The Quimby Church started in Secaucus over 15 years ago by Reverand Lucia Faugno. As a minister of Christian metaphysics, she bases her ministry on the teachings of the Bible in principle and practice as interpreted by Quimby and his followers. Outlined below is a brief history of Quimby, a pioneer of new thought, and a summary of his teachings.

Phineas Parkerhurst Quimby was born in 1802, and became a professional clock maker in the New England area. When he was 38 years old, he discovered that one way to overcome physical pain was through the art of mesmerism. He believed if thoughts could control the mind, then relaxing the mind from any thoughts would free the body of pain. A few years later, he felt that disease was also connected to the state of mind and could be overcome through being receptive to the study of spiritual science. He was believed to possess an extraordinary ability in detecting the hidden causes of suffering. He felt that the study of spiritual science through the teachings of Jesus Christ was the basis of true knowledge and the source of true wisdom. Through this Truth, the body could be made to be subservient to the Divine Spirit within instead of the Spirit being a slave to the body’s outer form manifesting in disease.

During 1859 till the end of his life in 1866 he devoted himself to the healing of the sick mostly in Portland , Maine . His teachings were not to establish a religious creed but to make man aware of the teachings of Jesus and how they can be applied to healing the sick and suffering. Although he himself did not write any books, the hundreds of manuscripts he wrote were shared among his students who published books and founded healing centers based on his teachings. In 1921 Quimby student Horatio Dresser was given permission to print the Quimby manuscripts which has been noted as the most important contribution to the subject of spiritual healing that was ever published. These manuscripts are now in the Library of Congress and are available for research. From these beginnings, Christian Science, Divine Science, Unity, Religious Science, and other centers have evolved in the United States, each having the basic foundation from Quimby’s teachings but each having its own focus of the teachings.

Please note the resource material used for this column came from a publication written by Ann Ballew Hawkins entitled: “Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, Revealer of Spiritual Healing to this Age” DeVorss & Co. Publishers, Copyright 1951.