ABOUT a year ago I heard a woman preach a sermon on Idolatry, in a town about fifty miles from here. The ideas expressed seemed to me the most reasonable of any I had ever heard on that subject, and I concluded right away to go some time during the summer and hear her again; but, being very busy with the affairs of the material world, I neglected it. However, as I was going to Canada on a three months' visit, and meantime had occasion to stay in the same place a short time, one afternoon I dropped into a Christian Science reading room to read two or three hours. As I entered, the same woman whom I had heard preach met me, and asked if I came in to read. I replied in the affirmative, and proceeded to read one of the daily papers. Disagreeing with every sentence the editor wrote, I laid it down, and took up a little Christian Science tract and read it. I thought to myself: "Quite a contrast in the literature of this establishment."
At this juncture, the woman above referred to came near, and began talking Christian Science to me; stating its advantages over other systems of knowledge,— of which I was full, or nearly so. I of course opposed a good deal of what was said; but felt that, somehow, it was the truth in a higher form than any I was acquainted with. I also felt that this person understood my disposition in a way that no other person ever had, up to this time. She prevailed on me to purchase a strange book entitled Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures. I did this reluctantly, as I did not know what I was buying, nor did I find out for about three weeks. I packed it in my valise, and went on my journey. I did not look at the book again till about New Years.
On this particular day, I had done an extra amount of mischief of a very deplorable kind; and soon after, was going through what long ere this had become a chronic, old-fashioned, repenting spell. I went to see a Christian Scientist whose address had been given me, but did not see her. I then thought of something in the strange book, about repent and reform; and I at once concluded that the two particular sins that were causing this trouble, would never again be indulged in by me,— and they haven't been.
