Oh, the unspeakable depths of Love; the wonder and glory of it; the purity of innocence; the tremendous power of its divine trust in infinite Goodness. Who that has been a faithful servant in Christian Science has never been tempted by the malicious claim of animal magnetism? that insidious and subtile seeming; that biggest and impotent nothing.
At one time in a city where I was, the claim of death in the band of Christian Science students had aroused the opposition element of the citizens to fever heat. A sister student had passed out of this mortal dream. I was unable to route the claim, but had stood by the death-scene till the last moment; and when calmness came to the mournful household I returned to my home. I had not been long alone in my own house, when a strange sensation of dizziness, and pains in the head took possession of me. As I tried to shake it off, I found myself unable to catch a clear realization of truth, and a feeling of weakness came over me, so that it was only through effort that I could sit upright in my chair. The only thought I seemed able to hold was "Omnipotent Love is here, and does care for me whether I can realize it or not." With this I seemed to hold at bay those strange sensations, so that I could not be quite overcome by them, but could realize no more. The struggle went on for hours, as it seemed. I felt as one in an encounter with a ferocious beast, and gradually weakening with the effort. Suddenly there came to me the thought, "Soon the children will be home from school." I felt that with them would come relief, and I waited, simply enduring. After a while the patter of little feet rushed through the basement and up the stairs, and two bright-eyed, rosy-faced little girls appeared at the door of my room, and cried out in astonishment, "Why mamma, where is the dinner? There is no fire, and the table is not cleared, nor the dishes washed from breakfast, what are you doing?" "I am not able to do anything," I replied feebly. At this a merry, ringing laugh burst from both their little lips, and the younger one coming close to my knees, peered curiously up into my face, and said, "what a horrid, homely face you got mamma; I never saw you look so before."
The laughter of the children had struck a chord which roused me. I saw the utter folly of my condition; but the stinging pains still went through my head. I then told them where I had been and what had occurred; and that I had been unable to shake off the claim of a headache. "Oh is that all!" they said, "Why, we will treat you mamma, and clear the table, and you come down and get dinner, won't you?" Then away they scampered, and I heard a clatter of dishes, and merry voices and laughter for a few moments, then all was still; and in that stillness, like a cool, sweet breeze upon a burning, breathless day, a sense of sweetest rest stole over me; the pains lifted one by one, and "their place was found no more." The belief of weakness vanished. I was filled, overflowing with strength, energy and rejoicing; and above all, was uplifted as never before, with a consciousness of the Infinite Love which careth even for a sparrow's fall.
