IN his biography entitled "Mary Baker Eddy: A Life Size Portrait" (1950 Edition) Lyman P. Powell included on page 316 a letter from Mrs. Eddy to one of her students in which she wrote, "A real scientific Healer is the highest position attainable in this sphere of being." She added: "Your aid to reach this goal is spiritualization. To achieve this you must have one God, one affection, one way, one Mind. Society, flattery, popularity are temptations in your pursuit of growth spiritual. Avoid them as much as in you lies. Pray daily, never miss praying, no matter how often: 'Lead me not into temptation,' —scientifically rendered,—Lead me not to lose sight of strict purity, clean pure thoughts; let all my thoughts and aims be high, unselfish, charitable, meek,—spiritually minded. With this altitude of thought your mind is losing materiality and gaining spirituality and this is the state of mind that heals the sick."
With such a goal before them, Christian Science practitioners have a glimpse, at least, of the necessity of spiritual growth in attaining the ability to heal the sick through spiritual means.
Every conscientious practitioner yearns for the ability to heal the sick quickly and permanently—to attain the position of "scientific Healer" as envisioned by Mrs. Eddy. He desires above all else to bring to those who depend upon this Science for healing the spiritual forces and energies that are available to mankind through a spiritual understanding of God and of man's relationship to Him.
