It is generally conceded that Jesus of Nazareth—to whom Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, refers in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 30), as "the new executor for God"—was mankind's foremost friend and benefactor. By illustrating the real man's dominion over human discord and limitation, he conferred upon the race a gift of the greatest practical value. It is safe to say that our present high estimate of his teaching, example, and healing works is still far below what it should be. If his teaching were more widely understood, and the divine Principle thereof—now available to all through Christian Science—were more consistently applied, the world would be immeasurably better off mentally and morally, physically and economically, and everywhere individuals and nations would be at peace with one another.

Healing by spiritual means was the outstanding characteristic of Jesus' ministry. When questioned about the truthfulness of his teaching, or whether his coming was in accord with Hebrew prophecy, he answered by pointing to his works. He even said that healing by spiritual means was the sign by which his true followers would always be known. And Yet, there are many professing Christians who honestly believe that spiritual healing is today an impossible attainment, notwithstanding the fact that they will not find in the Scriptures a single passage in support of any such belief.

Now, if it is true—as the Master plainly indicated—that healing by spiritual means proved him to be this "new executor for God," whence came the healing power? How was it bestowed upon him and upon others who later successfully invoked it? What was the connection between the teaching and the healing? Or was the healing power independent of the teaching? If not. the same relation between

Jesus' teaching and healing must exist today; for his teaching is as true now as it was then. Christian Science declares that there was an inseparable relationship between what the Master taught and what he did, and that, accordingly, the present understanding of his teaching makes possible the repetition of his healing works.

No one who is familiar with the science of numbers would be willing to admit that a student of mathematics had ever failed to solve a problem because mathematical law was against him, or that it was unwilling to impart the needed help. Obviously, the shortcoming would always be on the part of the student. Similarly, there have been those who believed that it was the will of God that some persons should be subject to sorrow, suffering, misfortune, and lack: but such belief is not in keeping with a right concept of God, to whom the Bible, in one place or another, refers as Love, as the same yesterday, and today, and forever, sending rain upon the just and the unjust, and as making the sun to shine upon the evil as well as the good. Human beliefs about, or concepts of, God are variable, but God, the divine Principle, is invariable.

So long as Christians believe that sorrow, suffering or any other phase of human limitation is the manifestation of the divine will, it will be impossible for them to set themselves and others free. When, however, through Christian Science, the thoughts of men have surrendered sufficiently to the truth that God's will is that all men should be saved from sickness and sin, as well as from lack, not only hereafter but here, the belief that it is His will that anyone should grieve and suffer, sin and die, will have no place in enlightened religious teaching. God is changeless good. It is the misleading human belief about His unchanging goodness that not only must change for the better, but is changing.

The Christian religion is hardly more than nineteen centuries old, but the working basis, starting point, or divine Principle of Christian teaching and healing is eternal. The coming of Jesus was one of the necessary and inevitable steps by which, according to Hebrew prophecy, the divine fact of God's allness, everywhereness, and oneness was to be unfolded to human consciousness. Abraham, Moses, and the prophets—each of them an executor for God in his day and age—revealed the truth to the extent that they were spiritually prepared to discern it. And Jesus said that he had come not to set aside or disprove what they had taught and done, but to confirm and fulfill it. That is to say, he came to unfold further in the thoughts of men the idea, consciousness, and awareness of infinite good—to bring closer what had seemed to be far away.

Because Christian Science is the final revelation of that which antedates all human belief and experience; because it is the revelation of that spiritual completeness which was even before the mortal dream seemed to be; because it is the revelation of primal existence, Christian Science is not an invention of the so-called human mind. It is not a religious system based upon personal opinion. No element of material belief entered into the discovery thereof. Christian Science is the Science of that which the human mind can neither add to nor take from. It is the Science of that which antedated not only Abraham, but Adam. It is the Science of reality, coming in accord with the Master's prophecy that after his departure there would be revealed to human apprehension another Comforter, even the "Spirit of truth," the divine Principle of being, which always was and always would be, and which, when understood, would lead into all truth. Surely, no person, but divine Principle alone, could abide forever and lead to the understanding of all truth!

Mary of old gave birth to the child Jesus, the highest corporeal or human concept of divinity (see Science and Health, p. 589). And, centuries later, another Mary revealed, through Christian Science, the wholly spiritual Christ or infinite idea of infinite Mind, unhampered and unhindered by the limitations of material sense. This incorporeal, spiritual idea reveals God as the Father-Mother, infinite divine Principle, self-existent Being, the changeless, perfect source of the spiritual universe including spiritual man, the real selfhood of all.

Christian Science is a discovery; and it was discovered by the one who was intellectually, morally, and spiritually qualified to discover it. That one was Mary Baker Eddy. In her own writings and in the authentic records of others, we are told that Mrs. Eddy had been reduced to invalidism and that, after material means had failed her, she turned unreservedly to Spirit and was healed, although at first she knew not how. In this unexplored field she was alone. There was no person to whom she could turn for aid. With the Bible as her sole guide she found, in its now newly illumined pages, the key which unlocked the door of spiritual understanding; she learned both how she was healed and how she could heal others. Did not this establish her identity as another "executor for God"?

Mrs. Eddy's priceless gift to the world—the outcome of her communion with the all-knowing Mind, and in fulfillment of Christian prophecy (Revelation 10:1—11)—is Science and Health. On page 559 thereof she writes: "Mortals, obey the heavenly evangel. Take divine Science. Read this book from beginning to end. Study it, ponder it. It will be indeed sweet at its first taste, when it heals you; but murmur not over Truth, if you find its digestion bitter.When you approach nearer and nearer to this divine Principle, when you eat the divine body of this Principle,—thus partaking of the nature, or primal elements, of Truth and Love,—do not be surprised nor discontented because you must share the hemlock cup and eat the bitter herbs; for the Israelites of old at the Paschal meal thus prefigured this perilous passage out of bondage into the EI Dorado of faith and hope."

Obviously, we have barely glimpsed what today's "executor for God" has accomplished and will accomplish in behalf of human freedom. Nevertheless, those who loyally uphold her hands, uncomplainingly obey her teaching, and wholeheartedly support the institutions and publications which she established under divine guidance for our own and the world's benefit, will be abundantly rewarded. Jesus said, in his typically figurative manner, "Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting."

Copyright, 1940, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, One, Norway Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as secondclass matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918.