From childhood I have reaped the benefits of my mother's study of Christian Science, and I am deeply grateful for the beautiful healings that I have witnessed in our family as a result of its application. I myself have had many proofs of the healing efficacy of this religion, but in retrospect I find that the following experience has been especially comforting to me.
When I was in my early teens, my breathing became labored and difficult, so that it was distressing to those around me. Since I suffered no pain, I disregarded my mother's advice either to work for myself or to ask for help in Christian Science. However, at a Christian Science lecture some time later, I was roused by the lecturer's insistence that we pray for ourselves regularly, denying specifically any evidence contrary to perfection. At one point the lecturer emphasized the Biblical statement (I Cor. 3:16), "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" In pursuing this thought he brought out that Mrs. Eddy defines "temple" in part as "body; the idea of Life, substance, and intelligence; the superstructure of Truth; the shrine of Love" (Science and Health, p. 595).
Before I went to sleep that night I pondered what had been said and prayed for myself. I maintained that since the temple of God is perfect, I could not present imperfection, nor could I attribute discord to God's perfect creation. On such a basis I denied the testimony that my nose was either deformed or diseased and claimed freedom for myself. The following nights I remembered the advice heard at the lecture, to pray for myself, and again I claimed my perfection vigorously. In other instances in which healing appeared necessary I had often been tempted to pray with one eye on the material condition in need of correction. In this case, since I was inclined to belittle the physical evidence anyway, I prayed primarily to comfort those who were concerned about me.
