During the early years of her study, an earnest student of Christian Science was chagrined to find that her distaste for the Lesson-Sermon now entitled "Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced," was not to be readily overcome. All other Lesson-Sermons were pondered with increasing pleasure, but her earnest effort to enjoy the one mentioned seemed unavailing. This student had early learned that practice and precept go hand in hand; therefore there was the joyous uplift from participation in church activities and the daily overcoming of discordant conditions for herself and others, but when at times it was unwisely whispered in her unpracticed ear, "Look out for mental malpractice," she looked out instead of looking within, with the result that she experienced some confusion of thought.
At this period of her spiritual growth she was requested to make a journey into the mountains. This called for great self-sacrifice on her part, as she then thought. On the first lap of the journey by train, while in conversation with one she considered older and wiser in Christian Science than herself, she was again admonished to look out for wrong thinking on the part of others, while in the mountain retreat. This was disquieting, as the student was at the moment battling with a sense that she was leaving behind her in the city the opportunity for solving the vexed problem. The last stretch of the journey was by stage, and a brave effort was made to hold thought steadfastly to Truth midst the chatter of a merry group in the overcrowded vehicle.
As the stage rounded the mountain side a ground squirrel was noticed sitting motionless with uplifted paws close beside the road. The driver, a seasoned mountaineer, drew up the horses short, and catching up the slender whip, sprang from the stage exclaiming, "A rattlesnake!" With a glance at the impress in the soft dust of the road, he ran directly down the hill, looking neither to the right nor the left until was heard the ominous sound of a rattlesnake preparing to defend itself; but almost as quickly as the sound had begun it ceased, and the driver cried, "I have it." He immediately returned, drawing behind him the vanquished foe caught in the slip of the whip. As he mounted the seat he remarked on the number of rattlesnakes he had dispatched during the season, and the Christian Scientist took note that the season was not far advanced. During the few moments it had taken to achieve the destruction of this so-called deadly enemy to mankind, she had occupied herself in freeing the charmed squirrel, with the result that it came to itself and scampered away.
