"Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" (Rev. 3:8). That Christian Science has opened the door of my life to greater happiness, growth, and fruition I now wish to bear witness.
At the time when our son, who was then twelve, said he wished to join The Mother Church, I had some doubts as to the advisability of his taking this step at so young an age. However, I earnestly prayed about this and pointed out the high standard set for all Mother Church members and the importance of understanding the ideals of Christian Science to which he was pledging himself. This he accepted with no hesitancy whatever. In talking with a teacher of Christian Science about this, I was told of another boy who had joined The Mother Church when twelve. Later, when this boy went away to college, his membership enabled him to refrain from drinking and smoking; and when he left college to go into the Army, this membership supported him and protected him through all his wartime experiences.
Armed with this encouragement, I told our son that I would support this right ambition, but that the practitioner who had been asked to sign his application would like to have some talks with him first.
