I had been striving for a healing of warts on my hand for over a year. Little progress had been made, probably because my main desire was for physical comfort rather than spiritual growth. I also felt overburdened with church work, housework, and other activities. I was constantly thinking of something that needed to be done by me or someone else and was sometimes quite critical of others. However, I longed to be rid of this joyless, burdensome way of life.
One evening at a Wednesday testimony meeting a speaker told how she had used Article VIII, Section I, "A Rule for Motives and Acts," from the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy. In her case it served as a basis for releasing her from false responsibility concerning her child's healing. The rule begins, "Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church." The words "personal attachment" made me realize how I had been personally attaching all sorts of false traits to others. Then I studied this statement from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy (p. 117): "Christian Science attaches no physical nature and significance to the Supreme Being or His manifestation; mortals alone do this." I saw that by remaining obedient to this Bible verse in James, I could not unwittingly attach any false characteristic to my fellowmen (1:4): "Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
I made two lists, one of the spiritual qualities inherent in God's man, and the other of traits I was falsely trying to attach to my fellowmen. During the next few months I earnestly tried to let go of mortal thinking and see the true, harmonious nature of myself and others. As I developed a spiritualized consciousness, I was overjoyed to find that the warts had left me.
