Mary Baker Eddy closes her book "Retrospection and Introspection" with these words by A. E. Hamilton:
Ask God to give thee skill
In comfort's art:
That thou may'st consecrated be
And set apart
Unto a life of sympathy.
For heavy is the weight of ill
In every heart;
And comforters are needed much
Of Christlike touch.
The earnest desire of every Christian Scientist is that this "Christlike touch" may be manifested in his contacts with others, whatever his situation may be. It is clear that an understanding of the Christ is basic to the fulfilling of this desire; therefore the Scientist turns to the teachings of Christ Jesus and to the writings of Mrs. Eddy to gain the needed understanding. On page 583 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy defines "Christ" as follows: "The divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error." Thoughtful study of this definition shows that the Christ, being the manifestation of God, can in no way be material, although it does destroy the error embodied in mortal thought.
