Excerpts from Mary Baker Eddy's letters on reading
These are mainly from letters where Mrs. Eddy is speaking directly to Readers, about Readers, or about reading. These examples give us some insights into her personal counsel and guidance regarding reading, but with the caveat that these perspectives are not meant to replace the directions that she ultimately left in her published writings, nor are they intended to override the inspiration we may gain from her published writings. If you are interested in the context of these excerpts, please contact the Mary Baker Eddy Library.
“The hope of my heart is that you may find this office an aid to your growth in grace and the spiritual understanding of your text-book. To attain the latter is to keep thought between its covers by a necessary searching for texts explanatory of the Scriptures.” [MBEL, L02417]
“The style of reading it needs to be conversational[.] … Science and Health is read by some Readers in a manner that I can scarcely understand it and I am sure others cannot. The greatest present reform to be made in our ranks would be better healers and better Readers and better Publication Committees.” [MBEL, L08606]
“Mother says she consented to an advanced student going to a school to be taught elocution who returned with a loss instead of gain[.] It darkened his understanding of C.S. And he said he never read so poorly before. I learned a lesson then and it was this. For Christian Scientists to be instructed from "the basis that elocution is taught results as it would for them to study physiology[.] I can never advise one to do it. If a child that God is teaching needs aught, God will supply it in His own way and when His child is ready for it[.] Rest assured of this[.]” [MBEL, L08287]
“Your healing is a sermon that will waken Concord folk more than preaching[.] Prayer first preaching follows[.]” [MBEL, L03699]
“She reads anything and everything in its spirit, not for show[.]” [MBEL, L02750A]
[This refers to the reader she selected to read her dedicatory sermon for the original Mother Church.]
“Rest assured that the Bible and Science and Health are only understood by an individual in the ratio that his mortal error is yielding to the immortal Truth. Spiritual growth in individual consciousness is our only passport into the silent sanctuary of harmony and holiness whence the divine Interpreter and inspired scribe speak to mortals.” [MBEL, AI0183]
