MALINDA ELLIOTT CRAMER

AUTHOR

IMPERSONAL TEACHING - DIVINE SCIENCE

These author's pages are dedicated to the impersonal work of author and teacher Malinda Elliott Cramer (June 12, 1844 - August 2, 1906), founder of Divine Science, healer, and significant figure in the early New Thought movement.

Malinda E. Cramer was born in Greensboro, Indiana. Hoping to alleviate a lingering health problem (tuberculosis), she moved to San Francisco, California in 1872, where she met Charles Lake Cramer, a photographer; they were married that same year. Despite the move, her health problems continued to plague her.

In 1885, after "an hour of sincere meditation and prayerful searching," she experienced what she described as a divine revelation and "a realization of the unity of Life and a flash of its Truth that flashed through her mind." She reported that she recovered from her health problems over the next two years.

In 1887 she began practicing faith healing herself. In October 1888 she inaugurated the monthly magazine Harmony. In May 1888 she and her husband opened what later became the Home College of Divine Science. She did not coin the term "Divine Science," but it had been used earlier by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, and also by Wilberforce Juvenal Colville, who published a book of that name that same year. In 1892 she founded the International Divine Science Association, the predecessor of the International Alliance for New Thought, to bring together various centers of New Thought. In 1893 she helped open a second Divine Science College in Oakland and made several trips across the country.

He speaks about his recovery and the beginnings of Divine Science as follows:

Early one morning in the beginning of the year 1885, during an hour of earnest meditation and prayerful seeking, the writer asked if there was any way, means or power, by which she could be healed.

This question was asked with faith, believing that it would be answered, and with willingness to cheerfully abide by the decision, whatever it might be (many physicians having pronounced her case incurable); the answer immediately came in the inmost perception and understanding, that if she recovered, it would be by the power of Infinite Spirit. She had then been under medical advice and treatment for more than twenty years, and had lost all hope of obtaining relief from medicine, or from material remedies.

Therefore, when from the Infinite One the message was received, which was the intuitive response to her question, she turned all thought and attention to Infinite Spirit for assistance-for health, knowledge and power, and for all that of which she then believed herself to be in need. This was the first time during her earthly experience that she had given up belief in, and ceased seeking relief from, external remedies-ceased to expect health and happiness from effects. Therefore it was the first time she had sought God, and Him only, with singleness of purpose, expecting to realize that which was being sought.

Great was the faith before God, for the thought was, that if she could be healed by the power of Infinite Spirit, she must seek Spirit as the means of health ; and to the silent, soundless Presence, in which all live, and move, and have their being, she said that if she could be thus healed , it must be through a knowledge of the truth, which alone frees, and if worthy to know the truth, in simple, fervid faith, she would endeavor to serve truth by adjusting all her ways and conditions to it.

At that time she was almost startled by her thought of promise, for she realized to whom the promise was made. Day after day to the best of her ability, as she practiced in thought, word arid deed, the truth perceived, she began to realize and positively know the presence, goodness, wholeness, and perfectness of the One in which all live. Prior to this practice, the presence of God had been to her a vague belief.

Cognition and demonstration of first and final truth have gone hand in hand from the time of this, her first perception from the Spirit of Truth, which was a gleam of light that animated hope of final recovery.

Therefore, conscious unity with God, perfect health, and a knowledge of the detail of science, resulted from faithfulness in practice. Science, or Truth, and the Christ method of healing as taught in HOME COLLEGE, of which these lessons are representative, has been intuitively perceived, analyzed, systematized, and practically demonstrated by the author.

When the decision was willingly made to impart to others the truth perceived, immediately Divine understanding made clear the truth that all reasoning must be from the plane of Infinite Spirit-all analysis must be from the stand-point of Principle-God must be the subject and cause of all conclusions, if they be those of truth.

Since her awakening to the consciousness of truth, her work has been to systematize the science of Infinite Spirit, to teach it in both written and oral lessons, to demonstrate it by healing and by imparting the knowledge to others, thus enabling them to demonstrate the same power and truth in healing by the same means, proving the omnipresence of the Spirit of Truth.

In the silent, soundless, and formless Presence, the Giver of all good the science, including the detail, has been by her perceived and realized. Therefore her work has been and is that of teaching humanity, and pointing the way by which all may turn, seek and find, that God, the source of all power, wisdom, and goodness, is no respecter of person, pointing the way by which all "may look to the Lord and Live." "So, if any one of you be deficient in wisdom, let him ask from God, who imparts liberally to all, and does not censure, and it will be given to him.'' We teach that God, the Father, sustains the same relation to each and all. "If ye continue in my words, then are ye my disciples indeed.'' ''And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

EDITOR -JÁN MASTER

Malinda E. Cramer shows us the way to full healing by turning to the true Source of HEALTH, which will truly restore that health. IT IS THE TRUTH THAT LIBERATES BY SHOWING THAT AS UNCONSCIOUS CHILDREN WE HAVE SEARCHED IN VAIN FOR THE SOURCE OF HEALTH WHERE IT IS NOT, OUTSIDE IN THE MATERIAL MANIFESTATION.

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE SOURCE OF HEALTH IS IN THE SPIRIT IN US AND NOT IN THE MATERIAL MANIFESTATION THAT IS ITS REFLECTION. IT'S LIKE WANTING THE REFLECTION OF YOUR FACE IN THE MIRROR TO SMILE AND THE TRUTH IS THAT THE FACE IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR HAS TO SMILE.

These lessons are intended to be studied and applied; which means health, happiness and illumination, with the consciousness of Spirit. To be healed, means a spiritual or normal condition. It means ease instead of dis-ease, love, not fear, charity in place of unkindness, faith, not doubt, truth, not error, knowledge, instead of opinion, happiness, in place of sorrow, harmony, not discord ; that is, understanding takes the place of mental darkness.

To be healed, means realized unity with God, the ever-present source of all good. These lessons have been prepared in lecture form and carefully worded, that the idea of the Father be prominent in every sentence ; that you may heal yourselves, and teach and heal others. For all must have a certain amount of mental discipline before they can heal, or understand why truth does heal.

If these lessons be studied, understood and applied, students will be prepared for a College course; so that with the discipline of one course of primary instruction, they may enter the normal class, and there demonstrate understanding, and go forth, bearing the message of the gospel of peace, and healing the sick of false belief.

We know there are earnest seekers in all parts of the world who are thirsting for the truth that is promised to make free-persons who are "heavy laden" with mortal cares and mortal belief - who cannot enter a HOME COLLEGE of Science, or even attend a course of class-teaching in Science and healing.

To these dear sisters and brothers this book of lessons will be a messenger of peace, giving rest, health and happiness.

They will also prove of great value alike to teachers and healers who arc in this field of work. They who know God, the Father, also know truth, the son, both unmanifest and manifest, for the truth is the idea or eternal word implanted within the individual, and the same is inherent in God, which is the idea and possibility of Himself; therefore, Truth is God and God is truth.

EDITOR -JÁN MASTER

Malinda E. Cramer shows us the way to full healing, in a very clear method of real practice.

This great light of Truth, shining from this book, will be appreciated by all who desire true healing and by students of Truth burning for freedom. When these statements of Truth are spoken and expressed clearly with vigor and unwavering faith, the Truth in them liberates from so-called disease, lack, illusion, and evil.

"This book finds perfect paths to all who seek illumination of the path to their Divine Plan, health, success, abundance, freedom, love, fulfillment under Grace, in God's perfect way."

The arrangement of this consecutive course of condensed lessons under the heading of BASIC STATEMENTS and Treatment, is designed to be a simple, practical method which, when understood and practiced, will enable students to realize within themselves and for others, wholeness; which is pure Being, perfect thought and the result of such thought. Wholeness means health, satisfaction and success in general.

Wholeness, includes the all of Life, Intelligence, Truth and Substance, for which all are seeking.

editor -JÁN MASTER