Over forty years ago I was introduced to Christian Science by a medical specialist. I had gone to this specialist after other doctors had failed to cure me of a chronic intestinal disorder that had resulted in considerable loss of weight and extreme discomfort. I had been on a strict diet for many months, eating hardly enough to keep me going. After I had been given a series of tests and examinations by his staff, the specialist presented the results to me. Offering little hope for a permanent recovery, he informed me that I must continue the rigid diet, get plenty of rest, and adhere to other limiting requirements. Then he asked, "Have you ever considered turning to Christian Science for comfort?" I confessed that I knew very little about the religion. In terminating our interview he emphasized, "Do look into the teachings of Christian Science."
Several months elapsed before the words "Christian Science" again came to my attention. I was leaving a tearoom with friends when I saw Christian Science literature displayed on a table. I asked the hostess if this material was for sale. She offered me complimentary copies of The Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, and The Christian Science Monitor, stating that they were left there every week for anyone to take.
I was eager to learn why the kind specialist had suggested my reading something that differed so from the medical approach. Needless to say, I was extremely impressed by the idea of an entirely different way of thinking. To learn more of this teaching, however, I decided to acquire the textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. I was not aware that it could be purchased at the Christian Science Reading Room in my vicinity, so I ordered a copy from The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston. Yet when the book arrived, my husband and I were preparing to leave on a winter vacation, so I laid it aside unopened.
