Christian Science has become to me the way of life, and there are no words adequately to express my gratitude for this wonderful revelation given to mankind by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy.
My introduction to Christian Science was through an appointment with the board of directors of a branch church in reference to the position of soloist, and I shall always be grateful to them. The confirmation of this appointment over the telephone instantaneously healed me of the smoking habit. When I was first interviewed for the position, I had been told that it was expected that the soloist would not use tobacco or intoxicating liquors. To this I agreed, but felt that I would need to use will power in complying with the request concerning smoking. Social drinking had not become a habit, so I was not concerned about abstaining from that. Some weeks later I was informed by telephone that I had been appointed to the position, and that since I was not a member of the church, the board had agreed that the smoking ban would not be invoked. At the end of that conversation the healing came. The habit left me from that moment and has never returned. Several previous attempts to stop smoking by will power had failed. That incident occurred over ten years ago.
As I have progressed in the study of Christian Science I have realized that that board of directors had done its prayerful work in making this appointment and had truly understood the definition of "church" as given on page 583 of the Glossary in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, which reads in part: "Church. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." I had been active since childhood in an orthodox church, and my parents were consecrated Christian people, but still there were many problems in life for which I could not find a satisfactory answer. To me the Bible contained many contradictions, and some statements in it I thought were impractical for this age. However, I had not been in my new work as soloist long before I realized that I had found my answer. I soon began to apply a few of the simple truths I heard read from the desk and expressed in testimonies at the Wednesday evening testimony meetings.
