At one time when Christ Jesus came to Capernaum, he questioned the disciples as to the nature of an argument they had had among themselves on the way. It is to their credit that they were ashamed of the dispute and were silent, "for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest." But the Master knew their thoughts, and he settled the controversy by rebuking selfishness and wrong ambition and by pointing a lesson in humility and unselfed service for others. Jesus stressed the value of Christian deeds more than doctrine and dogma, of healing and redemptive works more than mere words. His test if discipleship demanded Christian works, for he said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."
So long as this test was adhered to and Christians followed the example of Christ Jesus in healing sickness as well as sin by spiritual power and means alone, the unity of the Christian church was well maintained. But after this healing mission was lost sight of, because of the material teachings with their rites and rituals which stole into the church, doctrinal differences arose, resulting in dissension, discord, and divisions among the brethren. The preferential placing of personality ahead of Principle, introducing a deadening expression of human domination, more completely displaced the sense of man's divinely bestowed dominion over evil by darkening the thought of Christian believers. Thus it appears that the number of sects due to divisions has increased proportionately as well-meaning but oftentimes misdirected men have engaged in "doubtful disputations" over doctrinal points and forms of worship. To be sure, this classification does not include those upward-looking and forward-moving religious organizations which were started in protest against palpably pernicious practices.
Beginning with the Reformation, Christian believers gradually emerged from the dense darkness of materialism, superstition, and fear into the light of more spiritual concepts. The light of revelation was discerned clearly by Mary Baker Eddy and resulted in her discovery of Christian Science, in the presentation of her spiritual discovery in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and in the practice and proof of her teachings. The ever increasing hosts of students and beneficiaries of Christian Science are impressed by the Christian consistency, logic, and unity of its teaching, as well as by the convincingly verifying healing works which are being accomplished through the spiritual understanding it confers. The rules of Christian Science for right thinking and right living were inspired by, are based upon, and exemplify the precepts and practice of Christ Jesus. There is no occasion for "doubtful disputations" among students of Christian Science, because the test of their spiritual understanding is found in the argument of good works, healing sickness and overcoming sin, rather than in bandying words. Indeed, Christian Scientists accept and strive to abide by the unanswerable argument of James, "Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
