“Mortal mind inverts the true likeness, and confers animal names and natures upon its own misconceptions. Ignorant of the origin and operations of mortal mind, — that is, ignorant of itself, — this so-called mind puts forth its own qualities, and claims God as their author; . . . usurps the deific prerogatives and is an attempted infringement on infinity” (pp. 512, 513).
We do not question the authenticity of the Scriptural
narrative of the Virgin-mother and Bethlehem babe, and
the Messianic mission of Christ Jesus; but in our time
no Christian Scientist will give chimerical wings to his
imagination, or advance speculative theories as to the
recurrence of such events.
No person can take the individual place of the Virgin Mary. No person can compass or fulfil the individual mission of Jesus of Nazareth. No person can take the place of the author of Science and Health, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Each individual must fill his own niche in time and eternity.
The second appearing of Jesus is, unquestionably, the spiritual advent of the advancing idea of God, as in Christian Science.
And the scientific ultimate of this God-idea must be, will be, forever individual, incorporeal, and infinite, even the reflection, “image and likeness,” of the infinite God.
The right teacher of Christian Science lives the truth he teaches. Preeminent among men, he virtually stands at the head of all sanitary, civil, moral, and religious reform. Such a post of duty, unpierced by vanity, exalts a mortal
