AS the years go by, and the Bible is studied more and more by Christian Scientists, a desire comes at times to grasp more fully the meaning of the passages which seem to be obscure, the difficulty in many cases being due to their Oriental setting. All who are familiar with the literature of Christian Science are aware that Mrs. Eddy gained her understanding of spiritual law from the Bible, which was illumined for her by the "Spirit of truth" promised by Christ Jesus. It may be said that her first great discovery in her quest for Truth was the divine Principle of the universe and man, and this assured her that the wonders recorded in Holy Writ were presentations of fact, of reality. At this point she says, "I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and demonstration" (Science and Health, p. 109). Here it should be noted that this great gain in spiritual understanding, which has blessed unnumbered thousands and brought healing, hope, and uplifting throughout the entire world, did not come to Mrs. Eddy through the study of any special translation or revision of the Scriptures, but through the old Bible so dear to Christian people.
Some may ask here whether it is wrong to make use of the various modern renderings of the Holy Scriptures purporting to be more correct translations of the original text than is afforded by what is known as the King James Version. To this it may be answered briefly, that while other translations may be very useful for comparative study, we may be sure that in what is generally known as the authorized revision of the King James Bible we have a reliable and authoritative translation of the original text.
Before going farther it may be well to recall these words of our revered Leader, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (Science and Health, p. 494). The great need of humanity for a better acquaintance with God's Holy Word was acutely felt at the time of the Reformation, and so the printing-press came to supply this demand. Luther, Wyelif, Tyndale, and others counted not their lives dear in the effort to send forth the Scriptures in their purity, in the tongue of the peoples who were ready for the gift. What these men accomplished, by the grace of God, we can perhaps but poorly estimate, but their names surely deserve to be remembered among those who first "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
