and, lo, the
bridegroom came! The character of the Christ was illuminated by the
midnight torches of Spirit. My heart knew its Redeemer. He whom my
affections had diligently sought was as the One "altogether lovely," as
"the chiefest," the only, "among ten thousand." Soulless famine had fled.
Agnosticism, pantheism, and theosophy were void. Being was beautiful, its
substance, cause, and currents were God and His idea. I had touched the hem
of Christian Science.

THE GREAT DISCOVERY

It was in Massachusetts, in February, 1866, and after the death of the
magnetic doctor, Mr. P.P. Quimby, whom spiritualists would associate
therewith, but who was in no wise connected with this event, that I
discovered the Science of divine metaphysical healing which I afterwards
named Christian Science. The discovery came to pass in this way. During
twenty years prior to my discovery I had been trying to trace all physical
effects to a mental cause; and in the latter part of 1866 I gained the
scientific certainty that all causation was Mind, and every effect a mental
phenomenon.

My immediate recovery from the effects of an injury caused by an accident,
an injury that neither medicine nor surgery could reach, was the falling
apple that led me to the discovery how to be well myself, and how to make
others so.

Even to the homoeopathic physician who attended me, and rejoiced in my
recovery, I could not then explain the _modus_ of my relief. I could only
assure him that the divine Spirit had wrought the miracle--a miracle which
later I found to be in perfect scientific accord with divine law.

I then withdrew from society about three years,--to ponder my mission, to
search the Scriptures, to find the Science of Mind that should take the
things of God and show them to the creature, and reveal the great curative
Principle,--Deity.

The Bible was my textbook. It answered my questions as to how I was healed;
but the Scriptures had to me a new meaning, a new tongue. Their spiritual
signification appeared; and I apprehended for the first time, in their
spiritual meaning, Jesus' teaching and demonstration, and the Principle and
rule of spiritual Science and metaphysical healing,--in a word, Christian
Science.

I named it _Christian_, because it is compassionate, helpful, and
spiritual. God I called _immortal Mind_. That which sins, suffers, and
dies, I named _mortal mind_. The physical senses, or sensuous nature, I
called _error_ an