During a human relationship problem, the effects of which seemed about to cost me my responsible place in the business world, Christian Science was presented to me. I began its study that evening. Three impressions have remained with me through each year of eager and thankful study since: It is logical. It is provable. It is inexhaustible.
Almost immediately I was healed of chronic constipation, which I had endured all my life. A great sense of inferiority began to lose its hold upon me. Self-confidence flooded my being, whereas before it had seemed gone forever.
During an infantile paralysis epidemic my young son was taken suddenly with all the symptoms of that disease. We had been studying for about three months, but we did not know about practitioners. Calling the head of his school, who had presented Christian Science to us, I asked what one did in such a case. Following instructions, I soon located a practitioner and told her about the child's condition. He was then unconscious. After waiting a few moments I called her back and reported that the healing had not yet taken place. She asked me a few questions and in so doing learned that I had a cold, wet cloth on the child's head. Her words to me were a rebuke I shall always remember. She said: "When you remove your fear from your child, there will be no claim of disease and no need for such measures against fever. Remove the cloth at once." I knew I had been fearful that my son would be one of the victims of this dread epidemic. So I asked her what I might do to remove my own fear, which I realized was still great. She instructed me to turn my back on the child and read aloud from either the Bible or "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. I picked up the latter and did as instructed, with what, I was to learn later, might be called a great desire to be obedient—real prayer.
