Page:The Origin of Christian Science.djvu/205

Rh century. I repeat it is an application of Neoplatonic psychology to the subject of prophetic revelation. But Synesius, as we shall see, held essentially to the same position.

The doctrine that we have been considering is properly called mysticism, that is, rational mysticism. It originated with Philo and received definite character at the hands of the Neoplatonists. It has been repeated often and notably by Spinoza and Mrs. Eddy. If any one doubts that Spinoza and Mrs. Eddy are mystics he either does not know what mysticism is or he does not understand them. What is mysticism? Who is a mystic? One who holds that God and divine truth can be discerned immediately by the mind and that they are in this way best understood and who depreciates all physical or material means of obtaining divine knowledge, as either unnecessary or a hindrance, is a mystic.

In Mrs. Eddy's doctrine of predictive prophecy, we find another application of Neoplatonic psychology. Since mind knows all, the future must be as clearly discerned by it as the present. Therefore if we are controlled wholly by mind we may forecast the future perfectly. If on the contrary our prognostication is based on external indications or physical signs it is apt to be false.

Mrs. Eddy says: “There is mortal mind-reading and immortal Mind-reading. The latter