Article July 20, 1907 Issue

"TREATMENT."

OLGA C. FOREMAN

When one comes with a grain of hope to Christian Science for treatment, after all other means have failed, he sometimes wonders "how they do it." This may be illustrated by the case of one who is fully conversant with the English language but has only a meager supply of—let us say—Spanish at his command. Suppose it were of vital importance to him to communicate with a Spaniard, yet he could only understand a few words here and there of what the other had to say. He might be baffled for a short while, but would not reason whisper to him to find some one who understood both languages, to ask this one to explain his request to the Spaniard? Thus this third party, by understanding both, would bring relief to the one in trouble, because of having helped to make clear to him that which he needed to know. Great questions may have been involved, but because ignorance of the language prevailed, they seemed insolvable; whereas, when the required understanding was brought to bear upon them, all these questions were readily settled.

Let us suppose again that a repeated necessity arose to communicate with this Spaniard, would not the one who had before been helped by another's knowledge of the language, instead of continually calling on this third party to interpret, eventually strive to acquaint himself with the language, so that he could directly avail himself of it, and thus speak for himself? Does not this analogy apply to those who are as babes in the language of Spirit, in their relation to her who closely listened to this new tongue, who has brought to the needy its message of health and joy, and interpreted to us the glad news that we are healed and that we may wipe away the bitter tears? Thus has our beloved Leader listened, and interpreted to us the once unknown but now more familiar language of Spirit; and what is more, she is teaching it to us so that we too may listen and hold converse often, yea at all times, in this new tongue and with all mankind.

All will admit that the learning of a new language is a gradual process, and that is why the young student of Divine Science must "carry the baggage of stern resolve" (Science and Health, p. 514), and patiently take one step at a time, even as children learn to walk and to talk and to work, and so on indefinitely. It is a glorious work, this task of solving the problem of our being, and when intent upon it, we learn not only to help ourselves, but also to help others, and that, as I understand it, is the work of the Christian Science practitioner. Concerning the results gained from faithful study of the truth, Christ Jesus has said, "They shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

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