In Chapter VI of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy refers to her remarkable discovery of Christian Science in the year 1866 and tells of her ever-increasing faith in the allness of Mind, God, and the nothingness of matter. Following her discovery she was divinely motivated to write the textbook, which contains the scientific statement of this new and revolutionary idea.
During the thirty-five years which followed the publication of the first edition of this textbook in 1875, Mrs. Eddy devoted considerable time and energy to the revision of this work, deleting certain passages, adding others, rearranging chapters, and generally clarifying the text. In the last edition she writes (p. 361): "I have revised Science and Health only to give a clearer and fuller expression of its original meaning. Spiritual ideas unfold as we advance." As each successive improvement added to the completeness and spiritual value of the textbook, former editions were superseded.
Thus after long and consecrated labor, during which her listening thought was turned obediently heavenward, our faithful Leader left for posterity the final edition of Science and Health, which we have today. This edition contains the statement of absolute Christian Science, the ultimate Word of God, and provides the spiritual interpretation of the Bible which heals.
