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The question may be
asked: What did Mary Baker Eddy perceive as the structure of the empire of Mind?
Well, we really don't know that. We do know however that she presented an
outline of a vast structure for perceiving the 'world' of spiritual ideas and
concepts of divine reality. We also know that this all-embracing structure was
so important to her that she made all of her major works contributory to it,
including her textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to
the Scriptures. This wasn't done without a profound purpose standing behind
it, but she never presented her reasons for it or even that it was so. The
reasons might have been that the spiritual dimension cannot be taught but must
unfold in the realm of discovery. The rudimental elements, of course, can be
taught. And this she did extensively. But the heart of the matter must remain
open to the movements of Mind itself in the flow of spiritual and scientific
discovery. She provided a vast structure for this path and outlined it
extensively, but she never taught it, not once throughout her entire teaching
career.
Mary Baker Eddy
taught the fundamentals, as much as was required for the purpose of Christian
Science healing. One year after her discovery of Christian Science she started a
school of Christian Science Mind-healing. Fourteen years later she chartered the
Massachusetts Metaphysical College, after a law was passed that enabled such an
institution be chartered for medical purposes. For the next seven years over
four thousand students were taught be her in this College. Then, at the height
of its success she closed the College and devoted the next two years to a major
revision of her textbook. The College remained closed however for a total of ten
years until she reopened it in 1899, as its President, in the form of an auxiliary
to her church. She retained the position of its President in perpetuity, but
made no provisions for any teachers teaching in the college.
Was it an act of
insanity or a wise design that we have unfolding here? We ended up with a
college that has no teachers, awards no certificates, and is headed by a
deceased president. Does this make sense? It makes perfect sense for a dimension
of 'teaching' that unfolds as discoveries for which infinite Mind is the central
'sun.' In this College personal teaching, the mode of teaching that world hails,
makes no sense at all, and the certificates are not awarded, but are written in
life by the achievements of the discoverers.
Am I dreaming? I
don't think so. Mary Baker Eddy instituted two types of degrees, labeled CSB and
CSD, a bachelor-type degree and a doctoral-type degree, respectively. The CSB
degree is awarded, with certificates being issued, in an institution that Mary
Baker Eddy named the Board of Education that authorizes and appoints teachers
for this purpose. But the College still exists, and its degree is CSD. She
doesn't say anywhere that the CSD degree is obsolete, or that the College no
longer has a function to fulfill. Instead she does raise the bar.
The process of a
person being taught in the Board of Education is essentially a passive process
for the student. But discovery is an active process. Knowledge can be passed
along in a passive manner, but the development of scientific and spiritual
understanding can ultimately only happen in an active process of discovery.
That's what the College still represents. One doesn't need teachers for this
process, because teachers afford no aid there. Nor does one need certificates.
What would they certify that is not certified in life? It appears that Mary
Baker Eddy expected this process to be in the forefront. The evidence is found
in the marginal note she attached to the application forms for membership in her
church. In this note she speaks of two types of students, one who has
"taken" a degree at the College, or one who has passed an examination
by the the Board of Education. And the onus for the determination is put to the
applicant. Doesn't this put the onus on us all to recognize and acknowledge the
inevitable self-unfolding of infinite Mind as the central 'sun,' with amazing
results flowing from it? I certainly found the results amazing in my own
experience. (More is found in part 3)
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How
does one know?
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The
degree CSD
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The
light grows brighter
The
Empire of Mind - front page
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