"Christian Science is always the most skilful surgeon, but surgery is the branch of its healing which will be last acknowledged," states Mary Baker Eddy on page 402 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." This testimony bears witness to the truth that Christian Science indeed is "the most skilful surgeon."
Early in my experience of vocal training I was led to a nationally known voice teacher. He kindly said that the greatest handicap to my advancement was a short upper lip, which prevented my speaking certain words distinctly; I unconsciously used my upper teeth, rather than my lip, to say those words. This defect never had been pointed out to me before, and I immediately began to work as we are taught to do in Christian Science to discern more clearly my status as a perfect child of our perfect creator, God.
The following Sunday I attended a Christian Science lecture in which the speaker reiterated this statement: "You are God's symmetrical man." As this was pondered, the thought came, Yes, I have acknowledged that I am God's symmetrical man, but have I used that idea in relation to my lip? Reasoning that man is held at the standpoint of perfection, I saw that no part of my being could be too short, imperfect, or abnormal in any respect. Nothing more was thought about the condition until that evening in church. During the reading of the Lesson-Sermon from the Christian Science Quarterly I was startled to hear this message coming to me, so distinct that it is still beautifully clear in my consciousness: You are indeed God's symmetrical man. You used to be afraid to speak the Word of Truth, but for some time now you have had courage to do so. You are no longer short of lip! Instantly I felt a click within my mouth, and my upper lip dropped to touch my lower lip for the first time in my life. No pain or bleeding accompanied this experience, and I was so uplifted that I could not mention it to anyone. Upon arriving home I looked into the mirror and discovered there was clear evidence of mental surgery within my mouth, for the tissue had been severed, allowing my upper lip to be in its normal position.
