Christian Science came into our lives about thirteen years ago at a time when we were greatly in need of comfort and healing. After the first reading of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we destroyed all our medicine, and since then have relied upon the truths of Christian Science to heal us of whatever trouble seemed to present itself to thought. Some of the diseases overcome in our family have been heart trouble, lung trouble, measles, ptomaine poisoning, blood poisoning, chills and fever, night sweats, typhoid fever, sprained ankle, tonsillitis, and influenza. One demonstration stands out in our experience and was such a lesson to us that I should like to pass it along, hoping it may be a help to another in solving his problems. A few years ago my son, while in his chemistry class, was forcing a stopper into a test tube when the tube cracked, and a particle of the glass flew into his eye, lodging under the upper lid about midway. When he arrived home the eye seemed very much inflamed, and the pain almost unbearable. We settled down with Science and Health to read and clear our thought, but there seemed to be only temporary relief; so, after a time we asked for help, which was lovingly given. That night was spent in peace, and in the morning the difficulty seemed to be gone; so I went with great rejoicing to express my gratitude and pay the practitioner. However, in the evening the discordant condition was again evident. We concluded that there must be something which was causing the trouble, and began dissecting thought to see what there was in our consciousness unlike good.
It seemed that the teacher had been lecturing on the atomic theory, and had delivered such an impressive talk that my son was almost convinced that a material atom was real. With careful thought I set to work, replacing each wrong thought with the right idea, explaining God as Mind, with no beginning and no ending, as infinite Spirit, the unchanging All. This being so, it was pointed out that God's idea, man, could not change; for "man is idea, ... he is not physique" (Science and Health, p. 475). Man has existed always in Mind, perfect as the Father. All ideas are ever in their right place, moving harmoniously; therefore, one idea cannot obstruct or irritate another idea. Sight is spiritual discernment, and man reflects intelligence; therefore, he could discern the truth about this problem.
In the laboratory some time before, the boy had dissolved glass with chemicals, so I reminded him of this experience, showing him clearly that if one with the aid of chemicals could dissolve glass, what could not one do with truth. Christ Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." With this truth Jesus healed men of their false beliefs; and when their beliefs gave place to spiritual understanding, they were freed from discord. This seemed to bring light, and it is not necessary to say that the glass disappeared. The constant blinking of the eyelid had caused the glass to scratch the pupil until the vision had become blurred. This too was overcome, and by the end of the week all discord had entirely disappeared.
