Probably the most understated and overlooked early leader of the New Thought movement, Malinda Cramer, founder of Divine Science, was indeed ahead of her time.

Malinda Elliott Cramer was born in a large family of eleven children. Her parents were Quakers. When Malinda was fifteen she developed a disease which the doctors declared incurable and she became an invalid. Later the family moved to San Francisco in hopes the good weather would cure Malinda. It didn't.

Despite nearly 25 years of medical treatment Malinda married Charles Lake Cramer and had three sons. Only one lived to adulthood. Frank Elliot Cramer was born in 1874 and assisted Malinda and Charles in the activities of the Divine Science Home School.

One morning in 1885, while in prayer she simply asked, "Is there a way out of my condition? Is there a Power in the Universe that can heal me?" The answer came intuitively. The illumined realization of Omnipresence freed her from the belief that her condition controlled her.

According to Harmony Magazine, Malinda knew and associated with and taught many of the other early New Thought leaders. She taught classes for the Fillmores when visiting Kansas and for Emma Curtis Hopkins in Chicago. As she let go of old habits of belief, she regained her health. Classes and healing treatments developed as a result of sharing her experience with others. In truth, she became a New Thought wayshower. She understood her role as a teacher and healer. She recognized that the Power of healing was God.

Over 124 years ago Malinda Cramer's spiritual career began at age 40. As Mrs. Malinda Cramer studied, taught and traveled to reach more people with her newly found truth, she did so in great earnest. She lectured and traveled extensively throughout America.

She founded the Divine Science Home School on May 4, 1888. Mrs. Cramer organized the International Divine Science Association on May 17, 1892 and this was the forerunner of International New Thought Alliance. Malinda first published the Harmony Magazine in August, 1888. This magazine is considered historically as one of the earliest and most significant New Thought publications.

Mrs. Cramer inspired many of the great early New Thought leaders whose ministries and books are still held in high esteem. She incurred an injury during the great San Francisco earthquake at the age of 62 and a few months later on August 2, 1906, the great lady made her transition. Her death certificate gave the reason for her death as "consumption".

During the earthquake, the Divine Science Home School and all its contents were destroyed. Many of the original writings of the Divine Science movement were lost.

Over the years many churches were founded under the name of Divine Science but all were autonomous and none were part of her original school. The Divine Science movement appeared to weaken even to a point of near extinction in terms of number of thriving churches and Divine Science achieved virtually no name recognition even within the New Thought movement. Bearing those facts in mind and coupled with the overwhelming desire to return to the original teachings of Malinda Cramer, Dr. Anne Kunath, with a group of ministers dedicated to the teachings of Malinda, developed and founded United Divine Science Ministries International in February 1999 in San Antonio, Texas. The word "United" was included as a part of the new Divine Science organization in order to create a forum to bring together all people dedicated to the original principles and teachings of Malinda Cramer.