Who is ready to follow Christ Jesus' example?

                   "First in the list of Christian duties, he taught his followers the healing power of Truth and Love."
                                                                                  (Science and Health page 31:12–13)



Mary Baker Eddy

From the Holy Bible (KJV).
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Matt. 9:18–30 behold (to ;), 32–38
Matt 10:1-8

18  ... behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
19  And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20  ¶ And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
23  And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
24  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
25  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
26  And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
27  ¶ And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
28  And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29  Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30  And their eyes were opened; ...
32  ¶ As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
33  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
34  But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
35  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36  ¶ But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. ...

1   And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2   Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3   Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphæus, and Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddæus;
4   Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5   These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.
6   But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7   And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8   Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
by Mary Baker Eddy

pages 37 & 38

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When will Jesus' professed followers learn to emulate him in all his ways and to imitate his mighty works? Those who procured the martyrdom of that righteous man would gladly have turned his sacred career into a mutilated doctrinal platform. May the Christians of to-day take up the more practical import of that career! It is possible, — yea, it is the duty and privilege of every child, man, and woman, — to follow in some degree the example of the Master by the demonstration of Truth and Life, of health and holiness. Christians claim to be his followers, but do they follow him in the way that he commanded? Hear these imperative commands: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect!” “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature!” “Heal the sick!”

Why has this Christian demand so little inspiration to stir mankind to Christian effort? Because men are assured that this command was intended only for a particular period and for a select number of followers. This teaching is even more pernicious than the old doctrine of foreordination, — the election of a few to be saved, while the rest are damned; and so it will be considered, when the lethargy of mortals, produced by man-made doctrines, is broken by the demands of divine Science. 

Jesus said: “These signs shall follow them that believe; . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Who believes him? He was addressing his disciples, yet he did not say, “These signs shall follow you,” but them — “them that believe” in all time to come. Here the word hands is used metaphorically, as in the text, “The right hand of the Lord is exalted.” It expresses spiritual power; otherwise the healing could not have been done spiritually. At another time Jesus prayed, not for the twelve only, but for as many as should believe “through their word.”