The following experience came to me when I had been studying Christian Science only nine months; and from it valuable lessons were learned. I had been able in the brief time I had been studying to make numerous demonstrations for my children over minor troubles; but always in the midst of my rejoicing would come the suggestion, like a mocking voice, This is all very well in small matters, but supposing some great or sudden danger threatened, would you turn to your new-found Christian Science or to a doctor? Always this tormenting argument seemed to go on, trying to destroy my peace and joy in this new-found truth. It simply had to be answered. The test came.
It was a month before Christmas, and with my two babies, two and a half and four years of age. I had been doing Christmas shopping in a large department store in Los Angeles. They wanted to see "Santa Claus" on the fourth floor, and begged to go up on the escalator. I placed the two little fellows ahead of me, the younger in front; and the child sat down, one little hand on the step above him. I was unfamiliar with these moving stairways and their workings, and on nearing the top was horrified to see the step on which the baby's hand rested disappearing into a narrow groove, not one half inch wide, and the child's hand about to be drawn in. I screamed to the attendant, who had only to press a button to stop the thing instantly, but he seemed paralyzed, and before I could drop my bundles, rush past the elder child and grab my baby, his hand had been drawn in as far as the knuckles. It required such strength to pull him loose that for a moment I dared not look at him. thinking I had pulled off his arm! The fingers were crushed. I have always felt that, but for Christian Science, amputation might have been necessary.
They rushed me with the child into their emergency hospital, and wanted to get a doctor; but I told them I wanted to call a Christian Science practitioner. A lady who saw the accident held the baby while I telephoned. After half an hour the child was still crying. I again called the practitioner, who said, "There may be broken bones, and you had better take him to Dr.—[a block from the store], who is friendly to Science, for an examination." While the practitioner was talking there came to me the feeling that I could not trust my baby to doctors, that I wanted only God; and I replied, "I 'll go to the physician if you say I must; but, oh, it does not make any difference to God whether the bones are broken or not, and you, please, go on working."
