Page:The Origin of Christian Science.djvu/50

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The Origin of Christian Science.

platonists know where they are going, it is certain that they are on the same way, to the same place, Mrs. Eddy being in the rear by fifteen centuries.

And now consider that the pantheism of both Mrs. Eddy and the Neoplatonists is modified by their doctrine of “emanation”. This feature or doctrine is more manifest in Neoplatonism than in Christian Science, but it is prominent in the latter also, as is clearly shown by the language of Mrs. Eddy. One may feel as he studies Christian Science that, while its pantheism is not so absolute and paralyzing as is Spinoza's, it is nevertheless colored with the same dark hopelessness that is found in his, and lacks in proportion the quality of bright hopefulness in which the Neoplatonists, by virtue of their doctrine of transcendence, excel Spinoza and Mrs. Eddy. Mrs. Eddy stands rather between them. This is said not of Mrs. Eddy and Christian Scientists personally, whose cork-and-kite-like optimism is perhaps their most valuable asset. It is said of the special feature of pantheism that is found in Christian Science. And this leads me to repeat what was said in the previous chapter, that the Neoplatonism of Christian Science has a Spinozaistic stamp. This fact should be noted as it will help us to discern the anti-Christian, pantheistic and atheistic character of Christian Science. The pantheism of the Neoplatonists, Spinoza and Mrs. Eddy is atheism.

Consider now Mrs. Eddy's statements: “Infinite Mind is the creator, and creation is the in-