Christ Jesus taught and sent out groups of disciples to heal sickness and sin. Not only were there the twelve disciples about whom we know a certain amount from the Bible records, but there were also the "other seventy." Luke's Gospel records: "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. . . . And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." Luke 10:1, 17;
Jesus saw that it was necessary to instruct his disciples in healing so that they could carry on the great work that he was starting. Mrs. Eddy, who discovered the Science upon which Jesus' teachings and works were based, also saw the necessity of instructing her followers in healing. She continued to teach for many years after her discovery until there were others qualified and ready to do the teaching. Then she devoted her time to writing and to the many other tasks demanding her attention in the great work of establishing the Christian Science movement, which was rapidly sweeping around the world.
After Mrs. Eddy had taught a number of students, she realized the importance of keeping these students together and instituted the first association, which she named the Christian Scientist Association. In writing of this event in her book, "Christian Science and Its Discoverer," E. Mary Ramsay says, "She had come to see the desirability of an organization which should hold her students together and act as a defence to preserve Christian Science pure and unsullied."Christian Science and Its Discoverer, p. 79; Later, following Mrs. Eddy's recommendation, all Christian Science teachers formed associations of their own students.
