Page:The Origin of Christian Science.djvu/202

194 Mrs. Eddy says: “The chief difficulty in conveying the teachings of divine Science accurately to human thought lies in this, that like all other languages, English is inadequate to the expression of spiritual conceptions and propositions, because one is obliged to use material terms in dealing with spiritual ideas;” “If we array thought in mortal vestures, it must lose its immortal nature;” “In its literary expression, my system of Christian Metaphysics is hampered by material terms, which must be used to indicate thoughts that are to be understood metaphysically;” “All prayer that is desire is intercessory; but kindling desire loses of its purest spirituality if the lips try to express it.”

Spinoza says: “All that we clearly and distinctly understand is dictated to us, as I have just pointed out, by the idea and nature of God; not indeed through words, but in a way far more excellent and agreeing perfectly with the nature of the mind.”

Plotinus had the same objection to uttered prayer that Mrs. Eddy had. He says: “Invoking God himself, not with external speech, but with the soul itself, extending ourselves in prayer to him, since we shall then be able to pray to him properly, when we approach by ourselves