When Christian Science came to me I was unhappy, confused, disillusioned. This was attributed to material conditions, but I now know that what I needed was the spiritual understanding of Life.
In childhood and early youth I was taught the creed of an orthodox church, and am grateful that the thought of Jesus as the ideal man was implanted in my consciousness; for in adolescence, while groping for a more satisfying interpretation of life, this ideal was held to. Finally, it was felt that when a teaching that corresponded to primitive Christianity should be found it would be regarded as the "pearl of great price," worthy of selling all for the purchase thereof. Later, feeling the need of something that I could conscientiously teach the children,—for I vaguely sensed that if they were not taught the Bible they would miss that which forms a beautiful background for thought,—this need was met by the advent of Christian Science into my life. For more than nine years this Science has been found sufficient for every need. My understanding has always been equal to the problem to which it has been applied.
On one occasion the fear of death seemed to fall as a shadow upon our elder son. He was unable to walk across the room. As we steadfastly refused to accept, or even to look upon, the evidence of the material senses, thought was calmed by singing some of the hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal; and confidence was renewed by realizing that the disciples' ability to heal was not a supernatural gift but the result of spiritual understanding. Then I tried to model my prayer after the prayers of Jesus, "whose humble prayers were deep and conscientious protests of Truth, —of man's likeness to God and of man's unity with Truth and Love," as Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 12). The next morning the lad went to school with, as a friend said, "a beautiful flush on his face;" and it was gratefully realized that another waking dream shadow had been dispelled.
