Miscellaneous Writings Part 89

M. A. HINKLEY, Williamsport, Pa.

The book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is the most wonderful work that has been written in the past five thousand years. I wish you could get ten dollars per copy. I am of the opinion that I can heal the sick on its basis, from reading the work.

H. D. DEXTER, M. D., Dundee, N.Y.

Rev. Mary B. G. Eddy's book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," has been duly catalogued and placed on our shelves for use.

In behalf of the trustees, let me convey cordial thanks to the earnest-minded author for this interesting contribution. My own idea is, that the power of Mind or Spirit is supreme in character, and destined to supremacy over all that is adverse to divine order.

WILLIAM H. KIMBALL, _Librarian New Hamps.h.i.+re State Library_

I am reading the work, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,"

for the third time; and I am convinced of the truth of the Science of which it treats,-instructing us how to attain holiness of heart, purity of life, and the sublime ascendency of soul over body.

C. CLEMENT, McMinnville, Warren Co., Tenn.

I was sick for a number of years with what some of the most skilful physicians p.r.o.nounced an incurable disease. The more I tried to get help, the worse I became, until a life of pain and helplessness seemed unavoidable. Two years ago I heard of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," began reading it and trying to live up to its teachings. At first, my beliefs were so strong I made but little progress; but gradually my disease gave way, and finally disappeared, and to-day I am a well woman. I cannot express the grat.i.tude I feel for what the light s.h.i.+ning through the teachings of that book did for me.

(MRS.) EMILY T. HOWE, Norway, Me.

I have been reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and feasting-like a starving, s.h.i.+p-wrecked mariner, on the food that was to sustain him-on truths which ages to come will appreciate, understand, and accept. Many of the theories which at first appear abstruse and obscure, at length become clear and lucid. The candle of intellect requires occasional snuffing to throw the clear light of penetration on the page.

(MRS.) S. A. ORNE, Malden, Ma.s.s.

The mother of a little girl about eight years old told me her child was having a severe attack of cold, and was delicate and easy to take cold. I told her the little girl would be all right; not to give her any medicine, but read Science and Health to her. When I next saw the mother, she told me the little girl was entirely well; that the cold had all disappeared, and with it a claim of night-sweats that the child had been under for more than a year. The little girl had been out sliding down-hill in the snow a number of times; had her feet very wet, but it did not affect her at all.

They were all pleased,-especially the child; her face was beaming with happiness and smiles. This is just one little instance of the good that comes from reading Science and Health.

T. W. H.

Opinions Of The Press

This is, perhaps, the most remarkable book on health, in some respects, which has appeared in this country. The author evidently discards physiology, hygiene, mesmerism, magnetism, and every form of medication, bathing, dieting, etc.,-all go by the board; no medicine, manipulation, or external applications are permitted; everything is done through the mind.

Applied to certain conditions, this method has great value: even the reading of the author's book has cured hopeless cases. The author claims that her methods are those used by Christ and his apostles, and she has established a church and school to propagate them.-_Herald of Health_, N.

Y. (M. L. HOLBROOK, _Publisher_)

The Christian Scientists claim that the power of healing is not lost, and have supported that claim by inducing cures astonis.h.i.+ngly like those quoted from the New Testament. And even more good they hope to achieve, as this power which they possess is better understood and the new light gains strength in the world. Experience has taught us that the nearer we approach to the source of a report of miraculous power, the smaller does the wonder grow. In the instance of the Christian Scientists, the result has been rather the reverse; if third parties have related a remarkable circ.u.mstance, the person of whom the fact was alleged has been found to make the a.s.sertion still stronger.-_Boston Sunday Globe_

"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," by Mary Baker G. Eddy, President of the Ma.s.sachusetts Metaphysical College, is a remarkable publication, claiming to elucidate the influence of mentality over matter.

Mrs. Eddy announces herself as the discoverer of this metaphysical Science, and receives students, to whom she imparts so much of her metaphysics as their minds are capable of receiving. The volumes are a vigorous protest against the materialism of our modern scientists, Darwin, Huxley, Tyndall, etc. Her Science of Mind was first self-applied: having been ill and treated by doctors of the various schools without benefit, she discovered the grand Principle of all healing to be G.o.d, or Mind.

Relying on this Principle alone, she regained her health, and for the last sixteen years has taught this theory to others, and has healed the sick in all cases where the patient's mentality was sufficiently strong to understand her teachings and act upon them.-_Brooklyn Eagle_

The book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is certainly original, and contains much that will do good. The reader will find this work not influenced by superst.i.tion or pride, but striking out boldly,-full of self-sacrifice and love towards G.o.d and man.-_Christian Advocate_, Buffalo, N. Y.

The doctrines of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" are high and pure, wholly free from those vile theories about love and marriage which have been so prevalent among the spiritualists. This new sect devotes itself to a study of the Bible, and a practice of curing disease without mesmerism or spiritualism. It treats Darwin and materialists with a lofty scorn.-_Springfield Republican_

"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is indisputably a wonderful work. It has no equal. No one can read the book and not be benefited by it in mind and body. The work is endorsed by some of the best men of the age.-_Star-Spangled Banner_

We shall watch with keen interest the promised results of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." The work shows how the body can be cured, and how a better state of Christianity can be introduced (which is certainly very desirable). It likewise has a hard thrust at spiritualism; and, taken altogether, it is a very rare book.-_Boston Investigator_

The author of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which is attracting much attention, shows her ability to defend her cause with vigor.-_Boston Weekly Journal_

(_By permission_)

How To Understand Science And Health

_My Dear Friend H.:_-Your good letter of the 26th ult. came duly to hand several days ago, and I am not greatly surprised at its contents. You say, in substance, that you procured the book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which I recommended, and that to your surprise and disgust you found it to be a work on faith-cure, and ask by what process of reasoning I could possibly bring myself to adopt or accept such visionary theories. In answer to your very natural question, I will try, in my own way, to give you what appears to me to be a reason for the hope that is in me.

My religious views of fifteen years ago are too familiar to you to need any exposition at my hands at this time. Suffice it to say that the religion of the Bible, as taught by the churches, to my mind appeared to be self-contradictory and confusing, and their explanations failed to explain. During the next eleven years my convictions underwent little change. I read everything that came in my way that had any bearing upon, or pretended in any degree to explain, the problem of life; and while I gained some knowledge of a general nature, I was no nearer the solution of life's problem than when I began my investigations years ago, and I had given up all hope of ever being able to come to a knowledge of the truth, or a satisfactory explanation of the enigma of life.

In all my intellectual wanderings I had never lost my belief in a great First Cause, which I was as well satisfied to call G.o.d as anything else; but the orthodox explanations of His or its nature and power were to my mind such a mixture of truth and error, that I could not tell where fact left off and fancy began. The whole effort of the pulpit being put forth, seemed directed to the impossible task of harmonizing the teachings of Jesus Christ with the wisdom of the world; and the whole tendency of our religious education was to befog the intellect and produce scepticism in a mind that presumed to think for itself and to inquire into the why and the wherefore. I fully believe that the agnosticism of yourself and myself was produced by the futile attempt to mix and harmonize the wisdom of the world with the philosophy of the Christ.

In my investigations into the researches of the savants and philosophers I found neither any satisfactory explanation of things as they seemed to exist, nor any solution of the great and all-absorbing question, "What is Truth?" Their premises appeared to be sound, and their reasonings faultless; but in the nature of things, no final conclusion of the whole matter could be reached from premises based wholly on material knowledge.

They could explain "matter" and its properties to their own satisfaction, but the intelligence that lay behind or beyond it, and which was manifested in and through it, was to them as much of a mystery as it was to the humblest of G.o.d's creatures. They could prove pretty conclusively that many of the generally accepted theories had no basis in fact; but they left us as much in the dark regarding Life and its governing Principle as had the divines before them.

About four years ago, while still in the mental condition above indicated, my attention was called to what at that time appeared to me to be a new phase of spiritism, and which was called by those who professed to believe in it, _Christian Science_. I thought that I had given some attention to about all the _isms_ that ever existed, and that this was only another phantasm of some religionist lost in the labyrinths of mental hallucination.

In my reflections at that time it seemed to me that life was an incomprehensible enigma; that the creator had placed us on this earth, and left us entirely in the dark as to His purpose in so doing. We seemed to be cast upon the ocean of time, and left to drift aimlessly about, with no exact knowledge of what was required of us or how to attain unto the truth, which must certainly have an existence somewhere. It seemed to me that in the very nature of things there must be a great error somewhere in our understanding, or that the creator Himself had slipped a cog when He fitted all things into their proper spheres. That there had been a grand mistake somewhere I had no doubt; but I still had doubt enough of my own capabilities and understanding to believe that the mistake, whatever it was, was in me and not in the creator. I knew that, in a fair measure at least, I had an honest desire to live aright, as it was given me to see the right, and to strive to some extent to do the will of G.o.d, if I could only know certainly just what it was.

While in this frame of mind, I inwardly appealed to the great unseen power to enlighten my understanding, and to lead me into a knowledge of the truth, promising mentally to follow wherever it might lead, if I could only do so understandingly.

My wife had been investigating Christian Science to some extent, but knowing my natural antipathy to such vagaries, as I then thought them, had said very little to me about it; but one day, while discussing the mysteries of life with a judge of one of our courts, he asked me whether I had ever looked into the teachings of the Christian Scientists. I told him that I had not, and he urged me very strongly to do so. He claimed to have investigated their teachings, and said that he had become a thorough believer in them. This aroused my curiosity, and I procured the book called "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and read it.