The personal experiences, contributed to your pages, have been exceedingly helpful to me, and I venture to offer my mite, trusting it may be useful to others, as theirs have been to me.
When I studied Christian Science, my teacher impressed on my mind the necessity of taking at least one hour in the day for reading Science and Health, the Bible, and for silent communion. I was determined to do this, and for a year was slowly, but surely gaining in spiritual understanding. But a very subtle temptation came to me, to prove me, in the form of an invitation to spend the winter with some friends, who were wholly absorbed in a life of gayety. They "sat down to eat and drink, and then rose up to play"(1 Cor 10-7). I thought, now is my opportunity to interest these dear friends in Christian Science. I soon found that whatever I did, must be through the language of silence. At first I held to the hour, but gradually the magnetism of my surroundings blinded my sense of Truth to such a degree, that society demands crowded out every other, and I excused myself by saying, it is no use to try. "While I am with the Romans I will do as they do," and so conformed to the condition of those about me. Often the inner voice would speak to me, but I would answer," When I get home I will make up for all the hours of time I've taken from Christian Science Study."
One evening, in the midst of music and dancing, with the swiftness of an arrow, I was struck with an old belief, of which I had been healed through Christian Science treatment. It returned with tenfold poignancy. I tried to deny and overcome it, but felt that, like Sampson, I was shorn of my strength, and helpless in the midst of the enemy. I was obliged, suddenly, to withdraw from the gay scenes, and within the silence of my room, I began to upbraid Christian Science. I questioned the truth of it, else why should this belief return. I even felt bitter toward my teacher. I was, by this time, fairly writhing with pain, and walked the floor, saying," why cannot I help myself?" I raved against the pain in one breath, and in the next, blamed Christian Science for not proving its unreality by destroying it. Then my friend came in, and said, "you look as if you had been sick a month; how foolish to wear yourself out, trying to find help in this way." She insisted upon bringing me an anodyne. I said," not yet, I'll try awhile longer." As she went out she said, "Christian Science is a good theory, but you will find that chloroform is the practical way to overcome pain." This aroused me to a sense of where I was.
