I have been interested in Christian Science for about nine years, but have only recently gained some understanding of what it really means; because up to this time I had stood still, making no real effort, but expecting everything. I had only a blind faith, and was waiting for an indefinite something to come along and heal me of my bad habits and help me when I was sick. I gave nothing; made no real effort, except religiously to attend the services; but declared myself a Christian Scientist at every opportunity, another phase of trying to take everything without giving or striving! Loving friends were most patient with me during these years. It was not until a member of my family passed through "the valley of the shadow" that I finally awoke and really made an effort.
I began along an entirely different line of work. An article I read in The Christian Science Journal spoke of a Christian Scientist who had waited thirty years to be healed of smoking. After reading this I realized what the seeming difficulty was; so with the loving help of a practitioner I took my stand against smoking, and was entirely healed and freed. I have now absolutely no desire to smoke. The practitioner referred to what Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p.514):''Moral courage courage is 'the lion of the tribe of Juda,' the king of the mental realm. Free and fearless it roams in the forest. Undisturbed it lies in the open field, or rests in 'green pastures, . . . beside the still waters.' " I realized what a coward and what a sloth mortal mind is, and literally rose up from the dead. The divine likeness dawned on my consciousness; the error that had held me so long was destroyed—I was free.
Since this demonstration great unfoldment has taken place in my thinking. I see the promised land of true happiness in the activity of right thinking, through the reflection of divine Mind, as revealed by our dearly beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy. My prayer is voiced in the words: "I desire to be where God would have me be; I want to think as God would have me think; and I want to do as God would have me do."— Seattle, Wash.
