"Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8). When I reflect on the abundance of inspiration, joy, and peace which has come to me through the spiritual understanding of Life, as revealed in Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, I am impelled to express my gratitude in the hope that someone may be led to seek its healing power. Since childhood I had been active in an orthodox church, which I loved, believing there could be nothing more desirable than a patient resignation to what we were taught was God's will and His way of drawing His dear children to Him, even by illness or deprivation—a way attributed to our Father, who is Love!
Christian Science had been presented to me several times; but each time error succeeded in blinding my eyes and stopping my ears to the good that was awaiting me in its study. Finally the stress of mortal beliefs caused me to succumb to nervous exhaustion. Ill and despairing, I was compelled to look for relief above mortal self and materiality and to face the spiritual reality of being.
At this time a faithful friend who was an earnest Christian Scientist came to see me, lovingly overlooking my former rebuffs and bringing with her some of the authorized literature. At my request she read to me, selecting the inspiring article "Love Your Enemies" in "Miscellaneous Writings" by our Leader, Mrs. Eddy. I was immediately uplifted by the sentence (p. 8), "Simply count your enemy to be that which defiles, defaces, and dethrones the Christ-image that you should reflect."
