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from pain； disease； decay； and every ill that flesh is heir to。〃
〃Surely not every ill； every decay？〃
〃Every one； there are no exceptions； there is no such thing as decayit
is an unreality； it has no existence。〃
〃But without your glasses your failing eyesight does not permit you to〃
〃My eyesight cannot fail； nothing can fail； the Mind is master； and the
Mind permits no retrogression。〃
She was under the inspiration of the Third Degree； therefore there could
be no profit in continuing this part of the subject。 I shifted to other
ground and inquired further concerning the Discoverer of the Science。
〃Did the discovery come suddenly； like Klondike； or after long study and
calculation； like America？〃
〃The comparisons are not respectful； since they refer to trivialities
but let it pass。 I will answer in the Discoverer's own words： 'God had
been graciously fitting me； during many years； for the reception of a
final revelation of the absolute Principle of Scientific Mind…healing。〃
〃Many years。 How many？〃
〃Eighteen centuries！〃
〃AllGod； Godgood； goodGod； Truth； Bones； Liver； one of a series；
alone and without equalit is amazing！〃
〃You may well say it； sir。 Yet it is but the truth This American lady；
our revered and sacred Founder； is distinctly referred to； and her coming
prophesied； in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse； she could not have
been more plainly indicated by St。 John without actually mentioning her
name。〃
〃How strange； how wonderful！〃
〃I will quote her own words； from her Key to the Scriptures： 'The twelfth
chapter of the Apocalypse has a special suggestiveness in connection with
this nineteenth century。' Theredo you note that？ Thinknote it well。〃
〃Butwhat does it mean？〃
〃Listen； and you will know。 I quote her inspired words again： 'In the
opening of the Sixth Seal； typical of six thousand years since Adam；
there is one distinctive feature which has special reference to the
present age。 Thus：
〃'Revelation xii。 I。 And there appeared a great wonder in heavena
woman clothed with the sun； and the moon under her feet； and upon her
head a crown of twelve stars。'
〃That is our Head； our Chief； our Discoverer of Christian Science
nothing can be plainer； nothing surer。 And note this：
〃'Revelation xii。 6。 And the woman fled into the wilderness； where she
had a place prepared of God。'
〃That is Boston。 I recognize it； madam。 These are sublime things； and
impressive； I never understood these passages before； please go on with
thewith theproofs。〃
〃Very well。 Listen：
〃'And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven； clothed with a
cloud； and a rainbow was upon his head； and his face was as it were the
sun； and his feet as pillars of fire。 And he held in his hand a little
book。'
〃A little book； merely a little bookcould words be modester？ Yet how
stupendous its importance！ Do you know what book that was？〃
〃Was it〃
〃I hold it in my handChristian Science！〃
〃Love； Livers； Lights； Bones； Truth； Kidneys； one of a series； alone and
without equal it is beyond imagination for wonder！〃
〃Hear our Founder's eloquent words： 'Then will a voice from harmony cry；
〃Go and take the little book： take it and eat it up； and it shall make
thy belly bitter； but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey。〃 Mortal；
obey the heavenly evangel。 Take up Divine Science。 Read it from
beginning to end。 Study it； ponder it。 It will be； indeed； sweet at its
first taste； when it heals you； but murmur not over Truth； if you find
its digestion bitter。' You now know the history of our dear and holy
Science； sir； and that its origin is not of this earth； but only its
discovery。 I will leave the book with you and will go； now； but give
yourself no uneasiness I will give you absent treatment from now till I
go to bed。〃
CHAPTER III
Under the powerful influence of the near treatment and the absent
treatment together； my bones were gradually retreating inward and
disappearing from view。 The good work took a brisk start； now； and went
on swiftly。 My body was diligently straining and stretching； this way
and that； to accommodate the processes of restoration； and every minute
or two I heard a dull click inside and knew that the two ends of a
fracture had been successfully joined。 This muffled clicking and
gritting and grinding and rasping continued during the next three hours；
and then stoppedthe connections had all been made。 All except
dislocations； there were only seven of these： hips； shoulders； knees；
neck； so that was soon over； one after another they slipped into their
sockets with a sound like pulling a distant cork； and I jumped up as good
as new； as to framework； and sent for the horse…doctor。
I was obliged to do this because I had a stomach…ache and a cold in the
head； and I was not willing to trust these things any longer in the hands
of a woman whom I did not know； and whose ability to successfully treat
mere disease I had lost all confidence。 My position was justified by the
fact that the cold and the ache had been in her charge from the first；
along with the fractures； but had experienced not a shade of relief； and；
indeed； the ache was even growing worse and worse； and more and more
bitter； now； probably on account of the protracted abstention from food
and drink。
The horse…doctor came； a pleasant man and full of hope and professional
interest in the case。 In the matter of smell he was pretty aromaticin
fact； quite horsyand I tried to arrange with him for absent treatment；
but it was not in his line； so； out of delicacy； I did not press it。 He
looked at my teeth and examined my hock； and said my age and general
condition were favorable to energetic measures； therefore he would give
me something to turn the stomach…ache into the botts and the cold in the
head into the blind staggers； then he should be on his own beat and would
know what to do。 He made up a bucket of bran…mash； and said a dipperful
of it every two hours； alternated with a drench with turpentine and axle…
grease in it； would either knock my ailments out of me in twenty…four
hours； or so interest me in other ways as to make me forget they were on
the premises。 He administered my first dose himself； then took his
leave； saying I was free to eat and drink anything I pleased and in any
quantity I liked。 But I was not hungry any more； and did not care for
food。
I took up the Christian Science book and read half of it； then took a
dipperful of drench and read the other half。 The resulting experiences
were full of interest and adventure。 All through the rumblings and
grindings and quakings and effervescings accompanying the evolution of
the ache into the botts and the cold into the blind staggers I could note
the generous struggle for mastery going on between the mash and the
drench and the literature； and often I could tell which was ahead； and
could easily distinguish the literature from the others when the others
were separate； though not when they were mixed； for when a bran…mash and
an eclectic drench are mixed together they look just like the Apodictical
Principle out on a lark； and no one can tell it from that。 The finish
was reached at last； the evolutions were complete； and a fine success；
but I think that this result could have been achieved with fewer
materials。 I believe the mash was necessary to the conversion of the
stomach…ache into the botts； but I think one could develop the blind
staggers out of the literature by itself； also； that blind staggers
produced in this way would be of a better quality and more lasting than
any produced by the artificial processes of the horse…doctor。
For of all the strange and frantic and incomprehensible and
uninterpretable books which the imagination of man has created； surely
this one is the prize sample。 It is written with a limitless confidence
and complacency； and with a dash and stir and earnestness which often
compel the effects of eloquence； even when the words do not seem to have
any traceable meaning。 There are plenty of people who imagine they
understand the book； I know this； for I have talked with them； but in all
cases they were people who also imagined that there were no such things
as pain； sickness； and death； and no realities in the world； nothing
actually existent but Mind。 It seems to me to modify the value of their
testimony。 When these people talk about Christian Science they do as
Mrs。 Fuller did： they do not use their own language； but the book's； they
pour out the book's showy incoherences； and leave you to find out later
that they were not originating； but merely quoting； they seem to know the
volume by heart； and to revere it as they would a Bible another Bible；
perhaps I ought to say。 Plainly the book was written under the mental
desolations of the Third Degree； and I feel sure that none but the
membership of that Degree can discover meanings in it。 When you read it
you seem to be listening to a lively and aggressive and oracular speech
delivered in an unknown tongue； a speech whose spirit you get but not the
particulars； or； to change the figure； you seem to be listening to a
vigorous instr