The words Science and Health which distinguish our textbook, are not less anomalous in the field of book making, than are the words Christian Science in the field of metaphysics and religion. The idea that there was any such close relationship between science and health as to warrant the adoption of that name as the title of a book which should treat of the subject of healing disease, had its origin with the author of that work, the Rev. Mary B. G. Eddy.
It is true, materia medica makes claim to being a science, and through this science to aid in promoting health. But the conception that health was the outgrowth of science, or in any large sense was dependent upon it, excepting as those systems of speculation and experimentation which might more properly be designated as mere guess-work, laid claim thereto, had never, previously to the appearance of Science and Health, found its way into the world's literature. The world is full of treatises on health, and the laws of health; but they are all based on the claims of material medicine as handed down from the heathen world by Hippocrates; or by Hahneman as the result of his speculations and experiments, or by other material theories having reference to the physical rather than the spiritual man.
That there was the slightest connection between spiritual law and physical health, seems not to have entered into the human concepts. This surely is true so far as any well-devised system of healing is concerned. Science and Health is the only book extant which draws its healing inspiration from the sacred Scriptures in any systematic way. In every other system the Bible, filled as it is with healing admonitions, power and Truth, and plain as it is in its denunciation of reliance upon any other than the divine power, has been most strangely overlooked, or misapprehended. The teachings and demonstrations of Jesus have been wholly misunderstood and misapplied. His commands to the apostles and the disciples have been unheeded and misconstrued. No wonder then, that those whose eyes and ears have been partially opened should hail with unfeigned delight that book which teaches that Science is Health, and Health is Science; that book which points in an intelligible and unmistakable way to the great Physician as the only true Healer.
