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Science and Health 1875 1st Edition by Mary Baker Eddy presented by Rolf A. F. Witzsche Text copyright © in the public domain 2 A reprint of the historic 1st Edition of the book, Science and Health that over the course of more than 400 editions has uplifted the word Today in the year 2016 - the 150the anniversary year of the discovery of Christian Science in 1866 - it becomes appropriate to look back in time to the revolutionary change in the perception of God and man with which the great uplift began that history tells us coincides with the greatest period of peace in the world. It took Mary Baker Eddy (named Mary Baker Glover at the time) a full nine years of scientific spiritual development until she was ready to publish the first edition of a comprehensive textbook of the science that she had discovered, which is presented in this book. While the book was constantly upgraded in the course of more than 400 editions, since the its first publication in 1875, the revolutionary spirit that shines through its pages from the very beginning is still valid today, and valuable for inspiring healing effects as it did from its first day on. I am republishing the historic text to enable a fuller appreciation of the depth of her work from the beginning, and the great amount of work by Mary Baker Eddy that preceded the final edition of the book in 1910, a labor of love spanning 35 Years. This reprint of the 1st Edition has all of Mary Baker Eddy’s errata applied, instead of merely appended. – Rolf A. F. Witzsche Contents SCIENCE AND HEALTH ...................................................................................................................................... 4 PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER I - NATURAL SCIENCE. ....................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER II - IMPOSITION AND DEMONSTRATION. ....................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER III - SPIRIT AND MATTER. ................................................................................................................ 70 CHAPTER IV - CREATION. .............................................................................................................................. 104 CHAPTER V - PRAYER AND ATONEMENT. .................................................................................................... 132 CHAPTER VI - MARRIAGE.............................................................................................................................. 147 CHAPTER VII - PHYSIOLOGY. ......................................................................................................................... 153 CHAPTER VIII - HEALING THE SICK. ............................................................................................................... 172 3 SCIENCE AND HEALTH First Edition BY MARY BAKER GLOVER. BOSTON: CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1875. Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1875, by MARY BAKER GLOVER, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington 4 PREFACE Principle, is the Science of Life, but to reproduce the harmony of being, errors of personal sense must be destroyed, even as the science of music, Leaning on the sustaining Infinite with loving must correct tones caught from the ear, to give trust, the trials of to-day are brief, and to- the sweet concord of sound. There are many morrow is big with blessings. The wakeful theories of physic, and theology; and many calls shepherd tending his flocks, beholds from the in each of their directions for the right way; but mountain's top the first faint morning beam ere we propose to settle the question of "What is cometh the risen day. So from Soul's loftier Truth?" on the ground of proof. Let that method summits shines the pale star to the prophet of healing the sick and establishing Christianity, shepherd, and it traverses night, over to where be adopted, that is found to give the most the young child lies in cradled obscurity that shall health, and make the best Christians, and you waken a world. Over the night of error dawn the will then give science a fair field; in which case morning beams and guiding star of Truth, and we are assured of its triumph over all opinions the wise men are led by it to Science, to that and beliefs. Sickness and sin have ever had their which repeats the eternal harmony reproduced doctors, but the question is, have they become in proof of immortality and God. The time for less because of them? The longevity of our thinkers has come; and the time for revolutions, antediluvians, would say, no! and the criminal ecclesiastic and social, must come. Truth, records of to-day utter their voices little in favor independent of doctrines or time-honored of such a conclusion. Not that we would deny to systems, stands at the threshold of history. Caesar the things that are his, but that we ask for Contentment with the past, or the cold the things that are Truth's, and safely affirm, conventionality of custom, may no longer shut from the demonstrations we have been able to the door on science; though empires fall, "He make, that science would whose right it is shall reign." Ignorance of God 5 should no longer be the stepping-stone to faith; have eradicated sin, sickness, and death, in a less understanding Him "whom to know aright is Life" period than six thousand years. We find great is the only guaranty of obedience. difficulties in starting this work right: some Since the hoary centuries but faintly shadow shockingly false claims are already made to its forth the tireless Intelligence at work for man, practice; mesmerism (its very antipode), is one. this volume Hitherto we have never in a single instance of 4 our discovery or practice found the slightest may not open at once a new thought, and make resemblance between mesmerism and the it familiar it has the task of a pioneer to hack science of Life. No especial idiosyncrasy is away at the tall oak and cut the rough granite, requisite for a learner; although spiritual sense is leaving future ages to declare what has been more adapted to it than even the intellect; and done. We made our first discovery that science those who would learn this science without a mentally applied would heal the sick, in 1864, high moral standard will fail to understand it until and since then have tested it on ourselves and they go up higher. Owing to our explanations hundreds of others, and never found it fail to constantly vibrating between the same points an prove the statement herein made of it. The irksome repetition of words must occur; also, the science of man alone can make him harmonious, use of capital letters, genders and technicalities unfold his utmost possibilities, and establish the peculiar to the science, variety of language, or perfection of man. To admit God the Principle of beauty of diction, must give place to close all being, and live in accordance with this analysis, and unembellished thought. "Hoping all 5 things, enduring all things:" to do good to the to posterity. upright in heart, and to bless them that curse us, MARY BAKER GLOVER. and bear to the sorrowing and the sick consolation and healing, we commit these pages 6 CHAPTER I - NATURAL SCIENCE CHAPTER I - NATURAL SCIENCE. belief, or Truth and error must meet in a war of ideas, and the thunderbolt of public opinion A few years since we clipped the following from burst overhead; but when this outburst of the reports on Science: opinion is spent of its fury, like the rain-drops on the earth it will have moistened the parched "At the University at Oxford, a prize of one thought, whereby the rich buds and blossoms hundred pounds was offered for the best Essay that come from the tree of Life may put forth on Natural Science, to refute the materialism of new beauty. the present age, or the tendency to attribute physical effects to physical causes, rather than to Because Christendom may resist the word a final spiritual cause." This demand for science, we shall lose no faith in Christianity, and metaphysics coming from the very fount of because we shall apply this word to Truth, erudition meets the wants of the age, and is the Christianity will lose no hold on us. We shall let one question towering above all others, the Principle of things alone interpret them, and insomuch as it relates more intimately to the never take an opinion or belief to steady the altar happiness and perfection of man. The control of science. The Principle of the universe and man mind holds over matter becomes no longer a embraces the understanding, and explanation of question when with mathematical certainty we Soul and body, and is the basis of all science; but gain its proof, and can demonstrate the facts opinions and beliefs regarding God and man, or assumed. This proof we claim to have gained, Soul and body, are the foundations of all error. and reduced to its statement in science that There is no physical science, the Principle of furnishes a key to the harmony of man, and science is God, Intelligence, and not matter; reveals what destroys sickness, sin, and death. therefore, science is spiritual, for God is Spirit and the Principle of the universe and man. Metaphysical science explains cause and effect; removing the veil of mystery and doubt, from We learn from science mind is universal, the first

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