvu/540

528 the grave, and was Jesus' final demonstration that the body is the same after as before death. It follows that there is a future state of probation and progress, wherein to grow out of a material and into the spiritual sense of existence.

The meek and mighty Nazarene exhibited a material body, after the crucifixion, to show his followers the great need there is of spiritualizing thought and action, in order to make man God-like before he reaches what is termed death, — that, after it, he may be fit for the higher school of the “just made perfect.” Not death, but the understanding of Life, or God, spiritualizes man, and determines forever his spiritual progress and his physical condition.

Atonement stands for mortality disappearing, and immortality coming to light; for self-abnegation and Love, blessing Truth's enemies. Atonement is not blood flowing from the veins of Jesus, but his outflowing sense of Life, Truth, and Love, — so much higher, purer, and more God-like than mankind's, — shedding its hallowed influence over the whole human race, and marking out the only way to heaven. Atonement is not so much the death on the cross, but the cross-bearing, deathless life, which, was left by Jesus for an example to mankind, and ransoms from sin all who follow it.

Self-destroying error; a kingdom divided against itself, that cannot stand; material knowledge.

The higher such knowledge builds on the basis of evidence obtained from the five personal senses, the more confusion ensues, and the more certain is the downfall of its structure.