A Helpful Letter

Augusta E. Stetson

[We are glad to publish the following letter to Mrs. Eddy from one of her students whose work in Christian Science has done much for the advancement of our Cause. This letter expresses such appreciation of our Leader's work, such gratitude for it, and such a desire to be of service to her, that it will be read with pleasure by Christian Scientists.—EDITOR.]

New York, N. Y., July 20, 1906.

My Precious Leader and Teacher:—My heart is overflowing with grateful love for your dear letter and its sweet contents. Had ever any people so wise, unselfed, and vigilant a Leader as we, your students; and who is so great a God as He who has given you to us to lead us to His Christ?

I am ever searching my inmost consciousness and praying earnestly and continually for God to open my spiritual eyes that I may behold wondrous things, as you, His chosen messenger, reveal His law of unfailing love.

When I realize what loving obedience has brought to me and to all your obedient students, I could shed tears of pity for those students who tarried by the way in the past and listened to the voice of personal sense, until they ceased to hear your loving tones and lost the pathway.

I thank God for His tender care, which has enabled me and your faithful and loyal students to watch and pray, work and wait, through the cloud and tempest, till this harvest hour. Love's labor is never lost. The tireless watcher does not sleep on his sword.

As I behold this First Church of Christ, Scientist, of New York City, a tribute of love and gratitude to you, beloved, our prayer in Concord granite, which my students and members of this church have reared to you, I praise God for this evidence of His love.

Every day I see proofs of your unselfed watch-care and love for your students, including me and mine. How often during the church services I wish you could see the great congregation and hear the testimonies of wonderful deliverance from sin, sickness, sorrow, and death, and their appreciation of your great work and your book, Science and Health, and could hear your words in the hymns ring out from hundreds of voices, which fill the lofty dome until the music seems to blend with the unseen angel choir and the great organ of eternity swell its diapason in Te Deums of praise to God for your ministry to mankind.

Had I been more spiritually minded and quicker to catch your messages from God, you would have moved me to greater demonstrations of His mighty power. I love the church solo, "Hear ye, Israel! Oh, hadst thou heeded my commandments!" I always hear your gentle rebuke in these words, and my heart responds, Oh, had we heeded, how much holier would be our peace and greater our power. Then I watch more vigilantly and gird on my armor more securely and go forward more dauntlessly to wield the sword of Truth and Love.

You thank me for getting you wearing apparel and feel indebted to me for the favor. If you think you are indebted to me, suppose, my beloved Leader, you and I compare accounts. I am indebted to you for perfect physical health and almost unlimited strength, for a large body of loving, loyal students and church members, for a large church edifice which shelters multitudes who come to learn through Christian Science the way to eternal life.

I am indebted to you for the understanding of God's power to heal through man, which recently enabled me to destroy a cancer in the mouth and throat in one treatment—all evidence having disappeared after the second treatment. This was nine weeks ago. This gentleman, Mr. Ernest C. Speare, is a very reliable man, who has occupied a responsible position in one of our largest dry goods stores for thirty-one consecutive years.

I have found brothers and sisters, houses and lands, according to the promises in the Scriptures. No good thing has been withholden from me.

Ever your loving student,
Augusta E. Stetson.

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