I am reminded today of my deep debt of gratitude to all Christian pioneers and prophets; to Christ Jesus, our dear Master; and to Mary Baker Eddy, our beloved Leader. I am grateful to loving Christian Science practitioners for their help; to all dear workers in this service, and for class instruction, which has promoted my well-being by showing me the importance of consecrated, systematic study of our textbooks, the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. Thus, thought has been purified to receive a measure of understanding, whereby to prove Christian Science for myself. For this I am unspeakably grateful.
Moral and physical ailments fell away when I began to read Science and Health. I was instantaneously healed of long-standing agnosticism, and very quickly of the need of wearing glasses and of some stubborn difficulties, such as the smoking habit. Dependence on material medicine disappeared. Other healings witnessed or experienced include those of consumption, lack, and bondage to place and circumstance. Lost articles and stolen property have been restored, business failure has been prevented, and other threatened disasters have been averted, through the application of the teachings of Christian Science. True self-knowledge has replaced, to a large extent, belief in a selfhood apart from God, including self-consciousness, self-condemnation, fear of being thought ridiculous, and other forms of fear or selfishness. The effort to impersonalize errors such as persecution, misunderstanding, domination, hate, and envy, and to separate these false claims from person, to know I have no enemies, and to love my neighbor as myself, have brought me a better sense of self-government through unity with God.
Through relying on God my constant supply of all our periodicals was maintained. By rejecting the false claim of lapse, and entertaining the angel thought of continuity, extremity was turned to opportunity. When material needs clamored for first consideration, I found that the placing of spiritual needs first proved enriching, and a sure protection.
