A YOUNG Christian Scientist was on her way to a Wednesday evening meeting in the branch Church of Christ, Scientist, of which she was a member. Contrary to her usual happy state of thought, this particular evening she was oppressed by a heavy mental load. It had been a trying day, not a single detail of which had worked out rightly. As she walked up the steps to the church entrance, she thought, "It will be quiet and restful inside, and I shall have opportunity to straighten out my thinking and find out what is the matter." Immediately these words came to her, as though someone had spoken them: "Could ye not watch with me one hour?" Startled, she stepped aside for a moment to ponder this question. Suddenly a smile, the first one that day, came to her lips as she replied, "Yes, dear God, I will leave my troubles here and watch with You this hour."
Joyously the girl entered the auditorium and sat down to follow through the thoughts that were unfolding with such clarity and inspiration in her consciousness. She was grateful that she had arrived early so that this was possible. First she pondered the Rule given in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy which reads (Art. VIII, Sect. 5), "The prayers in Christian Science churches shall be offered for the congregations collectively and exclusively." She saw that this Rule would forestall just such selfish use of prayer as she had planned to utter for herself that evening. In gratitude she lifted her thought to God for His goodness in revealing Himself to meet humanity's need through His beloved Son, Christ Jesus, and in this age through the revelation of Christian Science. She thanked God for the Church of Christ, Scientist, which Mrs. Eddy founded—the Church which reveals the nothingness of evil and demonstrates the allness of God. She reflected that divine Love was drawing to this meeting those who would hear with unprejudiced ears the healing message from the Bible and from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. She saw that each attendant could be uplifted by the music and the words of the hymns and encouraged and inspired by each testimony. She recalled our Leader's words regarding testimony of healing (ibid.. Art. VIII, Sect. 24), "More than a mere rehearsal of blessings, it scales the pinnacle of praise and illustrates the demonstration of Christ, 'who healeth all thy diseases' (Psalm 103:3)."
"Upon whom does the responsibility for this meeting rest?" she asked herself. "Upon the First Reader only?" Truly, it must rest with everyone present who has been blessed by Christian Science. And so she rejoiced that she was there with her offering of love and gratitude, her spiritual contribution to the Cause of Christian Science, which is blessing the entire world.
