Editorial March 14, 1970 Issue

Effective Treatment

Helen Wood Bauman

In giving an effective treatment in Christian Science, nothing is more important to consider than the states of mind of both practitioner and patient. At the beginning of the chapter "Christian Science Practice" in the textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy describes the ideal patient and the ideal practitioner as they are portrayed in the seventh chapter of Luke. A woman "which was a sinner" ^{Luke 7:37;} came into the house of Simon, a Pharisee, who was host to Christ Jesus at dinner. She washed the Saviour's feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, then kissed them and anointed them with oil. When Simon objected, Jesus rebuked his self-righteousness. The Master recognized the woman's repentance and responded with compassion. He declared that her sins were forgiven "for she loved much."

Here we have the perfect example: a repentant patient and a compassionate practitioner. Mrs. Eddy provides many directives for giving treatments, but none is more important than this wonderful illustration of preparation of the heart. Not that every patient is a personal sinner by any means. People are likely to have problems until their understanding of manhood and life as Christian Science reveals them is permanently established. However, even the best of human beings need to repent of accepting the physical senses they mistakenly believe to be their own, but which Science explains as evil impositions, as false consciousness that produces all ills.

The purpose of healing through Science has far greater meaning than the stopping of suffering or the overcoming of personal inadequacies and discords. Its objective is to reveal man in the likeness of Spirit, as the loved of Love. So a Christian Science treatment must be animate with affection. Integrity must characterize it, intelligence must design it, compassion must give it inspiration, solicitude must make it practical. Mrs. Eddy says, "Tenderness accompanies all the might imparted by Spirit." ^{Science and Health, p. 514;}

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