Page:Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (1898).djvu/17

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PREFACE.
ix

crude, the first steps of a child in the newly discovered world of Spirit.

She also began to jot down her thoughts on the main subject; but these jottings were only infantile lispings of Truth. A child drinks in the outward world through the eyes, and rejoices in the draught. He is as sure of the world's existence as of his own; yet he cannot describe it. He finds a few words, and with these he stammeringly attempts the conveyance of his feeling. Later the tongue voices the more definite thought, though still imperfectly.

So was it with the author. As a certain poet says of himself, she “lisped in numbers, for the numbers came.” Certain essays, written at that early date, are still in circulation among her first pupils; but they are feeble attempts to state the Principle and practice of Christian healing, and are not complete or satisfactory expositions of Truth. To-day, though rejoicing in some progress, she finds herself still a willing disciple at the heavenly gate, waiting for the Mind of Christ.

Her first pamphlet on Christian Science was copyrighted in 1870; but it did not appear in print until 1876, as she had learned that this Science must be demonstrated by healing, before a work on the subject could be profitably published. From 1867 until 1875 copies were, however, in friendly circulation.

Before writing this work on Science and Health, she made copious notes of Scriptural exposition, which have never been published. This was between the years 1867 and 1868. These efforts show her ignorance of the great subject up to that time, and the degrees by which she came at length to the solution of the stupen-