My heart is filled with gratitude for Christian Science; it has been my way of life since childhood. My mother and grandmother were earnest students of it, and the truths they taught me as a child have formed a foundation on which to build through the years.
My life has unfolded step by step. I attended Sunday School as a young child, and also had the privilege of attending a college for the children of Christian Scientists. My husband, who was also reared in Science, attended a state university, and it was there that we met while serving in the Christian Science college organization on the campus.
We are having the happy experience of rearing two children in Christian Science and are grateful to be able to solve through the application of this practical religion the problems that arise. Many healings have taken place in our home, including those of a sprained ankle, influenza, and so-called children's diseases.
Shortly after I had class instruction I became very much aware of the need of growing less dependent on others; I had a desire to express more true individuality. At the same time we were in need of extra money for an unexpected financial obligation. I felt that getting a job would be the answer; but no matter how I humanly planned, to work outside the home did not seem feasible.
One morning after I had studied the weekly Lesson-Sermon, given in the Quarterly and consisting of citations from the Bible and from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, a thought came to me. The subject of the lesson was "Substance," and as I studied, I could see clearly that substance is not matter but ideas.
The thought that came to me was, "Why not start children's art and craft classes?" I loved this type of work and had been trained for it in college. I went to the phone and began to make calls. Within two weeks I was in business! This idea has grown, and the classes have continued through the years. Not only have I been blessed, but the pupils and their parents have expressed gratitude for this constructive activity. I have had to turn constantly to God for support when doing this work; and because of this reliance on Him, I feel I am beginning to gain the freedom and dominion I prayed for so earnestly.
I believe the outstanding physical healing experienced in our family was that of scarlet fever. When our daughter was five years old and a kindergarten pupil, she manifested the symptoms of measles. Prayerful work was done for her, and the condition cleared up quickly. However, two weeks later the same symptoms returned in a much more severe form.
It was necessary to inform the school nurse about this, and it was her opinion that our little girl had scarlet fever. The nurse was a member of the local health department; so in reporting the illness to her we were being obedient to the requirement of the law in regard to infectious diseases.
A practitioner had been helping us, and I know she sensed my fear when I called her and told her the name that had been attached to the condition. She assured me that no matter what the disease was called, it was not real and that it had no power because it was not of God, good.
I remember one day in particular when the child lay so still that I found myself watching to see if she was breathing. It was then that I realized where the healing had to take place. My own thinking had to be healed. I found that all I could get myself to do was to repeat "the scientific statement of being," which begins with these words(Science and Health, p. 468): "There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter." At first I was just saying words; then little by little the meaning came to me, and I was freed from the false sense of overpowering fear. From that time on, the child made progress. At the end of two weeks she went back to school with no sense of weakness and no fear on our part about her ability to participate fully in school activities.
I am sincerely grateful to God for Christ Jesus, for our Leader, for Christian Science, for our Sunday Schools, for membership in The Mother Church, for service in a branch church, for our periodicals, and for the blessings that come from our yearly association meeting. I could not close this testimony without expressing gratitude to our practitioners, who help us to grow spiritually and to use Christian Science in our daily lives.— Elm Grove, Wisconsin.
