about the healer
Proof in practice
A musician demonstrates the beauty of the music he teaches in order to show the learner the way by practice as well as precept. Jesus' teaching and practice of Truth involved such a sacrifice as makes us admit its Principle to be Love. This was the precious import of our Master's sinless career and of his demonstration of power over death. He proved by his deeds that Christian Science destroys sickness, sin, and death.
Our Master taught no mere theory, doctrine, or belief. It was the divine Principle of all real being which he taught and practised. His proof of Christianity was no form or system of religion and worship, but Christian Science, working out the harmony of Life and Love.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 26:19-32
I have studied Christian Science on my own, mostly all of my life. However, my grandmother, Laura Bergstrom, my mother's mother, was also a Christian Scientist. She was sixty-five years old when I was born, and she died when she was in her nineties, having lived a colourful, and dynamic, and impressive, lifestyle, even to the very end. After raising her eight children and outliving her husband, she lived the rest of her life on her own, and certainly without any loss of her mental faculties. From as early as I can remember, I had learned that God was everything good, because of my grandmother's explanation to me. I regularly attended a diversity of denominational Sunday Schools, with childhood friends; however, when I stayed with my grandmother, I went to Christian Science Church Sunday School classes, where "[t]he first lessons of the children should be the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 3-17), the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6: 9-13), and its Spiritual Interpretation by Mary Baker Eddy, [and the] Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5: 3-12)." Through so many stages, and in so many ways after that, I experienced and observed the practical and healing benefits demonstrated by Mrs. Eddy's understanding of infinite God, as Divine Life, Truth, and Love, that could, and does, effectively cast out all fear.
GOD. The great I AM; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 587:5-8
I inherited my grandmother's collection of Christian Science books, including a copy of her Church Manual of the First Church of Christ Scientist, in Boston, Mass., by Mary Baker Eddy, which has a copy of the acceptance of my grandmother, as a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Victoria, B. C., dated January 1943. When I graduated from high school, she gave me a copy of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, which is "the original and only textbook on Christian Science." However, by then, I already had another copy, given to me by my dad's sister, whom I met when I was fourteen years old, twelve years after my dad had died.
Either way, it is the book from my grandmother that I have used over the years, and still do, even though it is full of margin notes, and underlinings, and now, is even bound with clear duct tape! Inside the text, she inscribed the following words:
Dear Deirdre, [sic]
I know you will find much joy and Happiness in the Study of this Book together with the Bible the Way for me has been made so very wonderful in so many ways.
With Love from Grandmother Laura
I feel especially privileged to have been able to continue getting to know my grandmother because of this shared understanding. If longevity, along with vitality, wasn't considered so weird, and by so many people back then, I am sure she would still be here, actively going about her life. Perhaps, in many ways, she still is.
Life is eternal. We should find this out, and begin the demonstration thereof. Life and goodness are immortal. Let us then shape our views of existence into loveliness, freshness, and continuity, rather than into age and blight.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 246:27-31
Universal Love is the divine way in Christian Science.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 266:18-19
The term Science, properly understood, refers only to the laws of God and to His government of the universe, inclusive of man. From this it follows that business men and cultured scholars have found that Christian Science enhances their endurance and mental powers, enlarges their perception of character, gives them acuteness and comprehensiveness and an ability to exceed their ordinary capacity. The human mind, imbued with this spiritual understanding, becomes more elastic, is capable of greater endurance, escapes somewhat from itself, and requires less repose. A knowledge of the Science of being develops the latent abilities and possibilities of man. It extends the atmosphere of thought, giving mortals access to broader and higher realms. It raises the thinker into his native air of insight and perspicacity.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 128:4-19
The time for thinkers has come. Truth, independent of doctrines and time-honored systems, knocks at the portal of humanity. Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away. Ignorance of God is no longer the steppingstone to faith. The only guarantee of obedience is a right apprehension of Him whom to know aright is Life eternal. Though empires fall, "the Lord shall reign forever."
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. vii:13
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus xx. 3.) The First Commandment is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science. It inculcates the triunity of God, Spirit, Mind; it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God, eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind. The divine Principle of the First Commandment bases the Science of being, by which man demonstrates health, holiness, and life eternal. One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, "Love thy neighbor as thyself;" annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry,--whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 340:15-29
Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching. Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action. Love is priestess at the altar of Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept. Patience must "have her perfect work."
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 454:17-24
CREATOR. Spirit; Mind; intelligence; the animating divine Principle of all that is real and good; self-existent Life, Truth, and Love; that which is perfect and eternal; the opposite of matter and evil, which have no Principle; God, who made all that was made and could not create an atom or an element the opposite of Himself.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 583:20-25
Understanding the control which Love held over all, Daniel felt safe in the lions' den, and Paul proved the viper to be harmless. All of God's creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible. A realization of this grand verity was a source of strength to the ancient worthies. It supports Christian healing, and enables its possessor to emulate the example of Jesus. "And God saw that it was good."
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 514:26-31
Question.--What is the scientific statement of being?
Answer.--There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual.
—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Eddy Baker, p. 468:8-15
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
—The Bible, King James Version, Book I John, Chapter III, Verse 1-3.
Full on-line texts of the King James Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, and other information about Christian Science, including articles such as Contagion; Be a rebel with a cause; Prayers from Japan about natural disasters; On the side of wisdom and peace; Bird flu—any flu, stop the fear; Who will take care of me?; How can a good God allow suffering?; New views at every turn; The artist within; Time masters; What is scientific religion?; Cause for thanksgiving; Toward a chance-free life expectancy; Redefining longevity: the new centenarian spirit; A zest for living, to 100 and beyond; MONEY; and What is a Christian Science Practitioner?, can be found on the Christian Science Publishing Society site, spirituality.com; the Christian Science site; or on the Healing Unlimited site. Concept Sunday School is a collaborative site to make Sunday School ideas available to anyone. The Christian Science Monitor, a seven-time Pulitzer Prize-winning international newspaper, was launched by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, when she was 87 years old, with the goal "to injure no man, but to bless all mankind." The Christian Science Sentinel Radio Edition, is a weekly radio program broadcast throughout the United States and in various parts of the world. Broadcast recordings of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, MA, USA, Sunday morning services can be listened to at the Sunday Church Service Broadcast site. (Order of Sunday Church Service).
Please feel welcomed to contact me, if you would like more information about Christian Science spiritual healing and treatment.
What Our Leader Says
BELOVED Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. There is no door through which evil can enter, and no space for evil to fill in a mind filled with goodness. Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.
The self-seeking pride of the evil thinker injures him when he would harm others. Goodness involuntarily resists evil. The evil thinker is the proud talker and doer. The right thinker abides under the shadow of the Almighty. His thoughts can only reflect peace, good will towards men, health, and holiness.
—The First Church of Christ Scientist and Miscellany, Chapter X, "Admonition and Counsel," by Mary Baker G. Eddy, 1913, p. 210.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
—The Bible, King James Version, Book III John, Chapter I, Verse 4.
I am exceedingly grateful that my grandmother introduced me to Christian Science. How wonderful the way has been made, for me, too.
