The trend of human thought was very clear to Mary Baker Eddy. In the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she writes (p. 65), "The broadcast powers of evil so conspicuous to-day show themselves in the materialism and sensualism of the age, struggling against the advancing spiritual era." "But," our Leader states in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 129), "the spirit of humanity, ethics, and Christianity sown broadcast—all concomitants of Christian Science—is taking strong hold of the public thought throughout our beloved country and in foreign lands, and is tending to counteract the trend of mad ambition."
Who is responsible for counteracting the broadcasting of evil? Who will march against the seeming powers of darkness, which would wreck human happiness, and prove that the spiritual identity of man is inviolable? Again Mrs. Eddy supplies the answer in Miscellany (p. 158), and an inspiring answer it is. She says, "The burden of proof that Christian Science is Science rests on Christian Scientists."
What we have to prove, therefore, is not religion alone, but also Science. Next to the Master, our Leader was the greatest Christian Scientist the world has ever seen. What a blessing it is that Mrs. Eddy refused time-absorbing social engagements, that she even retired from the important work of healing the sick, after long and successful practice, in order to perpetuate her discovery of Christ's Christianity in terms of pure Science. In 1907 many important revisions of the text were made, and we have the final statement of absolute truth in Science and Health as we know it today. We, therefore, can go forth into the world adequately armed to carry on the moral and spiritually redemptive work of the apostles and the early Christian church, in order to demonstrate the power of the Christ. We rejoice in the study of the Scriptures and of our textbook, each divinely inspired to give forth the truth about God and man.
