Most people are concerned enough about their bodies to want to know how to take care of them. Health laws have a widespread influence. But the whole premise of such laws is based on the belief that the mortal body is true substance.

Christian Science takes exactly the opposite approach, insisting that the mortal body is not the real substance of man. The way to keep the body most harmonious, this Science insists, is to keep thought off the material concept of body and close to God—to let His qualities motivate both one's thoughts and one's life. The way to healing, when the body appears discordant, is to realize the complete, spiritual nature of man as the image of God and to let this realization remove from one's consciousness the erroneous thoughts that produced the discordant condition. This in turn heals the condition. Medical theory says matter is real; Christian Science says only Spirit is real.

A Christian Science practitioner's prayer of spiritual understanding heals the patient; more important, it brings spiritual regeneration to the individual. Christ Jesus urged his followers, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ^{John 8:32;} The practitioner's prayer is in obedience to this admonition. He or she knows the truth, and through spiritual transformation the patient's thought is freed from the erroneous concepts, habits, or practices that have manifested themselves in the discordant condition.

A Christian Science practitioner does not pray for someone who has agreed to medical treatment; this would result in confusion in the patient's thought, and one type of treatment would tend to nullify the other. The Christian Scientist who turns to material means for healing is actually opposing his own confidence in the omnipotent power of God. His vision of Spirit's allness dims, and he finds himself dealing with a physical body that is registering in his thought as being real and in trouble. This is the exact opposite of what happens through Christian Science treatment.

The result of scientific prayer is always to lift thought above the body and matter. Treatment moves us closer to God and His qualities, which heal—it conforms thought to Truth. Without such a change there is no scientific healing.

Discordant physical conditions are the result of erroneous thought. Surgery may cut out a tumor, an appendix, tonsils, but it cannot eliminate the mortal thought that originally—in belief, and directly or indirectly—is responsible for the condition. When such thought remains unhealed, it is liable to produce an erroneous manifestation on the body again, as the reappearance of the same condition or in a different form.

To illustrate, when I was a boy I developed tuberculosis. A very loving and brilliant doctor treated me. He performed an experimental operation, which was pronounced successful, and I was sent back to a normal life, apparently healed. About ten years later the condition reappeared, with all the symptoms I had had before. But by this time I had begun the study of Christian Science, and so I turned to a practitioner for help, and he and I began to pray.

Although a fairly new student, I knew enough to realize that the disease had stayed in thought during those years and it had now reappeared to be removed. I couldn't carry this erroneous thinking around any longer if I understood my spiritual identity in Science.

As a result of the practitioner's prayers and my study, one night an opening appeared on the body, similar to the incision made ten years earlier. After draining, the wound closed up and healed over, leaving no scar. All my energy returned. I was completely healed. But this time I stepped forth from the challenge more spiritually-minded than before, more confident in the power of God to take care of all ills, and much more aware of God's love for me. I had experienced physical healing through spiritual regeneration.

Jesus said, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." ^4:24; I had accepted certain truths—that God is Spirit, that man is His spiritual representation, that man is blessed by all the spiritual qualities of God, that man has no connection with matter and therefore can express only what God causes him to express. I had reasoned metaphysically—acknowledging perfect God, Spirit, and perfect man, His reflection—and had refused to give reality to matter.

Because I filled my consciousness with God's love and felt its all-embracing power, I was able to overcome fear. Keeping my thought on God's allness, I had lifted my consciousness above "me and my problem," and the healing took place. That was many years ago, and there has never been a recurrence of the slightest symptom. Mrs. Eddy once commended a group of Christian Scientists: "It rejoices me that you are recognizing the proper course, unfurling your banner to the breeze of God, and sailing over rough seas with the helm in His hands. Steering thus, the waiting waves will weave for you their winning webs of life in looms of love that line the sacred shores. The right way wins the right of way, even the way of Truth and Love whereby all our debts are paid, mankind blessed, and God glorified." ^{The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 232.} The way of Christian Science healing is a sure way. As one faithfully and consistently follows the rules that are laid down in Science and Health and Mrs. Eddy's other writings, one cannot help being successful. This is the way Jesus presented to the people of his time—the way that led to the establishment of Christianity. Mrs. Eddy discovered the laws governing this method of spiritual healing and presented and explained these specific rules. If one abides by Jesus' teachings and follows the rules of Christian Science, he discovers he has dominion over the material body. No longer does he fear he is subject to every health law that is laid down. He rests in the assurance that God provides the sure solution to any problem that might arise. He discovers a happiness and spiritual freedom he could obtain in no other way, because he is following the way of scientific healing.