d, based on physical material law,
so-called as opposed to good,--all of which is corrected [25]
alone by Science, divine Principle, and its spiritual laws.
Suffering is the supposition of another intelligence than
God; a belief in self-existent evil, opposed to good; and
in whatever seems to punish man for doing good,--
by saying he has overworked, suffered from inclement [30]
weather, or violated a law of matter in doing good, there-
fore he must suffer for it.

[Page 199.]

God does not reward benevolence and love with pen- [1]
alties; and because of this, we have the right to deny the
supposed power of matter to do it, and to allege that only
mortal, erring mind can claim to do thus, and dignify the
result with the name of law: thence comes man's ability [5]
to annul his own erring mental law, and to hold himself
amenable only to moral and spiritual law,--God's gov-
ernment. By so doing, male and female come into their
rightful heritage, "into the glorious liberty of the children
of God." [10]

_Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,_
_in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake._--2 COR.
xii. 10.

The miracles recorded in the Scriptures illustrate the
life of Jesus as nothing else can; but they cost him the [15]
hatred of the rabbis. The rulers sought the life of Jesus;
they would extinguish whatever denied and defied their
superstition. We learn somewhat of the qualities of the
divine Mind through the human Jesus. The power of
his transcendent goodness is manifest in the control it [20]
gave him over the qualities opposed to Spirit which mor-
tals name matter.

The Principle of these marvellous works is divine; but
the actor was human. This divine Principle is discerned
in Christian Science, as we advance in the spiritual under- [25]
standing that all substance, Life, and intelligence are
God. The so-called miracles contained in Holy Writ are
neither supernatural nor preternatural; for God is good,
and goodness is more natural than evil. The marvellous
healing-power of goodness is the outflowing life of Chris- [30]
tianity, and it characterized and dated the Christian era.

[Page 200.]

It was the consummate naturalness of Truth in the [1]
mind of Jesus, that made his healing easy and instan-
taneous. Jesus regarded good as the normal state of man,
and evil as the abnormal; holiness, life, and health as
the better representatives of God than sin, disease, and