IT may be of interest to people who are outside the circle of Christian Science, or those who are at present investigating the subject, to learn what the incentive could been for one who had chosen as his life-work the ministry, through the avenue of the pulpit, to change to Christian Science work.
Prior to my knowledge of Christian Science. I believed the promises set forth in the New Testament to be available in this day and age, as well as of old; in fact I had been healed of minor bodily ills through fervent prayer on some occasions, but many were the instances in which the intercessory prayer for healing failed me. The failure, however. I never attributed to God. but rather to my own inability to meet the required conditions. Naturally the one problem that I was seeking solution for, was how I could meet the requirements which would enable me to claim my birthright, as an "heir to God." I thank God that one, through unselfed love, had already peered through the veil of material sense, gained a knowledge of the real man, and given to the world the rule by which all may pierce and rend the clouds of mortal belief and behold the spiritual man; and my meditation over Christ's statement, wherein he bids us ask, seek, and knock, drew me to the home of one who knew the truth and was living it.
But I was not then ready, as it seemed, for the "pearl of great price." The prejudice against our dear Leader which I had acquired during my theological course, then came to the front and tried to claim prominence,—the belief that Christian Science was effeminate; the fact that its Leader was a woman, etc. I said little about it, but in a somewhat shy way began an investigation. Soon, thank God! the belief of effeminacy as regarding Christian Science was destroyed. A man who had been healed through Science and was hale and hearty, visited the home where I was stopping, and in him I found a friend, a man who really loved to talk of the things of our heavenly Father. It was a revelation to me, for I never grew tired of talking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of heaven, but all of my acquaintances, aside from the Christian Scientists, preferred other subjects, after what seemed to them a reasonable time spent on religious topics.
