OPEN LETTERS

The Way Christian Science Reached Our Home.

Three years last August, there appeared in our little daughter of eight years what the senses call Corea, or St. Vitus dance. The doctor to whom we went told us that he did not think that he could do anything for her, and that she would be likely to have it until she was fifteen. This troubled us very much. By a friend, we were then informed of a lady who had been healed of granulated eye-lids, and who also had learned how it was done; so we concluded to see her. We did not know the nature or method of the treatment, though some said it was animal magnetism. We cared not what it was if it just helped our little sufferer. The glorious result was that in three weeks she was well; there being not a sign of the trouble left. Then we became anxious to know of the power that healed. We decided to learn. The substance of the instruction was that life is not in the body, but that we are the expression of Spirit. The teacher gave us two volumes, by different authors, also a Christian Science Journal, and advised us to get Science and Health. We studied these books diligently, but could get nothing to satisfy our desire. We saw in the Journal some wonderful cures wrought by Christian Science as taught by Mrs. M. B. G. Eddy, of Boston, and also the advertisement of Science and Health. We sent for the book on receipt of which we laid the others aside and began to study Science and Health. At the first reading we gained no information, being blinded by ideas contained in the other books; but we did not let that hinder us. We began again. Then the light began to dawn, and as we travelled along it grew brighter and brighter. We studied the Bible also, in connection with Science and Health, and the beliefs that seemed to possess us began to leave us, from the oldest to the youngest. We were so deeply interested in the study that we did not notice their leaving, but when we came to think of them, they were gone. We procured all of the great author's works, and studied diligently. Have committed to memory a large portion of Science and Health; so that its teachings are ever before us, a bright light to lighten our pathway. We studied in this way for two years, during which time we had some excellent demonstrations. We then went to Mrs. E. B. F—,of Nebraska, and took a course of lectures. There we received much light on many points not clearly discerned before. Since then, we have had some wonderful demonstrations; some of them in cases that the medical faculty could not relieve. We had no help but Science and Health, and the Bible, and our governing thoughts were: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want; " "If God is for us, who can be against us?" and "Father, lead us in the ways of all Truth." These perfect thoughts have fought for us a great many hard battles, wherein we learned that the hidden enemy and its power was an evil belief which represented nothing in the presence of Truth; that Truth was omnipresent, which showed us that both were nothing to be accepted, but something to be denied.—S. P. H.

Dear Journal: —I claim to be one of the lambs of the little flock of Scientists, in El Dorado, Kansas. It has been over a year since I began to investigate Christian Science, which has opened up a new world to me. I can say I knew a woman, over a year ago, who seemed helplessly bound with the belief of paralysis, kidney disease, catarrh in ears and throat, neuralgia, and deathly weakness. Medicine did her no good; she tried about all material aids and found no relief until she laid hold on eternal Life and came into transformation of the body by the renewing of the Mind. It was not long until she lost the belief of a twofold creation. I can say the woman I knew, I now know no more. I have died to the sense of such a person, but yet I live! It is not the human sense that lives but Love and Intelligence. I feel that I am renewed in that creation. It has caused chains of bondage to fall from me; it has taken away all my sorrow and care. I feel like the birds, careful for nothing; and yet I am fed and all my wants are supplied; I am so glad I am a reflection of God's love instead of a creation of the human sense of things. What beliefs of ignorance we have been brought up under, what superstition! No wonder the Saviour said: "Father forgive them, they know not what they do!" I find what heals the understanding, heals the body. If we get the sure knowledge, the body will reflect the Truth, and the old beliefs, or the old man and his deeds will be cast out. To be a true Scientist, we must have pure thoughts; we must not let anything that defiles enter into this new creation; if we do, be sure our sins will find us out. It is better to take hold of this work for one's self than to have another treat; for one can stand more steadfastly at the door of his own thoughts than can his neighbor. Let nothing enter our thoughts that we would not have reflected upon our body. By watching, we can put off the old man with his deeds, but we must make the inside (thought) clean, before we can make the outside (body) pure and harmonious.—C. D., Eldorado, Kan.

Dear Editor of The Journal.—At the convention recently held in New York, we were urged to send our thoughts to the Journal. Mortal sense says, "What good can your thoughts do to any one? All can have the same by turning to our divine Source." But I know that thoughts are suggestive; and, even though we know that the silent method is all potent, yet expressed thought does help. In the Journal for June, page 117, I find mention of the fact that, "Memory is His." I can bear testimony to the truth of this; for of late it has demonstrated itself constantly to me. Even the veriest trifle comes, back to consciousness the moment the external senses are stilled sufficiently to enable me to hear the "still small voice within." Practice in the "little things" enables us to have consciously at hand the necessary strength for the great testing places.

To my thought, it seems clear that if Truth is worth anything, it is worth everything. The supply is unfailing. We must use it constantly or, better, we must let it use us. We must understand that we are channels for the Truth to flow through. Truth is responsible, we are but instruments. Truth does the work— when we let it. What we call error is absolutely nothing,—God is all. There cannot be two equal powers. God is Love. "Love is a consuming fire;" therefore, if we are filled full of love, we cannot hold anything else. When my children cry out: "O mamma! there is a man behind the chair," or table, or wherever is cast a shadow in the half light of the diminished gas jet, I at once turn on the gas and ask: "Where, children?"

So we, who are only children after all, cry out in our fear, as we see through mortal sense; but in the pure white light of Truth, we see our fears are only shadows cast by the half light. "Now we know in part, but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away."

I love to read in the Diaglott: "We live and are moved and have our being in Him." We are moved when we let Love move us. We need not fight; only stand still and know. Jesus says: "Only believe." The burden of his message is: "According to your faith be it unto you." Mrs. Eddy writes: "Truth is a law unto error." Let us apply Truth. Pilate asked: "What is Truth?" Jesus said: "Behold the Man." We are God's children now. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ now. Long enough have we been taught to grovel with the "muck rake." Long enough have we been told that we are "worms of the dust." Child of God, heir of the Universe, stand on your feet and know that you are of your Father,—Good, Life, Love, Truth, Substance, Intelligence. "Lift up the heads that are bowed down, strengthen the feeble knees." God is our Father. Whom shall we fear? There is the true picture. Long have we looked at the wrong side of it; now, let us stand in front of it, and let it manifest itself in us,—reflect itself. Let us now affirm we are reflections of Love.—F. J. M.

The gentleman from whom the enclosed letter is just received, is an M. D., as he wrote me last summer when he applied for absent treatment for his wife who had been pronounced an incurable by four other M. D.'s, and had been bed-ridden for a long time. She was entirely healed by absent treatment alone. Through my realizations for her, which necessarily included him because of his reports for her and intimate connection with her, the gentleman himself was cured of deafness, and other infirmities contracted in the army, though I did not know he had any physical ailments, till after he wrote me of his own cure. He has gained all the understanding he has, first, through the letters necessary in the treatment of his wife, and then in the study of Science and Health, by both himself and wife. He has never met or talked with a Christian Scientist. I send his letter as a demonstration that Science and Health is the teacher of this age,—the one that will lead all who hunger for understanding to the Teacher of all teachers, even to the Universal Christ:—

The plague La Grippe is having a regular riot here, and a great many deaths have occurred, and no signs of abating. Two doctors of this city died last week, and four doctors near here have died within the last ten days. I do not know of a single family that has escaped the plague, nor of a single person who has recovered health after having it—but I am too fast! There are two exceptions, and those two are Mrs.—and myself. Immediately after my last letter to you, we were both attacked. Mrs. S. had a light attack, treated herself very successfully, and was well in a couple of days. I had a very violent attack, which came on during the night without previous warning. When morning came, I commenced to treat myself, but was in such distress that I could not collect my thoughts more than a minute or two at a time. Every effort did good, however, and by seven o'clock in the evening my pains were so reduced that I was able to give myself a thorough treatment, and in one half hour I was perfectly well, and I have not felt the effects of the disease since. Mrs. S.'s recovery was entire. We feel secure. What do you think about this plague? I am regarding it as ominous.—E. M. S.

In my own experience those who stand firmest and most fearlessly in Truth, and freest from the fear of animal magnetism are those who have first been healed, then taught by Science and Health. I regard all my patients as my students, and have many fine demonstrations among them. I always tell my absent patients plainly that this is the "second coming of Christ " for which Christians have so long and so anxiously looked; and I have very marked success with absent patients. It is true that I have had with my realizations many, to me, wonderful "revelations " and "visions"; but I have always made Christian Science so practical in its uses that I have never attempted to write down such experiences, not even new ideas as they came; but have saved only the "git" of the kernel to apply to my own daily benefit and to that of others who came to me. I have followed the rule, "Take no thought what ye shall speak," etc., and never once have found that instruction to fail me, even when called in the most unexpected ways to meet "learned " criticism.—I. P. H.

Thinking that my own experience would be interesting to readers of the Journal, I state the following:—

Two years ago last March, I commenced working in a shop where there was a Christian Scientist. The first time I heard him say anything about the Science, I made fun of him; but he very quietly said, "If I could get time to talk to you, I would show you what Christian Science is." "Well," I said, "you can't commence any too soon." He proved to me in one half hour what a sinner I was, and told me the way to reform. I asked: "Why can't I learn this and cure my wife?" He replied: "You can. Go home and read the Bible and commence to do right."

I did. Wife was sick in bed. I read the Bible, but she did not know it. Next evening, while I was reading, she got out of bed alone, came to the room and asked: "What are you doing '?" I said: "I am reading the Bible." She said: "Why don't you come and read to me?" I did so, and in a half hour she was asleep—the first time for a month! I looked at her sleeping quietly, and exclaimed: "If the Bible don't beat medicine!" The next night the same results followed a second reading,—and no medicine has been in our home since. Wife had the belief of a quick consumption, but got better every day, until the Fourth of July she took measles, in belief, and was treated. But her old belief seemed worse, so we moved into town, where she was treated about two months, and she has been well and fat ever since. That fall we took primary course from Mrs. B—and from that time until now, have had great success in healing, more physically than spiritually, but God knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.

From the time I first talked with L—never thought of chewing or smoking, or drinking whiskey or beer, or of swearing. All old acquaintances said: "Janes is crazy." I told them if that was what it was doing for me, I would have more—the full consciousness of Good and morality! Through studying Science and Health and the Bible, I have raised one said to be dying, whom the doctor told them could not live twenty minutes. In one hour and a half she sat up in bed, and ate a piece of chicken, the first in three days, and drank a glass of milk. I have sat by the bedside of the dying and seen them pass out of consciousness of life here without a struggle; but the thought would come to me that I must give myself wholly to Truth, and be able to save them that in belief were passing away. My desire is to know the Truth, and the Truth shall make me free. The first C. S. meeting at this place occurred last Sunday evening at my house. All were pleased and thanked God in their hearts for the way to live and not do evil. Meeting every Sunday evening now at my house for the study of Science and Health and the Bible. There are four or five who have taken the primary course, but they felt unequal to starting a meeting. These do not practise any; but I couldn't do that. I must go into the vineyard and work. I am looking for the books.— H. D. J.