While living in the Far East, I found myself ill one day with a severe form of influenza that was prevalent in the area at that time. I immediately began praying, and I asked for the assistance of a dear Christian Science friend. When I was no better after a few days, I became discouraged and fearful. I was serving at this time as one of the Readers at the services which were held every Sunday by a small group of Christian Scientists meeting informally. I had been unable to perform this duty for two Sundays and had also been absent from my work for about ten days. A false sense of responsibility was arguing that I was certainly setting a poor example as a Christian Scientist.
One day the thought came to me quite clearly that I should call and ask for the assistance of a Christian Scientist who was serving as a Chaplain in the United States Army at a military base some distance away. I did so, and the Chaplain's kind voice was an immediate comfort to me. He stated he would take up work for me right away, and he asked that I study Mrs. Eddy's remarks on page 61 of "Retrospection and Introspection." She begins, "Christian Science declares that sickness is a belief, a latent fear, made manifest on the body in different forms of fear or disease." Further on Mrs. Eddy writes, "But if you fall asleep, actually conscious of the truth of Christian Science,—namely, that man's harmony is no more to be invaded than the rhythm of the universe,—you cannot awake in fear or suffering of any sort."
These statements helped to alleviate my fear and showed me that sickness is nothing but a phase of mortal belief. At the same time I saw very clearly that a deep-seated resentment I had been holding against a fellow worker was also a phase of mortal belief and that I must correct this false belief and see this person as a child of God. With these thoughts came a feeling of release and joy, and I fell asleep.
