CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS may well ask themselves, "What does Mary Baker Eddy mean to me and to humanity as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science and its Leader?" The answer to this question is tremendously important to the present age, which is seeking more and more for the Christly, spiritual way to meet the grave problems of mankind.
As the Discoverer, Mrs. Eddy has given us the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Almost every type of disease and sin has been healed through the reading of this book.
With the appearing of Christian Science there is dawning on the world a new concept of man as spiritual, perfect, individual, eternal, because God is perfect Spirit. As individuals perceive this view of man and practice it, relationships with others are spiritualized, so that business, home, school—all phases of human activity—are blessed.
Christian Science reveals that the mortal sense of man is a misconception, a counterfeit, which can be put off. The truth of perfect God and perfect man as it is progressively demonstrated, individually and collectively, utterly destroys such enslaving, ravaging mortal concepts as strife, hatred, spite, revenge.
As one understands the scientific relation between God and man, he must necessarily be grateful to the one through whose pure, uplifted consciousness it was revealed. Not only is he grateful, but he is willing to nullify through consecrated prayer the world's opposition to Christian Science and its Discoverer. He discerns more of God's great love, purpose, and design for all His children and stands firmly for Christian Science in every situation. In this way, the beneficent action of Christ clears the pathway of spiritual obscuration and draws the wanderer to the Church of Christ, Scientist.
During the past few years it has been my privilege, at the request of the State Committee on Publication, to speak to many non-Christian Science groups. One question which seems uppermost in the thoughts of many young high school students, and of adults as well, is, "Why do Christian Scientists make so much of Mrs. Eddy?"
Students of this Science do not deify Mrs. Eddy, but they do love and revere her for having given them a practical and scientific way to follow our Master, Christ Jesus. And our Leader was a most consistent follower of Jesus. In fact, she states in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 214), "My students need to search the Scriptures and 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,' to understand the personal Jesus' labor in the flesh for their salvation."
Christian Scientists regard Mrs. Eddy as the revelator of spiritual truths to this age, and they feel that Christian Science is the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus, the master Christian, consoled his disciples on the eve of his betrayal. He told them that he would send the Comforter, that his peace was with them, and that they should abide in him. The many whom Christian Science has healed through a new concept of religion which includes healing the sick are grateful to acknowledge Mrs. Eddy's discovery of divine Science as the coming of the promised Comforter.
The world needs to feel more fully the salvation which Science freely offers to suffering humanity. Let us do our part as faithful students. We may find inspiration in Mrs. Eddy's words on page 30 of "Retrospection and Introspection," where she speaks of being the pioneer of Christian Science and of standing alone in the conflict with error. She writes: "St. Paul declared that the law was the schoolmaster, to bring him to Christ. Even so was I led into the mazes of divine metaphysics through the gospel of suffering, the providence of God, and the cross of Christ. No one else can drain the cup which I have drunk to the dregs as the Discoverer and teacher of Christian Science; neither can its inspiration be gained without tasting this cup."
Christian Scientists today can speak with joy to the multitudes as the voice from heaven spoke to John in the prophetic words recorded in the book of Revelation (10:8): "Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth"; and, as the angel said, "Take it, and eat it up."
Many years ago, when I was just beginning to study Christian Science seriously, I had an interview with an experienced practitioner and teacher who told me lovingly that if I wished to progress in Christian Science I must never separate Mrs. Eddy's discovery from her founding —that our demonstration of Christian Science must be through a spiritual understanding of Church. Thus, I always think of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, when considering Mrs. Eddy as Founder.
One can never ponder enough each By-law of the Manual of The Mother Church by our Leader. The Manual governs the Church, and its government is divine. The simplicity of the Christ is witnessed in each By-Law, every detail of which is capable of the infinite expansion required for spiritual development in the individual Scientist and collectively for the Church.
Mrs. Eddy has given to the world a high art of healing, and within the framework of the Church is found a holy ministry devoted to healing the sick and the sinning. It includes practitioners and nurses and the resources of practical nursing care in the Sanatoriums of the Christian Science Benevolent Associations.
Mrs. Eddy had an exalted sense of Church, built upon the rock of Christ. Paul writes, "Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body" (Eph. 5:23). Inherent in our worship of God is the healing power of Christ, without material modes. The Church of Christ, Scientist, is dedicated to proving Christ as "the saviour of the body." Christian Scientists understand this to mean not only the individual human body, but the body of world thought as it relates to every phase of human experience. Mrs. Eddy brought to the world through her Church the knowledge that God is not only Father but Mother as well. To Christian Scientists, The Mother Church is the visible expression of the love of God as Mother.
As I began to love and cherish these facts concerning Mrs. Eddy, I saw her importance as Leader. Her works lead one directly to the Bible's spiritual import and especially to the ministry of Christ Jesus, who said (John 6:63), "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
These words, through Christian Science, have a continuing relevancy and are found demonstrable through its Principle. How grateful I have been for this inspired study and research! Every sincere student who loves the messengers, Christ Jesus and Mrs. Eddy, will find his inspiration growing, his love for God developing, his trust in God's provision and care for him sure and certain, his hope in the expectancy of good constant, his joy unbounded, and his faith more spiritual. He will rejoice in the Master's words (John 8:31, 32), "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
