The same divine Principle which enabled Christ Jesus to heal instantaneously all manner of sickness is as available today as it was centuries ago. Through the revelation of Christian Science the operation of this Principle, Love, is again being demonstrated, and in many cases students of Christian Science are performing instantaneous cures similar to those performed in the early Christian era. There are numerous authenticated records of these. In fact, there are probably few students of this great Science who have not borne witness to such healings in their own or in another's experience.

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 40), "The Founder of Christian Science teaches her students that they must possess the spirit of Truth and Love, must gain the power over sin in themselves, or they cannot be instantaneous healers." In proportion to our purity and spiritual understanding of Truth, we too are able to declare with conviction, "Be thou clean," "Stretch forth thine hand," "Arise, and walk," and behold immediate healing effects. This is the goal of every Christian Scientist, and accordingly he strives to become Christlike and to understand more of the divine Principle which makes these healings possible.

In Christian Science, God is known as divine Principle, Love. It is apparent, then, that Principle is, and must be, incorporeal, infinite, ever present, and all-powerful. Furthermore, it is clear that there is no material structure, power, or organization that can control or prevent the harmonious operation of divine Principle, God. Since God is infinite, everything in reality is, and must be, an expression or idea of Principle. "Is there more than one God or Principle?" Mrs. Eddy asks in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and she answers thus (pp. 465, 466): "There is not. Principle and its idea is one, and this one is God, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Being, and His reflection is man and the universe."

The real man and the real universe are under the control of Principle. Therefore all must be, and is, perfect, free, expressing complete orderliness, health, and harmony. Any belief contrary to this divine fact, whether expressed in the form of discord, sickness, or inharmony, is a false concept of God's perfect creation. When we grasp the oneness and allness of Principle, God, we see all untruths, all error, disappear into the vacuum of nothingness.

In the degree that the student of divine Science understands the truth of being and demonstrates Love, which is the very heart of Christian Science, he will more readily emulate the healings of the Master. We have Jesus' promise (John 14: 12), "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Many of those who came to Christ Jesus for healing knew nothing of the divine Principle. They did not know even the simplest elements of the Science of Christianity which he demonstrated; nevertheless they were healed by divine Love. The only apparent requisite on their part was to manifest a willingness to be healed, a readiness to accept the truth as Jesus lived and taught it. In every respect, the same is true today for those who turn to Christian Science for healing. The hungry, receptive, and willing thought will be satisfied, and each need will be met by divine Love.

A young woman had suffered for several months from nervous prostration. Despite the best medical care and attention, her condition grew steadily worse. Finally, the medical specialist recommended a change of climate, and accordingly she went to another part of the country. However, her state became more serious, until the doctors said that the only thing which might save her life was an operation. While pondering the advisability of consenting to this, she was asked by a neighbor if she would be willing to try Christian Science. Though she knew nothing about this religion, and, in fact, had never even heard of it, the young woman consented to try it. A Christian Science practitioner was called, and Christian Science treatment was given. She was instantaneously healed.

When this woman returned to her home, the family physician said, when informed of her healing through Christian Science: "You have certainly been healed. I do not understand how Christian Science did it, but my advice to you is never to give it up, as it did something for you that I could never do." It is hardly necessary to add that neither she nor her family ever did give up this religion. They are still striving to learn more of the divine Principle, as revealed in Christian Science.

One may ask, "What happened to change this woman's physical condition from one of nervous prostration to that of a normal, healthy, free, and happy person?" In this instance, it was not her faith in or her knowledge of Science that healed her, since she was completely ignorant of this Science; she was unaware that one could be healed by purely spiritual means. But her lack of this knowledge did not prevent the harmonious action of divine Principle in her behalf, when it was correctly applied.

Through enlightened understanding, the Christian Science practitioner saw the woman as the perfect child of God—an idea not dependent upon nerves, brain, or heart for life, but living because she was the spiritual manifestation of Principle. The practitioner knew that this individual was not really under the supposed material laws of health or life, but under the divine law of Love only; that since Love fills all space, the discordant condition called nervous prostration never did or could exist. The practitioner beheld, so clearly the man of God's creating that the woman's consciousness became imbued with divine Spirit, and she then glimpsed her perfection as God's beloved child. With this spiritual unfoldment, she saw her mistaken concepts and their resultant physical effects disappear, and she was completely free.

The action of omnipotent Principle may sometimes seem mysterious to those who have not experienced healing through Christian Science. Perhaps this action of the healing, liberating truth may be illustrated by the following: consider a completely darkened room. It makes no difference how many years the room has been in darkness; the instant that the window shades are raised, the glorious sunlight appears, and the darkness disappears. If all of the shades are raised at once, the darkness is dispelled instantly. However, if the window shades are not raised fully, there will be parts of the room that are not clearly illumined. There must be a desire and willingness to have the room completely illumined before the darkness will yield to the light.

In like manner, we find that, regardless of our material condition or circumstance, when problems are exposed to the sunlight of Truth, they disappear. Healings, however, are sometimes delayed and are not instantaneous because we are not willing to raise all of the shades, say, of pride, envy, lust, or hate. Perhaps we are reluctant to raise one of the shades, such as selfishness, self-indulgence, or doubt, and this hesitation naturally prevents that influx of Love which regenerates and heals.

When we turn to God in prayer, expecting healing, as we are taught to do in Christian Science, when we are receptive and willing to let in the truth, the darkness of ignorance, disease, sin, and discord will vanish. We shall then behold our real selfhood as God's perfect child —the loved of Love. As we hold to this reality of being and demonstrate Love, we shall realize the truth clearly and prove that divine Principle heals instantaneously.