I have been a student of Christian Science for many years, although it is fairly recently that I have taken the important upward step of church membership.
The first proof of God's constant, loving care came into my experience during the first year that I was away at school. I was sixteen years old at the time and a very new student of Science. However, through the unwavering conviction that I knew the truth about myself, I was led to a beautiful demonstration.
A few weeks prior to Christmas vacation at the school, an epidemic of influenza suddenly broke out. My roommate was sent to the infirmary, and many others followed. I had taken my Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy with me to school, and although, as far as I knew, I was the only student of Science in the school, I studied the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly every day. I felt sure of my ground when the epidemic struck; but when the announcement was made that any students in the infirmary when Christmas vacation began would have to remain throughout the vacation, a great fear descended on us all. The students had not been allowed to spend even so much as a week end away from school between the beginning of the school term and Christmas vacation. I knew nothing about handling fear and consequently began to work frantically instead of confidently. So I, too, began to manifest the accepted symptoms of influenza, and after several days of violent coughing and what seemed to be an extreme fever, a faculty member reprimanded me, said I was endangering everyone else in the school, and ordered me to report to the infirmary at once.
