In his first Epistle, John addressed the youth of his own day, and of all time, in these words: "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one" (2:14). The apostle was in a good position to write a message of wisdom and encouragement to the youth of every age.

As a young man John had been associated with Christ Jesus, and through the spirituality of his thought and character he had enjoyed a uniquely close companionship with the great Master.

He had undoubtedly had an active part in the many healings accomplished by Jesus' disciples, when they were sent out to preach and heal. In the spirituality expressed by John and in the energetic activity manifested by Peter, there was an ideal combination for the early propagation of the Word of God in the Christian religion.

The first healing on record after the ascension of Christ Jesus is that of the cripple who had sat "at the Beautiful gate of the temple" (Acts 3:10) at Jerusalem and who asked alms of Peter and John as they were about to enter the temple. Instead of giving him an alms, they healed him, so that "he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God" (verse 8).

The wicked one, or one evil, to which John refers in his message to young men is the belief of life in matter, the mistaken conviction that man is a mere physical organism and not the image and likeness of God, Spirit. As this material belief yields to Truth and men advance higher in demonstration, the spiritual progress of humanity is quickened.

Today the churches are being challenged to turn from ancient philosophy and from subtle errors in modern biology which have received unwarranted acceptance from modern religionists and to give more attention to the practical spiritual idealism of the Master and his disciples. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discover and Founder of Christian Science, was inspired to say in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 111), "The Christianity that is merely of sects, the pulpit, and fashionable society, is brief; but the Word of God abideth."

It may be significant that the healing of the man at the gate Beautiful took place before he entered the temple. Certainly he was able to take with him into the temple the practical evidence of the power of the Word of God to heal. So today Christian Science with persistent success has restored to the Christian religion the healing power of the divine Word.

In her discovery of Christian Science our beloved Leader has given us this great gift—the revelation of the practical, ever-operative Christ. She was so imbued with the power of the Word of God through her study of the Bible from childhood that she was able naturally and inevitably to go on to the great work which she, as God's chosen one, persistently accomplished. On this basis she herself brought about remarkable healings, comparable to the wonderful cures recorded in the New Testament.

These marvelous healings are still being wrought today through Christian Science, as recorded faithfully in the periodical literature of the Christian Science movement and as they have been winsomely presented on our radio and television programs by those who have themselves experienced these healings.

At present, when the remarkable achievements of humanity as a result of modern human inventions are receiving so much attention, this healing power of Christ, Truth, is actually the most notable Christian attainment in our modern age. We are seeing more clearly that the great need is to emphasize moral and spiritual values in order to preserve a proper balance as humanity enters into the new era which has now so obviously opened up before it.

Our Leader not only gave us the letter of this great Science; she demonstrated its spirit. Further, she gave us rules of practice and modes of procedure whereby, even at our infantile stages in study and practice, we can do effective, successful work in utilizing the power of the Word of God.

The effective prayers made possible by Christian Science are resting like a benediction on the thoughts and lives of those who are struggling to rise above the seeming bondage of the material senses into "the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21). In Jesus' day, and in the three centuries following his ministry, there was a remarkable awakening to the possibilities of spiritual power. So, today, with the restoration of this Christpower through Christian Science, there is a similar awakening.

The accumulating power of spiritually scientific right thinking is continually adding to the momentum of humanity's progress Spiritward. On one hand, wrong conditions are coming to the surface to pass away; on the other hand, and most important of all, the restoration of primitive Christianity is being attested persistenly in works of healing. Humanity is responding to the loving appeal made by our Leader in "No and Yes" (p. 45), "Let the Word have free course and be glorified."