Whether we are seeking to heal ourselves, or have been asked to give Christian Science treatment for someone else, we want to be successful at it. Our goal is to heal quickly and permanently, as Christ Jesus did. Yet where can we turn for practical guidance in spiritual healing? There aren't many elaborations in the Gospels of what Jesus said and taught. For instance, Jesus told his disciples that their "unbelief" was the reason they had failed to heal an epileptic boy, and that "this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Matt. 17:14–21 But the gospel accounts don't give much in the way of direct explanation of such terms as unbelief and fasting. And although Jesus often healed extreme cases, we don't know specifically how he prayed in most of those cases. It remained for the divine laws on which Jesus' healing practice was based to be explained in Christian Science. This Science is fully outlined by its Discoverer, Mary Baker Eddy, in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. This essential book for Christian healers gives the rules that enable each of us to approximate Jesus' works today.
One vital point that shines through in Jesus' healing work is his supreme certainty of the divine source of his healing power. He knew without doubt, understood with unsurpassed clarity, that God is the only power, and that material conditions have no actual power or substance. And he taught his followers to trust divine power absolutely. When Peter, walking on the water, became frightened and sank, Jesus caught him and said, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
Matt. 14:31
Mary Baker Eddy had a clear understanding of the divine source of the Science she had discovered and of all true healing power. This gave her unwavering confidence when giving Christian Science treatment. Rev. Irving C. Tomlinson, who served for a time as one of Mrs. Eddy's secretaries, gives an example of her rock-solid understanding of divine power. He tells of a time when Calvin Frye, Mrs. Eddy's longtime secretary, was found "unconscious and apparently in a death stupor." He says Mrs. Eddy "commanded Mr. Frye, with the voice of authority, to rouse himself, to awaken from his false dream." When there was no response, "she redoubled her efforts and fairly shouted to him her command that he awake." He then showed some evidence of life. Mrs. Eddy commanded him, "Disappoint your enemies and live." Calvin then clearly answered her and followed her instruction to pray for himself. Before long he went back to his room without aid, retired for the night, and was completely normal the next morning. Rev. Mr. Tomlinson says of Mrs. Eddy, "There was no fear, no doubt, no discouragement; only absolute confidence, only perfect assurance of the victory of Truth."
Irving C. Tomlinson, Twelve Years with Mary Baker Eddy, Amplified Edition (Boston: The Christian Science Board of Directors, 1996), pp. 64–66
