Christian Science came into my life in 1933, at a time when I seemed to be in a hopeless position, but within a very short time the entire condition had changed, and I found myself free and in possession of a great fortune, a fortune more bountiful than any material currency could give—the truth about God, man, and the universe as revealed by Christian Science.
After I had known of Science for a short time, I was without a home and was earning only a very small salary, insufficient to pay for apartment, food, and clothing. The "still small voice" told me to give. It seemed to me then that the only things I had to give were joy, gratitude, willingness, and love. I then remembered a lady I had known many years ago, and felt a desire to call upon her. This I did, and found that, nine months before, her husband had passed on while she was in the hospital. Later she had returned to her little home, and ever since had spent each day in grief, depressing retrospection, and loneliness. She had been living alone, and the evening I called had intended to leave the gas on when she went to bed. With the intention of taking her thought off herself I said jokingly: "Well, what about me? I haven't a home to go to." Immediately her face lighted up, and she said: "My dear, if you will only come and live with me! It doesn't matter about money; just pay what you can easily afford, and the joy of your company will more than make up the balance." This invitation I gladly accepted, and within a week or so she was her usual well and cheerful self, and I stayed with her until better conditions opened up for both of us.
On another occasion I was junior in business to a girl who seemed objectionable, and if it had not been for Christian Science I should have left the firm. But as a student of Christian Science I knew the problem would not be met by my running away from it. Time and again the suggestion came to meet error with error, but this was overcome each time by my realization that our only enemies are of our own making, and that in reality I was in the kingdom of heaven and my true self knew no discord or unpleasantness. Then, I reasoned, why be concerned about an untrue self? After several months the girl said to me, "Why don't you get mad with me when I am so beastly to you?" I replied, "It rests entirely with me whether I get mad or not, and I choose not to, and as for being beastly, you are only being beastly to yourself." That was the end of all the trouble, and a lovely friendship developed between us.
