For over twenty-eight years I have been a student of Christian Science, and have always enjoyed reading the testimonies in the Journal and Sentinel, not only as a record of the good work going on throughout the world, but also as a help in my own growth, as I have at times found a thought there that just met my need. But I have realized that I cannot go on receiving good without also giving out good that it may be beneficial to someone else.
I had been brought up to love God, and also at the same time to fear His punishment of a material hell if I deviated from the path of righteousness; but as I grew to manhood I could not accept the orthodox concept of theology, so eventually wandered off into the study of materialistic theories of the universe. I had heard of Christian Science as a religion, and was told that by it the sick were healed through prayer; but although I had read of the healing work that had been done by Jesus and his disciples, I thought the time had passed for it to be done again. I decided that it was for the superstitious, and that I wanted none of it. Then a Scientist offered to lend me the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, if I would read it. This I promised to do, though I did so more out of courtesy to him than with any desire to read it. But, oh, the joy that became mine, as I realized the truth of the statements contained in the book! This was the answer to my questions about life. As soon as I accepted the truth of Mrs. Eddy's assertion that the motive-power of the universe must be intelligent, and that matter is not intelligent, I knew that I had gained the panacea for all troubles.
Stomach trouble and constipation had held me in bondage for many years, and though I had doctored for the difficulty, I had been relieved only temporarily. In time it became so distressing that I could not eat a meal, but would be forced to quit before I was satisfied. This caused a fear of different foods, as I believed that they were the cause of my distress, and I began to eat less and less. With the sword of Truth I then took up the fight against wrong thinking; I knew that food had no dominion over man, and that my remedy was to reflect more of the one Mind, "which was also in Christ Jesus." Then, being less conscious of what I ate, I ceased to make laws for myself, and within a year's time could eat anything I desired; and the condition was as a dream that had passed away. In the years since, the contemplation of and the meditation on God's perfect spiritual universe and the real man, His idea, has tended to lift though above matter to the realization of God's eternal day.
