Four years' study of Christian Science, and what a wonderful four years! As I look back, a feeling of awe and gratitude moves me. What a change! Four years of trying to know God—good—as He is, as against the far greater number spent in trying to know Him as He is generally conceived to be. Upon what foundation is the change based? A new Bible, or an unauthorized revision of the old? No. The Bible is still the same,—the same commandments, examples, teachings, illustrations of God's goodness; the same accounts of our blessed Master's life, works, and resurrection; but,—but, what? Only this, that until Christian Science came to help me, and I had studied its text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, in conjunction with the Bible, I was doing what countless thousands of others who really desire to know God, have been and are still doing. I was searching for, and trying to obey an impossible God, a God who knows good and evil, love and hate, harmony and discord, health and sickness, life and death, a God who is Spirit but who creates materially. Truly an unknown God and ignorantly worshiped. I feel most grateful to God for the great revelation through our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, which she has so clearly, simply, and yet majestically set forth in the Christian Science text-book. Words are too feeble to attempt an expression of thanks. The only possible return is to prove my sincerity by my life.
These are some of the fruits I have experienced in trying to know God as He is. For many years I had worn glasses on account of defective sight, and would never have attempted even to walk in town without them, while for reading they were equally indispensable. Now I can see better than ever I could with the glasses, and cycle freely in town, dodging in and out amongst the traffic with the greatest freedom. No special treatment was given for this, it simply came to pass after I had been studying Science and Health for about eighteen months. Another demonstration was in connection with a bicycle accident. One Wednesday afternoon, while cycling home, I encountered a dog-cart coming round a cross street. I was going at a smart pace, and the driver of the vehicle took the curve so sharply that there appeared to be no escape; consequently I attempted to jump from the machine, but in doing so caught my foot somehow and fell with great force upon my left hand. It needed no one to tell me that that member was damaged, and only by persistently declaring (mentally) the allness of God, was I able to rise above the sickening feeling that came over me. On reaching home it was found that the wrist and arm were greatly swollen, discolored, and so stiff that they could not be raised. The pain also was intense. After dinner, during which only one hand could be used, I stated that I had promised to relieve the pianist at the Christian Science meeting that evening, and I would go in early and arrange for a substitute. Accordingly, on arrival, I briefly informed the First Reader of what had taken place, and stated that it would be necessary to get some one else to play. The reply assured me that divine Love would enable me to play. I sat down for a few minutes, and after having received a treatment, I went straight to the piano and completed all the required music. There was nothing in the playing to indicate inharmony, in fact the occurrence only became known when I told of the demonstration at the following Wednesday evening meeting. Treatments were continued, and two days after the mishap I resumed the bicycle.
Another evidence of the power of Truth was in dentistry. From childhood I had a very ugly top row of teeth, which had been disfigured by the excessive quantity of medicine taken. It was always known that a new set would be required, but that operation was put off indefinitely. One morning, however, one of the teeth snapped, rendering further avoidance of the dental chair impossible. That afternoon, armed with Christian Science, I visited the dentist for the purpose of arranging a time. He said that "now" would suit him. After some demur on my part, which was occasioned by fear, I remembered that Truth is ever-present, and took my seat. Five teeth were drawn, and at my request the impression was immediately taken for a new set. The result was that the new teeth were fitted within twenty-four hours of the extraction, and only two meals were partaken of which differed from those of the remainder of the family, and this only because I was actually without a top row of teeth. Time would fail to give even a brief outline of other demonstrations of this new-old truth. Headaches, insomnia, fevers, cuts, bruises, financial difficulties have all yielded to the power of Truth, and this calls forth gratitude, not in words, but in deeds and a consecrated life.
