Editing Church of Divine Science (section)

=== Beginning ===

The church's official founders were Malinda Cramer and [[Nona L. Brooks]],<ref>Albanese (2007, p. 316); Haley (1995, p. 326)</ref> with Fannie Brooks James, Alethea Brooks Small and Kate Bingham also playing decisive roles.<ref>Wessinger et al. (2006, p. 758).</ref> Both [[Phineas Quimby]]<ref>Hazen (2000, p. 113)</ref> and [[Emma Curtis Hopkins]], noted New Thought leader of the day, were direct influences. Nona Brooks was introduced to Hopkins's teachings through a student of Hopkins in Pueblo, Colorado.<ref>[http://divinesciencechurch.org/dsfed//page3.php History of Divine Science] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608032634/http://divinesciencechurch.org/dsfed//page3.php |date=2008-06-08 }}, Divine Science Federation</ref> This student was most likely Kate Bingham, who lived in Pueblo and was the second wife of Frank Bingham, a noted rancher.  Kate Bingham had been exposed to the tenets of [[Christian Science]] on a trip she had made to Chicago in the 1870s. A doctor in Pueblo had told a pregnant Kate that if she gave birth, she would die. Kate then went East to have her pregnancy terminated, there being no doctors in Colorado who could perform the operation at that time. While on the train to Chicago, Kate met a Christian Scientist who told her she would be able to give birth if she properly prepared her mind and spirit.  In the end, Kate had the child at the home of her Christian Scientist friend (and was later to have three more children in Pueblo).  When Kate returned home from her trip, she spoke about Christian Science to some of her friends, including Nona Brooks, and the women began to have weekly meetings at 318 West 9th Street in Pueblo, the winter home of the family which owned the Hopkins-Bingham ranch.  The women consciously set about to adapt Christian Science philosophy to what they felt was a more pragmatic application of the Divine Spirit. For instance, Divine Science, instead of solely relying on prayer and positive thinking, permitted the consultation of medical professionals.{{cn|date=August 2021}}