Page:The Origin of Christian Science.djvu/194

186 Very interesting indeed is Mrs. Eddy's exact reproduction of the Neoplatonic treatment of the act of reasoning or inference-forming power of the mind. This is the power of learning one truth from another, which is not contained in that other truth. It arises from external objects; it is mediate, transitive knowledge involving the element of time; and though it may lead us to the truth it is inferior to the highest knowledge, understanding or intuitive consciousness, the knowledge of which is immediate and intransitive. It is somethin k g like what Kant calls a posteriori knowledge. One is surprised to find Mrs. Eddy repeating this curious psychology of the Neoplatonists, though as has been said there is no ground for it in her metaphysics. She says: “Evidence drawn from the five physical senses relates solely to human reason; and because of opacity to the true light, human reason dimly reflects and feebly transmits Jesus' works and words. Truth is a revelation.” Notice in this quotation that she says that human reason has to do with evidence drawn from the five senses; that it does give us a knowledge of the teaching of Jesus though it does it by means of an imperfect process and that it is inferior to that power by which truth comes to the mind by revelation. By revelation she means intuition as we shall see.

Again Mrs. Eddy says: "Reason is the most active human faculty. Let that inform the