It was during the winter of 1922 that I first became interested in Christian Science. My wife and I, with our three half-grown children, were then living in a large midwestern city. I was an official of a bank, in charge of its foreign department, and my salary was commensurate with my responsibilities. I was associated with an orthodox Protestant church and a member of its board of trustees. I was not particularly happy, and was always investigating and studying some ism or other. So when my wife borrowed "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy from a public library and put it into my hands to read, I accepted the book as just something else. I started immediately to read, and after I had finished the chapter on Prayer I found myself in delighted agreement with all the remarkable explanations that Mrs. Eddy gives in that beautiful and wonderful chapter. I continued to read, attended a Christian Science lecture or two, and occasionally went to a near-by Christian Science church. Christian Science was to me an intellectual pursuit, and as such I found it absorbingly interesting; but at the time I had little realization of its practical import, or that I should soon have to rely on it implicitly for daily bread for my family. My wife also became a student of Christian Science, and we found much of interest to talk about in our study.
Then something occurred. I lost my job. Through my operations in the foreign exchange market during the mad speculation that occurred in European currencies during the postwar era, I made commitments on behalf of the bank that resulted in substantial losses. My superiors had warned me to be careful, so I had no excuse. Something seemed to handle me which later, in Christian Science, I learned was animal magnetism, operating as self-will and self-importance. It is just to remark here that my superiors treated me with great fairness, giving me three months in which to make another connection, and including me in the bonus distributed at Christmas. This was in the winter of 1924.
Naturally I was in a very excited and nervous state of mind. At times there seemed a possible way out, and hope would rise, only to be dashed to the ground again. In my extremity I sought a Christian Science practitioner, and asked for treatment. I never shall forget the joy I felt after talking with him. The way was pointed out to me, and I decided to take it, no matter what it might do to my human sense of pride. Those were trying days, to mortal sense; but with the help of the practitioner, and assiduous study of the Bible and the writings of our dear Leader, I was able to meet the conditions with courage.
