The practice of Christian Science is a scientific practice; it is therefore exact, and not speculative. The truth concerning God and man, when entertained and understood by the Christian Science practitioner, heals with certainty. In Christian Science practice physical difficulties can be traced to errors of thought, and when the moral and spiritual outlook is improved, the physical difficulty is destroyed. The Master, Christ Jesus, must have indicated this when he healed the palsied man, as recorded in the ninth chapter of Matthew, for he said, "For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?"
The demand for moral betterment made by Christian Science is not confined to the practitioner, but includes the patient also. A moral and spiritual awakening accompanies the healing ministry of this Science, and this awakening goes on in each individual consciousness until the basic fact of Truth becomes firmly established; namely, that man is a son of God, reflecting the power, presence, affluence, and wisdom of his Maker.
There should be no time process in the healing work. In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 14), "Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual,—neither in nor of matter,—and the body will then utter no complaints." Mrs. Eddy here points out that the emancipation of thought and consequent healing of the body take place instantaneously when the true relationship of man to God is realized. It is this realization which is the goal of both patient and practitioner. Christian Science reveals the nature of God and the nature of man as God's image and likeness. Definitions of both God and man are to be found in our textbook.
