Mary Baker Eddy "takes no patients"

For some years following her discovery of Christian Science in 1866, Mary Baker Eddy maintained an active healing practice in which the cures that took place illustrated the truth of her teachings. Eddy did not advertise as a healer; her practice began with reaching out to heal people she encountered who were in need.  And as her reputation as an effective healer grew, sufferers increasingly sought her ministrations. Eventually Eddy no longer accepted patients from the public and devoted her time to teaching others to heal, to writing, and to establishing the Christian Science movement. At that point, in addition to recommending other Christian Science healers, she encouraged some who called on her seeking healing to study Christian Science so that they could learn to heal. 

In 1881 she founded the Massachusetts Metaphysical College to train Christian Science healers, and in 1884, “Normal classes” were added to the college curriculum for the purpose of training successful healers to effectively teach Christian Science. In a letter dated March 30, 1884 (L10631Click link to view L10631 document in new window), she wrote: “I have no opportunity to work in the department of healing farther than through my books and lectures.” And she would later write in the June 1888 Christian Science Journal, “I take no patients, and advertise in my books that I have no time for medical consultation.” As Christian Science continued to spread throughout the United States in the mid-1880s, Eddy increasingly received letters from those who had heard of Christian Science and felt that their illnesses or those of their loved ones were so severe and intractable that only Eddy as the founder of Christian Science was up to the task of healing them. Eddy turned down all of these requests and directed those correspondents to Christian Science healers listed in the directory (started in 1883) of The Christian Science Journal. She stated in its February 1885 issue:

“Prof. Eddy takes no patients at present, has no time for consultation on disease, and reads no letters containing inquiries in that department: all such should be addressed to those whose names [of Christian Science practitioners] appear below.”

Notices with similar wording appeared in the Christian Science periodicals through the remainder of Eddy’s life.