I was raised as a Christian Scientist, and saw some wonderful proofs of its reliability in dealing with all types of problems. For example, during a polio epidemic, my little sister, after playing with a child who came down with a diagnosed case of polio, became very ill with the same symptoms. When my father, who was not a Christian Scientist, left for work in the morning, he said that if she wasn't better by the time he got home from work, she would have to go to the hospital. She was completely healed through Christian Science treatment by that evening.
In spite of my early experience and training, I had never put what I'd learned of Christian Science to the test. So when I married I gave it up to join a church I could attend with my husband. For many years I gave no thought to what I'd learned as a child, until a problem occurred from which I didn't know how to extricate myself.
A colleague of my husband's who had character traits I disliked, and with a reputation for an uncontrollable temper, became enraged when he heard about a nasty comment I had made about him. He called to say he wanted to come to our house and talk to us. I was horrified, and afraid of the consequences that would affect my husband at work. I didn't know what to do. Immediately a thought popped into my head (a statement from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy that I had learned in Sunday School): "There is no power apart from God" (p. 228). With this thought a wonderful sense of peace and rightness came over me. I felt perfectly assured of the complete control of God, good, and the powerlessness of evil. I lost all fear. When this man came to the door, I kindly asked him in, invited him to sit down, and offered him some refreshments. I told him I owed him an apology. All ill feelings dissipated and were replaced with feelings of mutual appreciation and friendship that continued from that time on.
