I found out about Christian Science when I sang solos and played the organ for a few different branches of The First Church of Christ, Scientist. At first, I wasn’t interested in Christian Science; I just loved music (see “From unbelief to feeling embraced by God’s love,” Christian Science Sentinel, May 13, 2019).
One evening around the time when I was an organist, our two-year-old son grew feverish and began screaming in pain and holding his ear. My husband and I quickly diagnosed the problem. Our daughter had been ill with ear infections several times as a toddler, and now our son was exhibiting all the same symptoms.
We had taken our daughter to the pediatrician each time, who prescribed medication, although some discomfort still lasted for days afterward. But our son’s earache had started after the doctor’s office was closed for the day. “What are our options in the meantime?” I thought. My husband took our son upstairs to our bedroom and lay down with him to comfort him, but his crying persisted.
In the branch church I played the organ for, I had heard many instances of healing through prayer, so it came to me that I should go into the den and study passages from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy in earnest in order to help our son. But our little girl, Amy, then five years old, had a slightly different idea. (She and her brother had been in the nursery or Sunday School each Sunday since they were a few weeks old.) She came to me with the Christian Science Hymnal and with absolute childlike trust implored, “Mommy, let’s sing hymns for Joshy.” Although I felt sure that study must be required at such a crucial time, I agreed to sing with her only because she was so insistent.
Amy told me what hymns we should sing. She had been hearing and then singing Mary Baker Eddy’s poems that have been set to music as hymns since she’d started in the nursery, and she loved them. She asked that we first sing the hymn that begins, “Shepherd, show me how to go” (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 304). We then sang a few other hymns with words by Mrs. Eddy. When we got to “Christmas Morn” (No. 23), the words “Thou gentle beam of living Love” took on new meaning for me.
As Amy and I sang, I thought about that line, and then I heard this angel message from God, “And that’s Josh”—a “gentle beam of living Love.”
I was reminded about all the ways our little guy showed so much love. He had been an extraordinarily loving little baby and was such a loving toddler. He was always smiling, always sharing, whether it was the toy he was playing with, or a treat he had been given, or offering a kiss and a hug. He’d even offer us the first lick when given an ice cream cone. A “gentle beam of living Love”—yes, that so perfectly described Josh. That’s what he was! I felt such peace and joy and love at this realization. My heart sang!
Soon after this, my husband came downstairs with Josh. The crying and whimpering had ceased. We four then sat on the couch reading Dr. Seuss books and laughing out loud together at the funny pictures and silly rhymes. After a short time Josh said, “Mommy, my ear no more hurt.” We hugged and rejoiced together. And that was the last earache either of our children ever had.
I was so grateful for the immediacy of this healing. And for our daughter’s sweet intuition to sing for her little brother—what a great example for me of how, as the Bible says, “a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6). Our son hadn’t needed to wait for us to get to a doctor’s appointment and have medication prescribed, or wait for medication to kick in after taking it, or even wait until I studied more about God.
I was beginning to discover that, as I had heard often at church in the previous few years, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1). Yes, very present!
Carol Lee Price
Indialantic, Florida, US
