From my early youth to young manhood I regularly attended an orthodox church and Sunday School. But later, when I was associated with agnostic and atheistic thinking, it became evident that I had not been taught anything basic which I could use constructively in defense of my religion; so I was not able to follow Peter's instruction (I Pet. 3:15), "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." I soon came to look upon the Bible as a book of contradictions, inconsistencies, fables, and fairy tales. After several years under the influence of this wilderness thought, the emptiness of atheism and the "don't know" of agnosticism, I began to search for an explanation of and a reason for life. A kind neighbor, recognizing my need, lent me a book I had never before heard of, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. While reading this textbook, I glimpsed God as Principle.
My first experience with the power of divine Principle occurred when an injured hand and wrist, according to medical procedure, called for loss of time from my work as a foreman mechanic. This was not consistent with my working conditions at the time; so, still skeptical, but willing to be shown, I visited a Christian Science practitioner. Shortly after my return to work, to my great surprise I could find no trace of swelling or pain or any evidence of injury. This was quite a shock to my materialistic thinking and caused me to turn with greater respect and earnestness to the study of this great truth that makes one free.
As I delved more deeply into the inspired word of the Christian Science textbook, I learned about divine Principle, God, and the wholeness, completeness, and allness of Life as revealed in Christian Science. I noted also that studying this book elevates thought from blind belief, religious or non-religious, to a metaphysical premise from which one may reason and gain a sound basis for correct conclusions.
