Article May 20, 1916 Issue

Seed-time and Harvest

ETTER H. FOSTER

Christian Science was first presented to me many years ago in Boston, by a friend who was reading "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy merely as a new treatise on metaphysics, and who intimated that reading it might interest me in the same manner. I glanced through the book to please my friend, but being young, immature in thought, and having no need of physical healing, I gained at that time very little understanding of the wonderful import of its teaching. I read far enough, however, to discover the four "fundamental propositions" on page 113 in the chapter entitled Science, Theology, Medicine. They are: "1. God is All-in-all. 2. God is good. Good is Mind. 3. God, Spirit, being all, nothing is matter. 4. Life, God, omnipotent good, deny death, evil, sin, disease.—Disease, sin, evil, death, deny good, omnipotent God, Life."

The faultless logic and originality of these statements arrested my attention, appealing strongly to my awakening sense, and the seed of Truth was then and there planted in my thought, afterward to bear fruit. A few months later the recollection of these words prompted me to send for a copy of the text-book, and returning to Boston a short time after this, it was my privilege to hear a sermon preached by Mrs. Eddy. Her words were like distant music, with little meaning for my dull ears; but the music was sweet and never to be forgotten, and the tones of her voice still linger in my memory. I knew that some day I would desire to know more of Christian Science, but like one of old, I went away with the thought that there would be a more "convenient season." The time came when ill health, unhappiness, and a great fear induced by the verdict of a leading specialist, forced me to seek with all my heart for a God who could heal me,—a God at hand, an ever-present help in trouble. I knew instinctively where to find Him, and again turned to Christian Science.

My old copy of Science and Health was eagerly sought among my books, and it became, with the Bible, my constant companion. I found it to be indeed a "Key to the Scriptures," opening the door of the human understanding which "no man can shut," and enabling us to enter into the kingdom of heaven here and now. From this hour my life was changed, and there has been no turning back. The physical healing was almost lost sight of in the deep quest for spiritual understanding; but when in a measure I was able to forget my body "in remembering good and the human race," as our Leader tells us (Science and Health, p. 261), the healing came naturally and unconsciously.

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