I cannot delay further to show my appreciation of Christian Science and of its Discoverer and Founder, Mary Baker Eddy, the God-appointed revelator of the truth to this age.
At the age of eight I was enrolled in a Christian Science Sunday School, where the fundamental truths of this religion were implanted in my consciousness, and they have never left it. Nevertheless, as I grew older and was associated more and more with young people who were not Christian Scientists, I drifted away from my early teachings and wanted to be sure I did not appear different from the crowd.
Nearly everyone I knew indulged in cigarette smoking and social drinking; so I did the same. It was not until after I had left college and had entered the business world that I had an experience which was to make me an earnest student of Christian Science.
I developed a stubborn case of nervous indigestion. There was no desire on my part for medical aid, since I had seen the healing efficacy of Christian Science demonstrated many times and I knew that nothing less than the power of God could trul heal. However, I received only temporary relief from treatment given by Christian Science practitioners at various times. The reason for this, as I see now, was that I was making no effort to change my thinking. When the condition grew worse and I became very much frightened, I asked a practitioner, who was a dear friend and former Sunday School teacher, to take up prayerful work for me. Moreover, I determined to do everything I could to help myself.
The practitioner instructed me to read the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, from beginning to end and asked me to visit her every day. I began to improve at once, but there were still periods of relapse which would put me into bed, and I would be unable to eat any food without painful results. The testimonies of healing in the chapter entitled "Fruitage" in Science and Health and those printed in The Christian Science Journal and in the Christian Science Sentinel gave me much needed courage at this time.
Then one day it occurred to me that if I expected Christian Science to heal me, I would have to be in full accord with its teachings. Several times I had read Mrs. Eddy's statement the textbook also states (p. 1), "Desire is prayer."
I had never liked the flavor or the effect of intoxicating drinks; so I did not mind giving them up. But the smoking habit had held me in bondage for more than ten years, and I was afraid it would give me quite a struggle. However, my prayer was answered then and there, because when I picked up a cigarette I had just laid down, the taste was repulsive to me. From that day to this, a period of over fifteen years, I have not smoked another cigarette, nor wanted to. Not long after this experience, my complete healing of the stomach disorder was realized, and there has been no return of the difficulty.
Upon joining a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, I was glad to answer in the negative the question as to whether I used alcoholic beverages of any kind. I might add that my liberation from smoking and drinking did not make me unpopular with friends, but helped me to make new and more interesting friendships.
I have experienced and witnessed many wonderful healings through spiritual means alone. Membership in The Mother Church, class instruction, and active participation in the work of a branch church have proved to be great blessings. Jesus said (Science and Health, pp. 519, 520), "The highest and sweetest rest, even from a human standpoint, is in holy work."— Knoxville, Tennessee.
