IT is highly desirable that students of Christian Science should gain and maintain more correct knowledge of its teachings in some of its important aspects. For example, it is right, first of all, to understand that Christian Science is revealed truth rather than the mere expression of human opinion about the truth. Mary Baker Eddy herself, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science and its revelator in this age. had no doubt on this point. She says on page 109 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "I knew the Principle of all harmonious Mind-action to be God, and that cures were produced in primitive Christian healing by holy, uplifting faith; but I must know the Science of this healing, and I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and demonstration. The revelation of Truth in the understanding came to me gradually and apparently through divine power." Mrs. Eddy often uses the terms "reason" and "demonstration" in connection with revelation when referring to her discovery.
Christian Science may be rightly regarded as based upon Scriptural prophecy, particularly upon the statements of Christ Jesus and St. John. In Revelation there are many statements which have been correctly interpreted as bearing directly upon the discovery of Christian Science, and in John's Gospel is found direct reference to its appearing in the words uttered by Jesus, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter," and "he will guide you into all truth." That Mrs. Eddy regarded Christian Science as the Comforter promised by Jesus there can be no doubt. She says on page 55 of Science and Health: "In the words of St. John: 'He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.' This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science." In this instance Mrs. Eddy referred to Christian Science as Divine Science and at other times as Christ Science; but when referring to it as her discovery of the spiritual idea of God, she more often called it Christian Science.
It should be well understood that Christian Science is not an invention, that it is not the expression of human opinion, but that it is a discovery to this age and future ages of the truth which was demonstrated by Christ Jesus in the healing of sickness and sin. It is the same Science of spiritual healing that was demonstrated by Jesus when he healed the man with the withered hand, and in the many other instances of healing recorded in the Gospels. It is the same Science which was practiced by Peter and John, by Paul, and by the primitive Christians for several centuries after the ascension of Jesus. Thus it is seen that Christian Science is the reinstatement of primitive Christianity.
