"Let this Principle be applied to the cure of disease without exploiting other means." So writes Mary Baker Eddy, Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, on page 457 of her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." In that statement and in many others of similar import she makes clear the fact, which all faithful Christian Scientists accept as immutable and final, that the prayer which heals the sick does not mix with material so-called methods.

Then why the concessions in the textbook? Why does Mrs. Eddy twice assert and at other times imply her lack of jurisdiction over any would-be follower of hers who lets circumstances convince him that he should turn to those very methods which are no part of his religion?

The answer is. There are no concessions. Certainly there are none which give or imply sanction to the belief that one can resort to material means for healing and be applying at the same time the rule of Christian Science, which heals spiritually. The wording Mrs. Eddy uses, always under divine guidance, merely covers the release, temporarily or otherwise, of anyone to follow honestly the highest wisdom he is able to demonstrate. She does not give this release; it is not hers to give. She acknowledges it, without condemnation. The implication is plain that recourse to other means than Science will not do final or substantial good. Nevertheless, Mrs. Eddy declares for freedom to use one's highest sense of wisdom, because lessons learned through such a course, honestly accepted, will lead ultimately to a willing acceptance of truth. She declares for the duty of each individual to square accounts with Principle for himself.

To understand Mrs. Eddy it is necessary to understand that she truly knew God, the divine Mind of man. Accordingly, her understanding included the forms of human reasoning, but far transcended them. She recognized and accepted the inflexibility of Christian Science, divine law, which demands of man perpetual conformity to the spiritual pattern, defined as the image and likeness of the Mind which conceives man. But she also knew that the same divine Mind is infinite Love and that there is, in reality, true consistency in the man who expresses love and understanding while obeying perfect law unswervingly.

Mrs. Eddy loved freedom. She knew it to be foundational for the salvation of men. She recognized that each individual must desire for himself to know the Maker of man. Not dictation, but the persistent persuasion of the Christ, the spiritual idea, must touch men's affections and turn them to God. As one exercises individual ability to apply his present sense of wisdom and progressively accepts the lessons inherent in this procedure, consciousness is inevitably brought into line with Truth. And this is the great achievement.

The tribute Mrs. Eddy pays to the individual's duty to think for himself is indicated in her unequivocal acceptance, often repeated, of Paul's statement of method (Phil. 2:12, 13): "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." In one place, for instance (Science and Health, p. 22), she quotes those words and follows them with statements to the effect that the spiritual penetration of Christian Science finds in them the key to the kingdom. And in another instance (ibid., p. 442) she quotes them again and parallels them with Christ Jesus' words (Luke 12:32), "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Then she declares, "This truth is Christian Science."

It is highly significant that wherever Mrs. Eddy makes allowance for the relative progress of mortals by the process of thinking each for himself, she does not fail to add some declaration to the effect that absolute Christian Science is the only real healer and that she is aware of instances in which this Science, practiced radically and absolutely, has proved its unfailingly trustworthy power.

The secret, if there be such, lies in the honesty of the individual. Progress, born of the exercise of one's highest spiritual wisdom, is in line with honesty. It unfolds in spiritual dominion and achievement. Deflection from Principle knowingly indulged to serve material objectives is hypocrisy. And hypocrisy is a weakness which must be cast out of consciousness to remove conscious suffering and reveal the real man.

Mrs. Eddy was no lawmaker. She recognized God in that role. Neither was she an avenging angel. She showed what God's law is and invited men to obey it at great gain for themselves. She helped men to cast out of consciousness those illusory qualities which bear witness to sin. Thus she enabled individuals to present themselves separate from sin, that is, from that which is ever visited by an avenging angel. She cast marvelous light on all reality. And then she prayed her prayer which is being answered down the ages, her prayer of realization that each individual must inevitably respond at the accepted time, in the day of salvation, to that perfect Principle with which his own true selfhood is forever one.

Therefore there are no concessions to matter made by Mrs. Eddy. There is compassion and there is encouragement for him who is gaining his glimpse of reality, and there is no finding fault with him who is honestly seeking to gain it. There is the allness of God, and the knowledge of Him. There is radical reliance on the divine Father-Mother, and the practice of such reliance on the basis of the understanding that there is no other power on which to rely. There is the reward of spiritual self-knowledge, manifest in health and unimpairable, indestructible existence for him who keeps thought aligned with Mrs. Eddy's clear statement (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 242), "Christian Science is absolute; it is neither behind the point of perfection nor advancing towards it; it is at this point and must be practised therefrom."

George Channing