0.0 – Christian Science Publication Contents

CONTAGION 

21	    Whatever man sees, feels, or in any way takes cog-
  	nizance of, must be caught through mind; inasmuch
  	as perception, sensation, and consciousness belong to
24	mind and not to matter. Floating with the popular
  	current of mortal thought without questioning the re-
  	liability of its conclusions, we do what others do,
27	believe what others believe, and say what others say. 
  	Common consent is contagious, and it makes disease
  	catching. 
30	    People believe in infectious and contagious diseases,
 
 Miscellaneous Writings --- Contagion                                         
 page 229

 1	and that any one is liable to have them under certain
  	predisposing or exciting causes. This mental state pre-
 3	pares one to have any disease whenever there appear the
  	circumstances which he believes produce it. If he believed
  	as sincerely that health is catching when exposed to con-
 6	tact with healthy people, he would catch their state of
  	feeling quite as surely and with better effect than he does
  	the sick man's. 
 9	    If only the people would believe that good is more
  	contagious than evil, since God is omnipresence, how
  	much more certain would be the doctor's success, and
12	the clergyman's conversion of sinners. And if only the
  	pulpit would encourage faith in God in this direction,
  	and faith in Mind over all other influences governing
15	the receptivity of the body, theology would teach man
  	as... David taught: "Because thou hast made the Lord,
  	which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation;
18	there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague
  	come nigh thy dwelling." 
  	    The confidence of mankind in contagious disease would
21	thus become beautifully less; and in the same propor-
  	tion would faith in the power of God to heal and to save
  	mankind increase, until the whole human race would
24	become healthier, holier, happier, and longer lived. A
  	calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventive of
  	contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sana-
27	tive method; and the "perfect Love" that "casteth out
  	fear" is a sure defense. 
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