Boston, Mass., February 8, 1898.
Dear Journal:—I desire at this time to acknowledge through your columns my sense of gratitude to the Founder of Christian Science and our Mother in Israel, for her magnificent gift to our church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass. A year ago we received "Miscellaneous Writings" from her hands, and we have seen the blessings therefrom flow as a river. The results of the study of this book in connection with our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," have been most propitious. Every good thing we receive cometh from God through His means of grace. Even the Scriptures were to us in some instances, "a savour of death unto death," until He gave us the Key to the Scriptures, reversing many of our previous conclusions regarding them, when they became a "savour of life unto life."
I do not understand that in giving this large sum to our Church our Leader has relieved me of any responsibility or obligations, but rather that my accountability to the Church has thereby increased, and that I should strive to emulate her example so far as I may be able to demonstrate it. If God has ordained our Church to be the great missionary to spread the Gospel of Truth over all the earth, then this missionary may safely become the custodian of our grateful offerings for this concentrated purpose. I do believe that from this day on we shall all express in a wider way more gratitude to God for healing, and all that the word implies. When our gratitude knows no limits our thought will encompass our brother, and the work will be done. In this day of progress and the ripening of human character, we can do much daily to help each other. To this end let us take the Journal that our Leader has given us, and do for it one half as much as she hath done. Place it in the hands of our neighbors, and work for it with a zeal born of wisdom. This apt herald of health and Truth, should go into the homes of all the people on earth, and by doing our part to effect this purpose we are hastening the day of our own redemption. The Scripture saith, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days."
