“Let a Double Portion of Thy Spirit Be Upon Me”

In testimonies, we sometimes hear gratitude for practitioners, which is always important to express — to be humbly grateful for the help that has been received. In our church, going through the law case, with everything we went through, we did receive quite a bit of practitioner help. It wasn't only just for personal problems, but it was to keep ourselves on the straight and narrow path so we could do this work, and we could achieve the independence that we needed in order to continue practicing pure Christian Science. During this time we learned a lot about how to correctly practice Christian Science and how to handle animal magnetism, and we learned much of this by working with a practitioner.

In the Bible story of Elijah and Elisha, Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah told

him, “Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee.” That is what happened, and Elisha went on to do great and mighty works.

Becoming a practitioner — which we all become when we practice Christian Science — is in many ways an apprenticeship. How do you become a practitioner? By working with someone who knows how to practice it. This is something very important, and I think perhaps missing in the movement today. Of course, you have to learn from someone who really knows the Science, and so it is passed down. It is the golden chain that is passed down, the true healing power of the Christ, and it is a learned skill, an art, if you will, and it’s available to anyone and everyone who has that deep desire. After all, isn’t apprenticeship how Jesus taught his disciples to become healers like himself?

As I said, all of you who are practicing Christian Science are practitioners of sorts, and for those who want to learn more, working with a practitioner is a helpful thing to do. Again, not just for the healing of your own personal problems, but because you want to learn this skill, this art, and how to do it yourself, and, in turn, pass it on to future generations.

I am grateful tonight to have learned this, and to be learning this in our church. It’s a very important part of our lives.