Dear Journal:—I want to tell you how a little girl got into serious difficulty, and how Christian Science saved her life. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cole, of Riverside, California, and at the time of which I am writing, was not quite three years old. She had seen the other children, in play, put their mouths under the water-faucet to get a drink. So, one day, she thought she would do the same thing, but, unfortunately, she put her little mouth under the faucet of a ten-gallon tank of gasoline, from which, shortly afterward, a half-inch stream was found running. It is thought she swallowed a considerable quantity. The mother ran for Mrs. D—, a Christian Scientist, and met her with the exclamation: "I am afraid baby is dying. She drank some gasoline, and is as black as a negro." "Do you want any other help than Science?" she was asked. "O, nothing, nothing else; if Science cannot save her, nothing else will." When the house was reached, the baby was lying in its father's arms, groaning with every breath, and surrounded by the family and excited neighbors. The Scientist and the father took the little one into an adjoining room to be alone with God, and here they worked to demonstrate His omnipotence and omnipresence; the Divine Life, in whom there is no death. Very soon the child began to vomit blood, which she did five or six times, and after each attack it seemed, to mortal sense, as if there were no life there. But the work continued. In less than an hour the vomiting ceased; soon the natural color returned, the baby opened her eyes and was given a spoonful of milk. The breathing became natural and she fell asleep. When she awoke, she called for her mother, and there remained only the weakness to be demonstrated over. Blood and gasoline afterward passed her bowels. She drank milk a number of times during the afternoon and through the night. Next morning she was at the breakfast-table, and the following day she visited her grandma, walking a considerable distance. This occurred a long time ago, and her mother says a more healthy child never lived than she has been ever since. It rejoiced the heart to hear the father's expressions of love and gratitude for this beautiful Truth. A physician who, after a life-long experience in the practice of medicine, has given it up and has come into the understanding and practice of Christian Science, saw the child, and said this was a wonderful demonstration of the power of Truth, and that no medical aid could have saved her. A neighbor, the wife of an M. D., who knew the circumstances of the case, saw the baby next day, and said: "Is it possible that you did not call a doctor?" Her second question, "What is Christian Science?" reminds one of Pilate's question, "What is Truth?" It is indeed "answered by demonstration" (Science and Health, pref. viii.).— Riverside, Cal.
The Riverside Express speaks of the above demonstration as follows:—
"The little two-year-old daughter of Frank Cole, in all innocence, drank some gasoline on Monday night. For some time it seemed that the little one could live but a few moments, but it has got well, and, strange as it may seem, under the treatment of a Christian Scientist, and not a particle of any other treatment. The local press noticed the case, but did not notice the treatment it received, but simply says the child is out of danger. Now we have always noticed a great 'difference in ginger.' If an M. D, had been called to the case, and he was successful, the papers would say 'under the skillful treatment of Dr.—, is out of danger.' Had the child died, the whole subject of treatment would have been in the calm language. In the case mentioned the treatment is in the calm language. Had the child died, the whole newspaper fraternity would have been insufficient to give it notoriety, but the parents and all the neighbors would have been brought into court and tried for manslaughter, to put it mildly. Now we think that a 'wayfaring man, though a member of the legislature and an editor,' can see the difference. The M. D. has a license to kill or let people die; the Scientist has not. See? We have only said this much in the name of fair play and common decency. We are not a Scientist."
