My attention was first seriously directed toward Christian Science about ten years ago. I was at that time publishing a weekly newspaper, in the Middle West, and in one of its issues made what appeared to be a slighting allusion, in a supposedly humorous way, to the tenacity with which Christian Scientists cling to their belief in the truths—as I afterwards found them to be—taught by Mrs. Eddy. In some manner a copy of this paper found its way into the hands of a Christian Scientist in a far western city, a lady whom I did not know, in fact had never heard of, and she, surely inspired by divine Mind, wrote me a personal letter so filled with Christian charity and kindliness that the memory of it will ever be cherished as one of the bright incidents of my life. This letter, which has long since been lost, opened my eyes, in a measure, to that truth which was eventually to make me free.
I, of course, both in the columns of my paper and by personal letter to my unknown correspondent, hastened to set myself right and to apologize for my lack of wisdom in so lightly treating so serious a subject, and one, moreover, about which I knew so little; nevertheless I failed to realize that the seed so lovingly planted was destined to bring forth such glorious fruit. For several years, however, not much change came into my life, although I constantly felt an increasing interest in Christian Science, but ultimately, driven nigh to despair by frequent periods of ill health, almost, if not quite, a slave to the liquor habit, and confined to my bed by what the physicians diagnosed as a final attack of cirrhosis of the liver, I was prevailed upon to cast my net on the right side. There being no practitioner in the small city where I made my home, the aid of one in another city was requested, with the result that improvement was almost immediately apparent and after about a week's absent treatment I arose from my bed and alone made the trip to that city, a distance of some three hundred miles, and after about two weeks' treatment there returned to my home absolutely and finally relieved of all thought or effect of liver trouble.
Later on, through the loving effort of Christian Science friends and absent treatment from a Christian Science practitioner, I was entirely and completely healed of the liquor habit, and I am to-day occupying a position of trust and responsibility and doing a work which is ordinarily considered a reasonable load for a much younger man. Is there any reason why I should not be grateful to Christian Science and to Mrs. Eddy for her wonderful and divinely inspired demonstration of Paul's matchless declaration that neither "powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God"?
