Christian Science is the only way of life I have known. With much gratitude for the many wonderful healings I have had and seen, I mention a few of the discordant conditions that have been overcome through Christian Science: colds, constipation, alcoholism, lack, unhappy relations, and grief. All of these have been permanently healed.
One of my first healings came while I was at work. A small bottle dropped out of my hand, fell to the floor and broke. Then I felt something go into my eye. I went to the ladies' room but I couldn't find anything in my eye. Still it felt as if something was there. I went back to work, but I also prayed for myself, as my eye did not feel normal. (I told none of my fellow workers about this.) Once more I went back to the ladies' room. This time I declared that God was present, right there. Sure enough, with no problem, a small speck of glass came out at the corner of my eye. This may seem like a small healing, but it was a big step for me. It was the first time I applied Christian Science for myself without turning to my father or to a Christian Science practitioner for help. This experience proved to me the allness of God.
Another healing I had involved a growth on my neck—a problem I had had for years, but one I'd never done anything about. I was living away from home at the time, and although I was attending Christian Science church services and was a member of The Mother Church, I really wasn't putting my understanding of Science into practice. Early one morning I called my father and told him my neck hurt. He said he would pray for me and that I could go on to work. Even though I was very fearful, I went to work and stayed as long as I could. But the pain did not let up.
When I talked to my father later that day he suggested I call a full-time practitioner for help because he felt he didn't have enough time to pray for me as he would like.
This was the first time I ever asked a practitioner for help. When I called her, I was still very much afraid. But as we talked, it felt as if someone was lifting a big weight off my shoulders, and most of the fear left.
Although the physical problem seemed to get worse because the growth enlarged, the pain did go away. During one of our conversations the practitioner asked me to look up references to the word "oil" in a Concordance to Mary Baker Eddy's writings. I can remember doing this — reading early in the morning and then, when I came home from work, studying till late at night. When I first started, I wasn't understanding much. But slowly things began to have meaning for me.
What I liked especially was the definition of "oil" given in the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy (p. 592): "Oil. Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration." I also looked up the word "consecration" and found a reference to this passage (ibid, p. 367), "This is what is meant by seeking Truth, Christ, not 'for the loaves and fishes,' nor, like the Pharisee, with the arrogance of rank and display of scholarship, but like Mary Magdalene, from the summit of devout consecration, with the oil of gladness and the perfume of gratitude, with tears of repentance and with those hairs all numbered by the Father."
I began to realize that it wasn't enough just to read the Bible or Science and Health but that I had to take time to really ponder what I was reading. Although I was feeling very good about what I was learning, still no physical change came about. People at work were very concerned for me and asked why I wasn't doing anything about the problem. I did tell them I was a Christian Scientist and thanked them for their concern. I also explained that the problem was not being ignored — something was being done about it. This quieted their concern.
During this time I was asked to serve at a Wednesday testimony meeting in our branch church. I felt happy and joyous. That night I came home after the meeting, and although the physical picture had not changed, I was still feeling very uplifted. Then I decided to read some more. When I felt I had read as much as I could, I closed the books and prayed. I thought of all the things I had been studying, and it came to me that even if the physical condition never changed, I knew I was not material but that I reflected the spiritual qualities of God. I'm sure my healing came that evening.
The next morning I went to work. During lunch, while sitting at a table in the dining room I wrote on a piece of paper "God is Love." At that moment I felt something break open. I hurried to the ladies' room and discovered that the growth had started to drain. I can't tell you in words how I felt about this beautiful experience. The people at work were amazed, and one lady wanted to know how this religion worked. I just told them healing was not a miracle but a very natural thing.
Not only was I blessed by being healed physically but during this time I also began to learn a new job that was better than the one I had. I am grateful for this healing; yet I am even more grateful for the understanding that we are never really satisfied in "coasting along"; we cannot ignore any problem—each needs to be handled right away.
This was a wonderful growing time for me. About two years later I took Christian Science class instruction, which was indeed a joyous experience that will stay with me forever. Some years afterward the condition on my neck returned. But the belief of recurrence was quickly routed out with the help of a practitioner, and the problem disappeared for good.
Shortly after this I was asked to serve as Reading Room attendant and later as a regular Sunday School teacher. Still later came service on the executive board of my branch church. It was because of this healing that I felt led to accept these opportunities to serve, thus demonstrating something of what I'd learned about Spirit, God.
Once our family drove into Boston in my father's new van for an evening session of Annual Meeting at The Mother Church. We parked the van on the street, only to find it gone when we returned from the meeting. Although we reported the theft to the police, a week passed without it being recovered.
Throughout that week I clung to these words by our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, from her poem "The Mother's Evening Prayer" (Poems, p. 4):
O make me glad for every scalding tear,
For hope deferred, ingratitude, disdain!
Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear
No ill,—since God is good, and loss is gain.
My father and mother also prayed during this time. We affirmed that God's child is always honest; incapable of doing anything that is not in accord with His law. We knew that only divine Love was present.
At the end of that week my mother and I decided to go into Boston to look for the van. Once we got there, I felt directed to take a particular street. There we found the van—unharmed! Christ Jesus said (Mark 11:23), "Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." Is it any wonder that I love Christian Science?
Reading, Massachusetts
