In "Miscellaneous Writings," Mrs. Eddy says (p. 370): "In different ages the divine idea assumes different forms, according to humanity's needs. In this age it assumes, more intelligently than ever before, the form of Christian healing. This is the babe we are to cherish. This is the babe that twines its loving arms about the neck of omnipotence, and calls forth infinite care from His loving heart."
To Abram, the divine idea appeared as "Melchizedek king of Salem... priest of the most high God" (Gen. 14:18), described in the New Testament as being "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God" (Hebr. 7:3). Here "the Son of God" refers to the Messiah, or Christ, the true spiritual selfhood of the man Jesus. In Christ Jesus the divine idea of sonship assumed the form of the Way-shower, the master Metaphysician, whose exemplary works of Christian healing were perceptible to mankind.
Why, one might ask, should the divine idea assume in this age," more intelligently than ever before, the form of Christian healing"? Is it not because human thought has risen to a level where Christian healing alone can genuinely meet humanity's needs? A perusal of today's newspapers and magazines bears this out. Here the pitiful and frantic search for health and vigor in matter is glaringly exposed. Drugs employed in the effort to reach these desirable goals have caused public concern because of their ultimate ineffectiveness, as well as their many harmful side effects. This indicates humanity's need for a remedy outside of matter—the remedy of absolute Truth.
