[Transcriber’s Note: The original book includes line numbers throughout the text, for easy reference to the text by page number and line number. This transcription retains those page and line numbers; the numbers in [square brackets] at the right ends of lines are the original book’s line numbers. The paragraphs are not adjusted as is customary for text in e-books, nor are words split by hyphens rejoined, so that the lines shown below have the same words as the lines in the original book.] A certain apothegm of a Talmudical philosopher [1] suits my sense of doing good. It reads thus: “The noblest charity is to prevent a man from accepting charity; and the best alms are to show and to enable a man to dispense with alms.” [5] In the early history of Christian Science, among my thousands of students few were wealthy. Now, Christian Scientists are not indigent; and their comfortable fortunes are acquired by healing mankind morally, physically, spiritually. The easel of time presents pictures—once [10] fragmentary and faint—now rejuvenated by the touch of God’s right hand. Where joy, sorrow, hope, disap- pointment, sigh, and smile commingled, now hope sits dove-like. To preserve a long course of years still and uniform, [15] amid the uniform darkness of storm and cloud and tempest, requires strength from above,—deep draughts from the fount of divine Love. Truly may it be said: There is an old age of the heart, and a youth that never grows old; a Love that is a boy, and a Psyche who is [20] ever a girl. The fleeting freshness of youth, however, is not the evergreen of Soul; the coloring glory of [Page x.] perpetual bloom; the spiritual glow and grandeur of [1] a consecrated life wherein dwelleth peace, sacred and sincere in trial or in triumph. The opportunity has at length offered itself for me to comply with an oft-repeated request; namely, to collect [5] my miscellaneous writings published in _The Christian_ _Science Journal_, since April, 1883, and republish them in book form,—accessible as reference, and reliable as old landmarks. Owing to the manifold demands on my time in the early pioneer days, most of these articles [10] were originally written in haste, without due preparation. To those heretofore in print, a few articles are herein appended. To some articles are affixed data, where these are most requisite, to serve as mile-stones measuring the distance,—or the difference between then and now,— [15] in the opinions of men and the progress of our Cause. My signature has been slightly changed from my Christian name, Mary Morse Baker. Timidity in early years caused me, as an author, to assume various _noms_ _de plume_. After my first marriage, to Colonel Glover [20] of Charleston, South Carolina, I dropped the name of Morse to retain my maiden name,—thinking that other- wise the name would be too long.