From the early years of the Christian era to the year 1866 the healing power of Christ Jesus' teaching had disappeared from human history. During this long period many brilliant philosophers and teachers, not unversed in metaphysics, endeavored to penetrate the veil which was indeed spread over all nations. Acute of intellect and broadly educated, they made strides at times toward the perception of Truth. They even came face to face with the nothingness of matter, only to draw back in fear at what they saw and to retreat in disorder to the ground they had previously abandoned.
Much human philosophy has endeavored to reconcile mind with matter and has failed in the attempt. Religious teaching, likewise, had its closed gate beyond which there was no passing. This dogmatic barrier was built on the doctrine that the healing power of the early Christians was a divine gift working for a limited time only, and not to be repeated in human experience. The fixity of this conviction may be judged by the fact that it was universally accepted throughout Christendom, there being virtually no effort made to challenge it for over fifteen hundred years.
In the nineteenth century a modest and unassuming woman appeared, to lead an assault on this wall of separation that would shut off the Christly teaching from a world tragically in need of it. Spiritual perception was again at work in the darkness of human resistance. It was revealed to Mary Baker Eddy that Jesus' healing power was based on a law, a law that she was convinced could be found and explained, and her search for that law began.
