SCIENCE AND CHRISTIAN SCIENCE 287 



primitive mind of a savage. A broad generalisation 

 merely bewilders him, as it might bewilder a child. 

 One may point out to him that the tubercle bacillus 

 is as much a plant as a dock, and as real as the 

 weeds in his garden. He cannot grasp that ; he sees 

 things merely in their superficial aspect. One may 

 point out to him that to deny the action of a 

 poison is to deny chemical action of all sorts, and 

 that it is impossible to pick out one kind of chemi- 

 cal action and to call it unreal and imaginary. He 

 cannot see that ; he is no more able to see it than 

 a savage or a child. He denies law when he 

 chooses, or when he is unable to comprehend it ; 

 and he breaks the warp and woof of the web of 

 the universe at his own sweet will. It is partly 

 amusing and partly tragic. 



And yet Nature is not mocked. If the Christian 

 Scientist deny law and tamper with truth, law and 

 truth will have their revenge : the tubercle bacillus 

 will gnaw away lips and nostrils ; the diseased 

 heart will suddenly insist on the truth by ceasing 

 to beat ; the septic joint will sow death in the 

 blood; the starved and stunted character will 

 become undeniably decrepid. 



Mrs Eddy may claim that she can cure pain and 

 disease, and that these have no real existence — but 

 the stars laugh at her, and every sunrise ridicules 

 her pretentious folly. 



