Correspondence between our Leader and Third Church of Christ, Scientist, London, England

Arthur Firth, Mary Baker Eddy

A letter in this article was later republished in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany: My. 205:13-206:32

London, April 10, 1905.

Beloved Leader:—On behalf of Third Church of Christ, Scientist, London, I am privileged to advise you of its establishment, and to express to you, in the name of its members, their dutiful and cheerful loyalty and loving obedience to the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and to you not only as the Revelator of Christian Science but as their dear friend and Leader.

I am glad to say that the interest in Christian Science is so increasing that already this hall where we meet, and which holds three hundred, is so filled as to compel us to seek larger quarters.

The large sale in our book room, of Science and Health and the other Christian Science literature fills us with gratitude. Knowing how you rejoice over every good work, we feel that your blessing is with us.

Faithfully in truth and love, yours,
Arthur Firth, Chairman.
To the Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy.

Mrs. Eddy's Reply.

Third Church of Christ, Scientist, London, England.

Beloved Brethren:—Love and unity are hieroglyphs of goodness, and their philosophical impetus, spiritual Esculapius and Hygiea, saith, "as the thought is, so is the deed; as the thing made is good or bad, so is its maker." This idealism connects itself with spiritual understanding, and so makes God more supreme in consciousness, man more His likeness, friends more faithful, and enemies harmless.

Scholastic theology, at its best, touches but the hem of Christian Science shorn of all personality, wholly apart from human hypotheses, matter, creed and dogma, the lusts of the flesh and pride of power. Christian Science is the full idea of its divine Principle, God, forever based on Love and demonstrated by perfect rules; it is unerring; hence, health, holiness, immortality are its natural effects. The practitioner may fail, but the Science never.

Philosophical links that unite dead matter with animate, Spirit with matter and material means, prayer with power and pride of position—hinder the divine influx, lose Science, the Principle of divine Metaphysics, and the tender grace of spiritual understanding, that love-linked holiness which heals and saves. Schisms, imagination, and human beliefs are not parts of Christian Science; they even darken the discernment of it; they divide Truth's garment and cast lots for it.

Seeing a man in the moon; or seeing a person in the picture of Jesus; or believing that you see an individual who has passed through the shadow called death,—is not seeing the spiritual idea of God; but it is seeing a human belief which is far from the fact that portrays Life, Truth, Love.

May these words of the Scriptures comfort you:—
"The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory." "The city had no need of the sun. neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."

Yours in Christ,
Mary Baker Eddy.
Pleasant View, Concord, N. H., April 28, 1905.

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