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〃Is a cat's opinion about pain valuable？〃
〃A cat has no opinion； opinions proceed from mind only； the lower
animals； being eternally perishable； have not been granted mind； without
mind； opinion is impossible。〃
〃She merely imagined she felt a painthe cat？〃
〃She cannot imagine a pain； for imagining is an effect of mind； without
mind； there is no imagination。 A cat has no imagination。〃
〃Then she had a real pain？〃
〃I have already told you there is no such thing as real pain。〃
〃It is strange and interesting。 I do wonder what was the matter with the
cat。 Because； there being no such thing as a real pain； and she not
being able to imagine an imaginary one； it would seem that God in His
pity has compensated the cat with some kind of a mysterious emotion
usable when her tail is trodden on which； for the moment； joins cat and
Christian in one common brotherhood of〃
She broke in with an irritated
〃Peace！ The cat feels nothing； the Christian feels nothing。 Your empty
and foolish imaginings are profanation and blasphemy； and can do you an
injury。 It is wiser and better and holier to recognize and confess that
there is no such thing as disease or pain or death。〃
〃I am full of imaginary tortures；〃 I said； 〃but I do not think I could be
any more uncomfortable if they were real ones。 What must I do to get rid
of them？〃
〃There is no occasion to get rid of them。 since they do not exist。 They
are illusions propagated by matter； and matter has no existence； there is
no such thing as matter。〃
〃It sounds right and clear； but yet it seems in a degree elusive； it
seems to slip through； just when you think you are getting a grip on it。〃
〃Explain。〃
〃Well； for instance： if there is no such thing as matter； how can matter
propagate things？〃
In her compassion she almost smiled。 She would have smiled if there were
any such thing as a smile。
〃It is quite simple；〃 she said； 〃the fundamental propositions of
Christian Science explain it； and they are summarized in the four
following self…evident propositions：
1。 God is All in all。
2。 God is good。 Good is Mind
3。 God； Spirit； being all； nothing is matter
4。 Life； God； omnipotent Good； deny death； evil； sin； disease。
Therenow you see。〃
It seemed nebulous； it did not seem to say anything about the difficulty
in handhow non…existent matter can propagate illusions I said； with
some hesitancy：
〃Doesdoes it explain？〃
〃Doesn't it？ Even if read backward it will do it。〃
With a budding hope； I asked her to do it backwards。
〃Very well。 Disease sin evil death deny Good omnipotent God life matter
is nothing all being Spirit God Mind is Good good is God all in All is
God。 There do you understand now？
〃Ititwell； it is plainer than it was before； still 〃
〃Well？〃
〃Could you try it some more ways？〃
〃As many as you like； it always means the same。 Interchanged in any way
you please it cannot be made to mean anything different from what it
means when put in any other way。 Because it is perfect。 You can jumble
it all up； and it makes no difference： it always comes out the way it was
before。 It was a marvelous mind that produced it。 As a mental tour de
force it is without a mate； it defies alike the simple； the concrete； and
the occult。〃
〃It seems to be a corker。〃
I blushed for the word； but it was out before I could stop it。
〃A what？〃
〃Awonderful structurecombination； so to speak； of profound thoughts
unthinkable onesum〃
It is true。 Read backward； or forward； or perpendicularly； or at any
given angle； these four propositions will always be found to agree in
statement and proof。〃
〃Ahproof。 Now we are coming at it。 The statements agree； they agree
withwithanyway； they agree； I noticed that； but what is it they prove
I mean； in particular？〃
〃Why； nothing could be clearer。 They prove：
1。 GODPrinciple； Life；
Truth； Love； Soul； Spirit； Mind。 Do you get that？〃
〃Iwell； I seem to。 Go on； please。〃
〃2。 MANGod's universal idea； individual； perfect； eternal。 Is it
clear？〃
〃ItI think so。 Continue。〃
〃3。 IDEAAn image in Mind； the immediate object of understanding。
There it isthe whole sublime Arcana of Christian Science in a nutshell。
Do you find a weak place in it anywhere？〃
〃Wellno； it seems strong。〃
〃Very well There is more。 Those three constitute the Scientific
Definition of Immortal Mind。 Next； we have the Scientific Definition of
Mortal Mind。 Thus。 FIRST DEGREE： Depravity I。 Physical…Passions and
appetites； fear； depraved will； pride； envy； deceit； hatred； revenge；
sin； disease； death。〃
〃Phantasms； madamunrealities； as I understand it。〃
〃Every one。 SECOND DEGREE： Evil Disappearing。 I。 Moral…Honesty；
affection； compassion； hope； faith； meekness； temperance。 Is it clear？〃
〃Crystal。〃
〃THIRD DEGREE： Spiritual Salvation。 I。 Spiritual…Faith； wisdom； power；
purity； understanding； health； love。 You see how searchingly and co…
ordinately interdependent and anthropomorphous it all is。 In this Third
Degree； as we know by the revelations of Christian Science； mortal mind
disappears。〃
〃Not earlier？〃
〃No； not until the teaching and preparation for the Third Degree are
completed。〃
〃It is not until then that one is enabled to take hold of Christian
Science effectively； and with the right sense of sympathy and kinship；
as I understand you。 That is to say； it could not succeed during the
processes of the Second Degree； because there would still be remains of
mind left； and thereforebut I interrupted you。 You were about to
further explain the good results proceeding from the erosions and
disintegrations effected by the Third Degree。 It is very interesting；
go on； please。〃
〃Yes； as I was saying； in this Third Degree mortal mind disappears。
Science so reverses the evidence before the corporeal human senses as to
make this scriptural testimony true in our hearts； 'the last shall be
first and the first shall be last；' that God and His idea may be to us
what divinity really is； and must of necessity be all…inclusive。〃
〃It is beautiful。 And with what exhaustive exactness your choice and
arrangement of words confirm and establish what you have claimed for the
powers and functions of the Third Degree。 The Second could probably
produce only temporary absence of mind； it is reserved to the Third to
make it permanent。 A sentence framed under the auspices of the Second
could have a kind of meaninga sort of deceptive semblance of it
whereas it is only under the magic of the Third that that defect would
disappear。 Also； without doubt； it is the Third Degree that contributes
another remarkable specialty to Christian Scienceviz。； ease and flow
and lavishness of words； and rhythm and swing and smoothness。 There must
be a special reason for this？〃
〃YesGod all； allGod； good God； non…Matter； Matteration； Spirit；
Bones； Truth。〃
〃That explains it。〃
〃There is nothing in Christian Science that is not explicable； for God is
one； Time is one； Individuality is one； and may be one of a series； one
of many； as an individual man； individual horse； whereas God is one； not
one of a series； but one alone and withou