In reading over a testimony in the Journal for October, 1912, from one of the survivors of the Titanic disaster, I was forcibly reminded of a somewhat similar experience which came to me a few years ago. I was staying with a family who were Christian Scientists, and one morning we all went down to the river to bathe. I had just learned to swim, and made a boast of the achievement, but that morning I had an indescribable feeling of fear before going for the bath, though I strove to realize the ever-presence of divine Love. In a few minutes I found myself slipping quickly into the deep part of the river and I forgot everything that I thought I knew about swimming. What was worse, I forgot what I knew about God and Christian Science, and then I found myself struggling frantically for life. I recall coming up for a short breath twice, and then I suddenly remembered what I knew of Truth. I gave up struggling, and simply lay there under the water. It came to me, "Well, I suppose this is what they call drowning." I made no conscious effort mentally to save myself from what seemed the inevitable, but the clear conviction was uppermost that whatever might happen to me in a material way, God was my life, and therefore I could not die.
On my journey, a few days previously, in the train, we had passed through a tunnel. I had been reading some Christian Science literature, and of course put it down while going through the tunnel, as it was dark; but I had a beautiful sense of the nearness of God, right there, as it seemed, under the hill. Now, in my apparently utter helplessness, I knew that just as God was right there with me in the tunnel, so He was with me under the water, and that I could never get away from Him. I had been teaching a class of little children in the Christian Science Sunday school, and the thought of what would become of them, as I certainly supposed I would be drowned, was met by the sure knowledge that Love would supply the need. Then I wondered what the world would say, and we all Scientists too; but I knew that nothing could affect the truth. The suggestion came that I was losing consciousness, and just here was where Christian Science was my savior. I knew that my very consciousness was in God, that I could never "disappear in unconsciousness" (Science and Health, p. 427). Presently I felt quite clear mentally, and seemed to rest easily on the bosom of divine Love.
During all this time my friend on the bank was going through a similar experience mentally. At first, knowing that I could swim, she thought I was enjoying a bath; but when she caught sight of my face as I came to the surface, the nature of the situation came to her. Her little daughter at the same time realized what was happening, and she came to my assistance by trying to hold me up. I am truly thankful that it did not occur to me to try to catch hold of this dear little child. The mother, by this time, after having to meet all sorts of fears as to lack of means to save me, realized the presence of the one Mind, and it came to her to get the oar lying in a boat near us, and the little daughter found that she could just put my hand on it. As soon as I felt the oar, I grasped it firmly, and in a few minutes I was on shore. I had no after effects whatever, except at night I was awakened by the sense of an overwhelming dread; but how grand to be able to know that the whole thing was a dream! The children, being Christian Scientists, were soon playing about, and the circumstance seemed to be completely wiped out of their thought.
