In the year 1910, while attending a picnic with some friends, I first learned of Christian Science. We had been swimming and playing games, and when the time came for luncheon I made the remark that I was very tired, and asked a little four-year-old boy if he also was not tired. He looked at me with a sweet but surprised expression and said, "Why no, I can't be tired; I am God's perfect child." His mother, seeing my puzzled expression, explained that her boy went to the Christian Science Sunday School, where he learned the truth about his real being. I answered, "That is very beautiful, but I still do not understand."
His mother offered me some Christian Science literature and told me a very interesting story as to how she had become interested in this Science. She was going through a deep sorrow, because her husband drank and at times had left her and the baby needing food and supply in general. One time when everything seemed so dark that she could not see even a ray of light, she decided to take the child and jump into a lake near by. As she was crossing the street to enter the park in which the lake was located she heard singing, and was attracted to the church whence the singing came. After entering the church she felt a great sense of peace, so that when she left she knew life was worth living. She returned to the church the next day to learn more about this truth which had given her a new sense of life and, as she expressed it, "I must know what made their expressions such happy ones." She was given Christian Science literature, and from then on joy took the place of despair. Afterward, when her husband was willing to have work done for him, he too was healed of the drinking habit.
All this made a great impression on me, but I was not ready to accept it for myself until later on, when materia medica and several operations had failed to heal me and I was very much discouraged. Then I turned to Christian Science for help, which was lovingly given, and although the healing was slow I felt better mentally and many minor ailments were corrected, such as severe headaches, and fallen arches for which I had worn supports a long time. These were discarded with the realization that God is my support, and as I kept on sincerely searching for the truth which heals, and applying the teachings of our dear Leader's writings, I was completely healed. This occurred thirty years ago, and I have never had any help but Christian Science in all these years.
