1. - Levels of Spiritual Perception
in human consciousness

At the beginning of the Christian era, as it were a summation of mankind's spiritual development up to that point, projected forward, the Apostle John predicted in a profound metaphoric imagery the end of all evil through scientific and spiritual development. The metaphor that he used was that of a city foursquare descending from God out of heaven, recorded in the Bible in Revelation 21. 

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Mary Baker Eddy has used this metaphor of science, of the city foursquare, and build all of her major works in conformity with that structure of the city foursquare. In this manner, she brings all of her major works not only into the context of a profound metaphoric prophesy, but also into a scientific context to each other, and into a structural interrelationship that can be explored and utilized for individual scientific spiritual development that is as profound as her discovery of Christian Science and it's relationship to the greatest prophesy of all times, namely  that of the end of all evil through the scientific and spiritual development of mankind.

Since the city foursquare represents a matrix we deal with four distinct levels here, levels of consciousness, levels of spiritual perception.

When describing the city foursquare Mary Baker Eddy defined four "cardinal points" or main points which are evidently of fundamental importance when one considers the spiritual reality of our being. She defined them as follows: (Science and Health page 577)

(The city of our God)
This spiritual, holy habitation has no boundary nor limit, but its four cardinal points are:

first, the Word of Life, Truth, and Love;

second, the Christ, the spiritual idea of God;

third, Christianity, which is the outcome of the divine Principle of the Christ-idea in Christian history;

fourth, Christian Science, which to-day and forever interprets this great example and the great Exemplar.

By considering the nature of the cardinal points that Mary Baker Eddy has defined, it becomes evident that the cardinal points themselves are arranged as given in an upwards oriented hierarchical order, and can be so applied to the matrix (see illustration).

In addition, we can add the following hierarchical definitions from the Glossary that likewise represent levels of consciousness. These are, Day, Morning, Evening, and Night, and Heaven, Kingdom of Heaven, Earth, and Hell.

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2. The need for a partitioning of the matrix

We can also apply the levels of the translation of immortal mind and mortal mind from the Christian Science textbook (p. 115) to the matrix structure, according to their various levels.

SCIENTIFIC TRANSLATION OF IMMORTAL MIND

GOD: Divine Principle, Life, Truth, Love, Soul, Spirit, Mind. 
(divine synonyms)

MAN: God's spiritual idea, individual, perfect, eternal.
(divine image)

IDEA: An image in Mind; the immediate object of understanding. - Webster.
(divine reflection)

SCIENTIFIC TRANSLATION OF MORTAL MIND

First Degree: Depravity.
(unreality)

PHYSICAL. Evil beliefs, passions and appetites, fear, depraved will, self-justification, pride, envy, deceit, hatred, revenge, sin, sickness, disease, death.

Second Degree: Evil beliefs disappearing.
(transitional qualities)

MORAL. Humanity, honesty, affection, compassion, hope, faith, meekness, temperance.

Third Degree: Understanding.
(reality)

SPIRITUAL. Wisdom, purity, spiritual understanding, spiritual power, love, health, holiness.

Except the process of applying these structures poses somewhat of a problem. We have two separate structures of three parts each, but we have a four level matrix to apply them to. In other words, we need some guidance. As it has become obvious by now, this guidance can be found in the visual images in Christ and Christmas.

If we look at the scene of the painting that is associated with the textbook chapter in which the above two structures are presented we see an image of a tablet in the lap of the woman in the rocking chair, that is divided in a rather peculiar manner.

If one takes a closer look at the tablet the following image comes to light.

This image may not look like much, but it is profound as it describes the global partitioning of the entire matrix.  It shows a global portioning vertically down the center, and two horizontal portioning across the matrix. (Actually the logical partitioning had been recognized in part, before the image of the tablet was noticed, so that the discovery of it became merely a verification. It is obviously easier to find something when one knows what to look for.)

If one applies these partitioning to the matrix, the following comes to light. Please note that red lines of partitioning does reflect the image on the tablet.

3. The horizontal partitioning into two halves

As you can see, the vertical dividing line separates the matrix into two halves. If one looks at the interrelationship between the two halves one will find the left half deals with inward oriented concerns, related to the Word, and the Christ; while the right half deals with outward oriented concerns related to Christianity and divine Science. One will also find that the two halves are so designed that they can logically overlay each other, as shown above, by which the individual elements become logically matched. In other words, we deal with two matched sets of vertical columns, that reflect each other in spite of their different focus. 

4. The confrontational structure (vertical) 

Mary Baker Eddy's "translation of mortal mind" takes place in the three lower rows. They create a confrontational structure of the "spiritual" versus the "physical," or light versus darkness. The dividing line of this confrontational structure goes right through the middle of the domain of Christianity. Indeed, the domain of Christianity has been a volatile domain, open to wars and the worst depravities of the night of hell, but being open to the Christ at the same time in practical repentance and through scientific and spiritual development.

When one applies the 144 Glossary definitions, from the textbook, to the global matrix, one will find that the logical partitioning of the lower three rows, as shown above, becomes highly significant. One will find that the size of each of these partitions is such that we can have the seven days of creation and the seven synonyms for God represented in each column, standing as counterpoints of light to the corresponding areas of darkness in the lower part of the confrontational structure. 

5. The divine structure (vertical)

The translation of immortal Mind evidently takes place entirely within the upper row, related to the Word, and defined as Heaven, and Day. This is the row if divine reality, and at the center is man in a structural oneness with God, as the divine image of God.

An interesting question presents itself here. Does man, as the divine image of God, correspond with divine revelation. The Christ, evidently falls into this category, Mary Baker Eddy writes: "Christ expresses God's spiritual, eternal nature." (S&H p.333)

Mary Baker Eddy writes under the heading of "Divine trinity"

 Life, Truth, and Love constitute the triune Person called God, - that is, the triply divine Principle, Love. They represent a trinity in unity, three in one, - the same in essence, though multiform in office: God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of sonship; divine Science or the Holy Comforter. These three express in divine Science the threefold, essential nature of the infinite. They also indicate the divine Principle of scientific being, the intelligent relation of God to man and the universe.
(S&H p. 331)

It becomes evident from this description that the Christ, Christian Science, and divine Science, have the same origin as man, though with variances in office. The divine origin of man as divine image is important for a correct self-perception, and one's perceived relationship to the Christ and Christian Science. They are all at the same level. They may impact human consciousness in different ways, and in different domains of human living, but they reflect the same authority and the same absolute divine Principle.

It is tempting to regard the Christ Science as the gateway to reality, which it is. But the same must also be said about Christian Science and divine Science at every level where they impact on human consciousness. Christian Science operates in Hell, the domain of human error that God can have no knowledge of because there is no reality in it, but it acts as a gateway to reality by correcting erroneous perceptions wherever they may be found. This universal effect of scientific and spiritual development of human conscious is best expressed in the definition of Euphrates in the Glossary as: Divine Science encompassing the universe and man. The full definition is as follows.

Euphrates (river). Divine Science encompassing the universe and man; the true idea of God; a type of the glory which is to come; metaphysics taking the place of physics; the reign of righteousness. The atmosphere of human belief before it accepts sin, sickness, or death; a state of mortal thought, the only error of which is limitation; finity; the opposite of infinity.

The term Euphrates defines the operating domain of divine Science in the highest strata of human thought, the only error of which is limitation and finity. Divine Science is our gateway to the infinite. It encompasses all and will take us beyond the last challenge that we face, which is the human sense of limitation and finity. The Glossary structure if symbolic for that. It represents a structure for which there may never be a finite form as the infinite unfolding of infinite Principle becomes expressed in it. This may be the most challenging aspect of divine Science, the science of the divinity of man, to understand and acknowledge that there can be a form without finity and without limits as we find our existence in the domain of God.

6. Verification in metaphor

We can recognize the two unique operational structures that comprise three parts each, in the construction of the crown in Christ and Christmas. We find two three part clusters of jewels, and a construction at the center of seven leaves. Thus, all the vital aspects are represented, especially the two three part clusters. Both of these clusters are important to us, because the crown descends from God out of heaven.

The recognition of Christian Science as an emanation from God, unfolding from the great universal good of divine Love, infinite Mind, and divine Principle, is important to our understanding of Christian Science and our efficacy in healing. It tells us that we are dealing with something that is divine, profound, eternal, and complete. Nothing needs to be added to improve it, nor does anything need to be added externally to improve our understanding of it. Also the structures of divine Science that Mary Baker Eddy created for our scientific and spiritual development, which are evidently designed to enable us to fully utilize her discovery, are likewise divine, profound, eternal, and complete.

Mary Baker Eddy's work of discovering and founding is done. It does not need to be repeated or augmented, but it needs to be replicated in individual consciousness. And this we can do. Christian Science does not exist external to us. It is a part of man, universally, today and forever, like the Christ and the universal good, or God, divine Love. This aspect of Mary Baker Eddy's work needs to be cherished as a precious element of our being, and be demonstrated in healing and in uplifted and secure lives. The capacity to do this does not really come from us, but reflects the operations of God. We are privileged to give birth to them in our lives for the healing of humanity, including ourselves.

Rolf A. F. Witzsche