THE recent reading of some critical comments respecting Christian Science and its Leader has caused the present writer to question himself: Would it be possible for you to forsake the cause of Christian Science, or to fall away from trying to live its precepts? And if falling away, where would you fall? Do you merely believe in this Science of being, or do you truly understand it? If the unity of God and His creation, man and the universe, is understood, how could you depart from this certain knowledge of so great salvation? If the above-mentioned editorial critic could have had the present writer's experience, surely his unwarranted opinions would never have been penned.
In July, 1905, I found myself in a southern city, in that extremity of mind and body which has been described as God's opportunity. For many months I had been observing the marvelous change in character and life of a friend who had been lifted from the gutter by Christian Science, but up to this time I had managed to evade the ever-recurring desire to allow Christian Science to prove its claim to heal and regenerate. There had been no conscious desire to seek God, only the selfish longing to escape the penalty of sin. In this condition I grew worse physically and more desperate mentally and morally, until, when I readied that quiet old city in my travels, I felt that the crisis had come. It was the old story over again of the prodigal son and his awakening. On Sunday morning I recalled a loving letter from my friend, who wrote so convincingly of the change in his life that I suddenly determined to attend the Christian Science church that day.
I can never forget the quiet beauty of that simple service, nor the desire which came to me that morning to know more of this philosophy. So interested did I become that I went next day to the reading-room and ordered a copy of Mrs. Eddy's book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Many times I had expressed a desire to have this book, but never had felt able to make the purchase, although I had daily expended from one to three dollars for cigars. The book was sent to my room at the hotel, and coming in that night after a day of dissipation, which had left me in a state of intoxication, I sat down, opened the book, and was astonished to note that, while with respect to other things my vision was double, I could see clearly to read. And the first sentence I read sobered me. It was this: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings"(Science and Health, Pref., p. vii.).
