Our Master, Christ Jesus, founded his church on the spiritual understanding of the healing Christ, Truth. He charged his disciples to go "into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). And he promised, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Mary Baker Eddy discovered and founded Christian Science and organized and established the Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1879. In the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy, we read (Historical Sketch, p. 17), "At a meeting of the Christian Scientist Association, April 12, 1879, on motion of Mrs. Eddy, it was voted,—To organize a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing." Thus, Christian healing was designated as the natural, legitimate, and indispensable mission of the religion of Christian Science.
The preservation and fulfillment of this high mission of our church is the sacred duty and privilege of all Christian Scientists. This purpose should be foremost in the hearts of all members of The Mother Church and of its branch churches all over the world. The consecration of each member to the promotion of the great Cause of Christian Science, with the conscientious endeavor to rise obediently to the demands given in the Manual, will aid in the accomplishment of this mission. Mrs. Eddy says (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 230): "This church is impartial. Its rules apply not to one member only, but to one and all equally. Of this I am sure, that each Rule and By-law in this Manual will increase the spirituality of him who obeys it, invigorate his capacity to heal the sick, to comfort such as mourn, and to awaken the sinner."
