In the reformation inaugurated by Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy was careful to trust to healing rather than to controversy. Progress was achieved more by betterments than by battles. The true mode of progress is well defined in Science and Health (p. 256), where, in speaking of progress, Mrs. Eddy says, "Advancing to a higher plane of action, thought rises from the material sense to the spiritual, from the scholastic to the inspirational, and from the mortal to the immortal."
The sermon in Christian Science services is not composed by a personal pastor or preacher who delivers his message in his own words. It is well known that Mrs. Eddy dispensed with this form of personal preaching at the time when the church building in Boston was dedicated—the first Sunday of 1895. The announcement given in the dedicatory address by her was: "I have ordained the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,' as pastor of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston,—so long as this church is satisfied with this pastor" (Pulpit and Press, p. 7). Of these books she said in the Manual (Art. XIV, Sect. 1) that "they will continue to preach for this Church and the world."
In the Christian Science churches there is regularly held a midweek devotional service where opportunity is given to the visitor to listen to testimonies of healing, and of happy experiences whereby health and harmony have come into homes, assuring the welfare of children and adults through the help given to them by Christian Science. These many experiences reveal in the aggregate in a remarkable way the fact that God's goodness is ever present. Men are able to see that a redemptive force is at work today, fulfilling the promises of seers and prophets and the cherished hopes of men recorded in the Scriptures.
