Did Mary Baker Eddy write it? “I have learned a great secret…”

(Updated April 3, 2023)

We are frequently asked about the authenticity of a piece sometimes attributed to Mary Baker Eddy and known as “The Secret.” It has also appeared under other titles, such as “Demonstration,” “My Resolution for the Day,” and “A Letter by Mrs. Eddy on Vision.”  

Sometimes the document begins, “I have learned a great secret, for I have learned how to demonstrate.” In other instances, it opens with “I want to write you about my eyes.”

This piece has circulated under various names and with varying text, making verification confusing and problematic—which text, if any, should be considered authentic?

Identifying the author of the piece is also challenging. While it has been attributed to Eddy, claims have been made that it was written by Christian Science practitioner, teacher, and lecturer Bicknell Young. Irving Tomlinson, who himself held those same positions and worked in Eddy’s Pleasant View and Chestnut Hill homes, is also sometimes said to have written it.

We have been unable to authenticate this article. The original text does not appear anywhere in our manuscript collections, and we cannot determine its source. Although we have never been able to confirm its author, the piece does not appear to have been written by Eddy.