In comforting his brothers, Joseph said...

In comforting his brothers, Joseph said (Gen. 45:8), "So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God." These words have been most comforting and inspiring to me in my business career.

In 1932, at the height of what mortal mind chose to call the business depression, I completed my course in engineering at a large eastern scientific institution. I wrote many letters and made strenuous human efforts to secure employment, without success. Finally, discouraged, I returned to my home in the Middle West. Loving parents did their best to help me, restating the truths I had learned in the Christian Science Sunday School but had neglected to use. In about a month I received a reply to one of the letters, and within two months I was again on my way east to fill a position which I had obtained entirely by letter. This demonstration was the beginning of my renewed interest in Christian Science. In the years that followed, God's guiding hand was always present.

Within a few months, through Science treatment, I secured a much better position, in which I spent eight inspiring years with a man who taught me a great deal. Afterwards, in expressing satisfaction with my work, this employer said he could not understand why he had hired me in October, 1932, when I seemed so inexperienced and so many men were available.

In 1941, I was in a southwestern city, engaged in an enterprise which a series of untoward circumstances made it necessary to discontinue. With the help of a practitioner, my wife and I worked to overcome fears engendered by the responsibilities of recent parenthood and the shortage of engineering work. As one of the human footsteps, I prepared a list of about twenty prospective employers and made plans to send letters of application. The day that we closed our office, and before I had an opportunity to write a single letter, I received a telegram from a large engineering firm, which read substantially as follows: "Planning new engineering group. Wire collect whether you can come to New York at our expense to discuss joining our organization." I was quickly en route to New York, where I was offered a position at a higher salary than I had intended to ask. The interesting part of this demonstration was that I had not thought of that firm. They were not in my particular line of work and were only then making preparations to enter that field.

These experiences clearly show how God led me forward at each step. Next, it was necessary for me to be prevented from making a serious misstep. In the organization just mentioned I was given an important position in work that was new to me. Wartime shortages of men and materials caused continual harassment. I succumbed to a false sense of personal responsibility and finally, at the point of nervous collapse, had to be relieved of the position. I became filled with resentment towards my superiors, who I fancied had neglected to give me the necessary support, and I determined to seek employment elsewhere.

I applied for work with a firm where I had a reputation of long standing. In spite of all human efforts I could not bring the arrangements to a conclusion. Delay followed delay. Despairingly I then made overtures to another organization, still hoping strongly that the first position would open up. During this time a practitioner was doing her best to help me replace resentment with love.

I began to study Christian Science as I had never studied it before. I derived particular benefit from the poem "Satisfied" by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, especially the first verse (Poems, p. 79):

In about a month my mental house was in order, and "pure peace" was truly mine. Then within two days of each other I received offers of employment from both firms. I was led to accept the position with the second firm, not the position which, under the pressure of mortal mind, had seemed so necessary and important. The choice made was unquestionably the correct one. In the work in which I am now happily engaged, I have need for all the knowledge acquired over the past fifteen years. This, to me, is convincing proof that each step was guided by divine Mind.

My family and I have had many other demonstrations of the efficacy of Christian Science, including the healing of several physical ailments and protection from many others. I was healed of smoking in a few days, a habit which had been with me for fifteen years.

I am grateful for membership in The Mother Church and for all of the wonderful activities that it provides for me and all mankind. Words fail to express my gratitude for continual proof of the truth of Mrs. Eddy's statement in Science and Health (Pref., p. vii), "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings."—Joel H. Hirsch, Oakmont, Pennsylvania.