and settling the question, What shall be the outward sign of such a practice: if a divine Principle alone heals, what is the human modus for demonstrating this, — in short, how can sinful mortals prove that a divine Principle heals the sick, as well as governs the universe, time, space, immortality, man?
When contemplating the majesty and magnitude of this query, it looked as if centuries of spiritual growth were requisite to enable me to elucidate or to demonstrate what I had discovered: but an unlooked-for, imperative call for help impelled me to begin this stupendous work at once, and teach the first student in Christian Science. Even as when an accident, called fatal to life, had driven me to discover the Science of Life, I again, in faith, turned to divine help, — and commenced teaching.
My students at first practised in slightly differing forms. Although I could heal mentally, without a sign save the immediate recovery of the sick, my students' patients, and people generally, called for a sign — a material evidence wherewith to satisfy the sick that something was being done for them; and I said, “Suffer it to be so now,” for thus saith our Master. Experience, however, taught me the impossibility of demonstrating the Science of metaphysical healing by any outward form of practice.
In April, 1883, a bill in equity was filed in the United States Circuit Court in Boston, to restrain, by decree and order of the Court, the unlawful publishing and use of an infringing pamphlet printed and issued by a student of Christian Science.
Answer was filed by the defendant, alleging that the
