I should like to relate an experience I had many years ago. One day my mother asked me to visit a friend with her. At first I was disinclined to go, but to please her, I overcame this feeling. Contrary to my expectations we spent some pleasant hours with this friend. When we were about to leave, I missed the top step and fell headlong down a flight of ten or twelve steps. As I fell the thought came very clearly to my consciousness, There are no accidents in the kingdom of God. Landing at the bottom of the flight, I remained motionless, joyously aware of the import of this wonderful message, so that it never occurred to me for a moment that I had just suffered an accident. It was some time before I realized that my mother was still standing at the head of the steps and doubtless worrying about me. I arose quickly, ran up the stairs, and we fell into each other's arms with the words, "Nothing has happened!" Indeed, nothing had happened. Even the bruises which had begun to appear, disappeared within a few hours, before they were really noticeable.
Often I have been profoundly grateful for this experience. It proved to me the constant presence of a protecting God, and revealed to me the deep significance of the admonition of our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 210): "Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them." It also proved to be an invaluable support during the difficult months of air-raid attacks, when I was endeavoring to overcome my constantly recurring fear.
This experience, often and gladly recalled throughout the years, has proved to be increasingly a rod and a staff, supporting and guiding me in the many affairs of business and home, and especially in the work of our great Cause. It proved to me that overcoming human, mortal suggestions brings innumerable blessings, in conformity with the law of God. Probably the greatest gift was some realization of the nothingness of sorrow, pain, and death. I am sincerely grateful for all that Christian Science has done and is doing for me.— Oldenburg i/Old., Germany.
