I have experienced a lifetime of protection and healings through Christian Science. Because my parents were both students of this Science, my earliest recollections are of turning to the truth for help. I had very few of the diseases associated with childhood, and in later years, through my own prayerful work, arthritis, heart trouble, and many minor ailments have been overcome.
After my marriage I spent many hours in studying the Bible and Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. Through this study I gained strength and assurance in rearing three children. On two occasions broken bones were healed without being set; inflammatory rheumatism was overcome with no aftereffects; infections, a tendency to take cold, and the results of accidents have all been healed.
At one time our older daughter was sent home from school with a severe headache. The teacher had checked her eyes and reported poor vision. An appointment had been made for the school nurse to examine her the following day. This nurse kindly telephoned to say that she had found on file an exemption card for our daughter; so she knew we would not want the examination. I thanked her, promising not to neglect the situation.
A Christian Science practitioner was asked to work prayerfully for our daughter. Three days later the child was able to see the blackboard clearly, and the headaches were gone. Some years after this she joined the WAC, and medical examinations showed that her vision was normal.
A more recent instance of protection is particularly interesting because it proved to me the value of daily work in affirming the truth and denying the claims of evil. Having moved to a house located on a hill above a fire station, I became very conscious of the sirens. This alerted me to declare the powerlessness of fire and to know that neither man nor his spiritual possessions can be destroyed because they are created and sustained by God.
That summer we were invited to use the home of relatives for a Labor Day picnic. The owners were away, but they urged us to make use of their pool and their barbecue, which was a portable one, set on a large porch covered by a canvas awning. The fire had been laid, and we were to start it by pouring some liquid chemical over the briquettes and lighting it. This we did cautiously. When very little flame appeared, we called the house boy. He picked up the gallon jar containing the chemical and poured on more.
There was an explosion, and fire broke out in all directions. Small flames started in several spots in the grass matting, which covered the porch floor, and in a chaise longue. The boy became excited and dropped the jar. It struck some stone steps, broke, and ignited the shrubbery. I watched a large vine covering one end of the porch catch fire, and the flames ran up over the awning. The children, barefooted from swimming, were jumping from one spot to another with flames between their feet.
In spite of the fact that this was the end of a long, dry summer and all conditions pointed to disastrous results before a hose could be attached, all but one of the fires extinguished themselves. One large bush continued to burn, but the fire was quickly put out with water. To our amazement, there was practically no damage.
That night, in mentally reviewing the whole thing, I remembered the prayerful protective work I had done in affirming God's power and in denying the claims of power in fire each time I had heard the siren. How great was the reward of my spiritual effort!
When several members of my family have passed on, I have been grateful for the sustaining power of Love. My own life has become joyous with an inner contentment which comes from knowing that God is ever present to guide and protect.
For membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church, for the privilege of serving this church in a number of capacities, and for class instruction, I am deeply grateful.— Portland, Oregon.
