I had been an earnest searcher for Truth, but was running to and fro in the wilderness of hygienic and orthodox methods. I never saw a creed I could fully believe, still I united with the Congregational Church when a child, and in later years was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, it seeming that my work was there for a time, as that was the best way I knew of to serve God. Many a time have I sought to re-consecrate myself at a Congregational or Methodist altar, receiving only a temporary blessing. I am ever grateful for the one God-given gift I have, an unfaltering, unswerving faith or trust in God. How many times have I asked myself, Who or what is God, and how can I know more of Jesus the Christ?
The thought would always come to me, I ought to love God more, and know more of the life of Christ, and in order to do that, I felt I must better understand what God was. and learn more of the life of Christ.
My vocation was a teacher in a public school, and while I took real pleasure in teaching the little child, I did not feel satisfied with myself as a teacher, as my ideal for the proper direction of the child was far beyond what I myself had attained. Not having what I felt I ought to have to teach and uplift the child (to me one of the most sacred duties in life), they taught me many a lesson. I am always uplifted by the child, and am often in awe before a beautiful, pure child.
I taught several years, until the law of human opinion threatened to take from me my birthright, or a part of it,— my health. But strange as it seemed to others, I was quite well when alone with the children and their pure thought and love. Since coming into Christian Science I understand why I was well. I was protected by the armor of good and pure thoughts, not only of my own for the children, but by theirs for me. A while later I was led to seek another field for work, saying to myself that I would do whatever my hands found to do, and soon the way opened for me to engage in business for myself, by assisting an artist in the establishment and sale of her art-work, as I found she needed assistance to get a start in life. Success crowned every effort, and in a few months the artist's work was awarded every honor in that state and several in others, and the business was at once successful, as the demand was created so sales were easy to make. We discovered, however, that, with this goodly measure of success, we were still unhappy; we were longing, reaching out for something better and more satisfying than worldly honors.
We were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of that city, and with the best business patronage in our line of work in that, a city of eighty thousand inhabitants: nevertheless, we decided that, as soon as profits warranted it, we would close our business there, and go to Chicago for the purpose of Bible study.
We decided to go to the Moody Bible Institute to study the Bible, to learn more of God and Jesus the Christ. My desire being to study the Scriptures, as desire is prayer, it was soon answered, not as I had thought, but as God had appointed. But more experience or discipline was necessary before I could come to the light more fully; my unwavering faith in God served me well until I found the true way and saw the Eight clearly, as will be seen in this experience that I shall relate. I was stricken with typhoid fever, and was near to death's door, according to all others' belief but mine, for I never for one moment felt that I was near death.
One beautiful morning I noticed the clergyman was praying at my bedside. While the prayer was a lengthy one, I only remembered these words: "Lord, reveal thyself to her." A few moments later he asked me if I were afraid to die. To which I replied, "No; I am not going to die. I have a work to do." It was a positive assurance I had in my highest consciousness that I was safe.
Just at this time word came to me from Chicago and Minneapolis to seek Christian Science. I was asked to see a practitioner in that city.
As soon as I had recovered sufficiently the artist and myself called upon the Scientist. We were so delighted with the thought presented to us that we soon began attending Christian Science services, and soon procured a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." After reading a few pages I knew it was just what I had always been searching for. The work was begun with me. The arm of the Lord was being revealed to me each day. The Light was coming slowly. I was at the gate of the New Jerusalem. A new Life was being opened to my consciousness, and at times, though partially blind and steeped in the old beliefs I was firmly and tenderly directed by the Scientist. Since that time I have been an earnest reader—aye, student—of Science and Health, and I have been lifted as by a moderate growth, mostly by the perusal of the pages of the text-book and occasional help from the Scientist, from a belief of invalidism and beliefs imposed by study of everything in the hygienic world. Nearly all the old beliefs have gradually disappeared and I use no medicine. I should be glad if some word of my experience might help to encourage another who may need to be healed as I was by a steady growth, in "putting off the old man and his deeds." If we can crowd out, if need be, the old thought or beliefs, and fill in with the real, as "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God," we are safe in the kingdom. I am still an earnest seeker, for I desire to know more of the Mind that was in Christ. I desire my life to show forth my gratitude. My uppermost thought of late has been the call for workers, workers of the right sort, to further this, humanity's cause. I desire to consecrate every energy, every effort, to the work of the Master. I desire to be fully prepared to do my work, and to do it well.— Chicago, Ill.
