About fifteen years ago I became interested in Christian Science. After reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, I thought so highly of her work that I severed my membership in an orthodox church and attended the Science services. I contributed to the support of the church; but because I considered the requirements for church membership too demanding, I did not avail myself of the privilege of joining. However, I changed my mind after the following experience.
My right arm was severely injured in the washing machine wringer. The pain was intense, and my arm hung limp. I felt as though I would faint and could only think of a few words of "the scientific statement of being" from page 468 of Science and Health, but I managed to telephone a practitioner. Almost immediately the pain left. The several references she gave me to study, I wrote down with the injured right hand, feeling no pain, and in about thirty minutes I was helping prepare lunch. I had told the practitioner that a ring I was wearing on the injured hand had been smashed completely out of shape and I wondered how it could ever be removed. She assured me that I would be able to take the ring off. That afternoon I noticed the ring again, and taking hold of it found it just slipped from my finger. Later when I took it to a jeweler to be straightened, he said, "How in the world did you ever get this ring off your ringer?" About the third evening after the accident I felt a bone in the wrist slip painlessly back into place. After this the swelling subsided, and in about two weeks the healing was complete.
In the two weeks that elapsed before the arm was healed I had never studied so earnestly and prayerfully the Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy. I had always believed that Mrs. Eddy had discovered the truth about God and man; I had faith in it to heal, but I wanted to understand how this truth operates. The understanding I sought so earnestly came, and with it much spiritual joy. I felt completely regenerated. My one wish now was to become a member of the church, for I wanted so much to serve the great Cause of Christian Science. I did not delay this time, but began the necessary preparation for membership. I was particularly attracted to Mrs. Eddy's beautiful definition of man (Science and Health, p. 475) and marveled that now I could understand something of man's heritage and dominion as the child of God.
