Five Years in Christian Science

Walter, William W. Five Years in Christian Science. Aurora, IL: Self, 1910.

This book is Walter’s autobiographical account of the first five years after his dramatic healing through Christian Science prayerful treatment and his subsequent successful healing practice based on his reading of Mary Baker Eddy’s textbook Science and Health. He describes in detail several of the significant cases he handled with Christian Science treatment, and in some cases some important lessons for improving his healing ability. In one, he learned to abide more strictly to Eddy’s teachings in her textbook. Many of his cases had already been diagnosed as incurable, but he insisted on radical reliance on spiritual means alone without medical interference. Shortly after he added his name to the officially recognized practitioners in the Christian Science Journal, he withdrew his name after learning that publishing his own books would disqualify him. Although this book ends after these first five years committed to the Church and its practices, Walter left the church soon afterward due to his disagreement with its organization and his conviction that this healing method should be treated more like a Science than a religious practice. As an independent Christian Scientist, he began teaching his own healing method and ultimately founded his “Walter Method of Eschatology,” still in operation today.