Mary Baker was born in Bow, New Hampshire, July 16, 1821 to a Congregationalists family. Her father, Mark Baker, was a Calvinist. Mary was married at the age of 22 to George Glover in 1843 in Charleston, South Carolina. Within 2 years her husband died of yellow fever. She gave birth to her son in Sept. 1844.  It was from this time on she was in constant pain and became preoccupied with the question of health. Mary was a semi-invalid and for years was afflicted with a spinal weakness that caused her spasmodic seizures. With other complications the stress caused her to have a complete nervous collapse.

Ruth Tucker writes, "After Glover’s death, she became involved in mesmerism such as hypnosis and the practices of spiritualism and clairvoyance." (Ruth Tucker, Another Gospel, p. 152)

In 1862, seeking relief from her spinal illness, Mary decided to go see Phineas P. Quimby, who practiced a form of mind-over-matter healing. She believed she was healed by him, but her symptoms soon returned.

"Science and Health" was first published in 1875 and Church of Christ Scientist was incorporated in 1879.

1. Non-Trinitarian, more of a modelist (like Oneness Pentecostals).
2. God is not a person.
3. Jesus is not God.
4. Jesus is not the Christ.
5. Christ is an idea {consciousness}.
6. No resurrection.
7. Man already has everlasting salvation...No final judgment awaits mortals.
8. Matter, Sin, and evil do not exist; they are merely an illusion.
9. Jesus was never crucified.

1. Science and Health, p. 256
2  Miscellaneous Writings, p. 465
4. Miscellaneous Writings p.84, Science and Health p. 361, Science and Health, p. 332
7 Science and Health, p. 291
9. p.46 Miscellaneous writings 1917