Article May 20, 1933 Issue

About twenty years ago, during a period when disorders...

From an address delivered by Hugh Stuart Campbell, Committee on Publication, before the Young People's Forum of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Chicago,—Illinois

About twenty years ago, during a period when disorders in body and depression in business made me ponder the question of old, "Is there no balm in Gilead?" I came as a weary pilgrim to the Christian Science church, and that church lovingly took me in. During the intervening years, active affiliation with the Christian Science church and the daily study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, have brought me out of the bondage of fear, lack, and ill health, and ushered me into a promised land—a place of right thinking—with positive signs or proofs of wholeness, happiness, and success following.

Is it any wonder that I am profoundly grateful because in time of tribulation I pondered the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures as expounded by Mrs. Eddy in Science and Health? In this textbook I found a practical doctrine of redemption, salvation, and healing, based upon a knowable God, a God at hand, who answers the prayers of the righteous. I found the identical Christianity taught and practiced by Christ Jesus, the Christianity of "the glorious liberty of the children of God" as preached by Paul to the Romans. Because it reinstated primitive Christianity by healing the sick and restored the spiritual import of the Scriptures, I accepted it.

You will recall that Solomon prayed for "an understanding heart," as stated in the ninth verse of the third chapter of I Kings; and his request was blessed of God; he was given his heart's desire; his prayer was answered. Prayers in Christian Science are effectual and bring a goodly measure of that "glorious liberty" which frees from the ills that afflict mankind. Christian Scientists are living witnesses to the fact that Christian Science heals the sick. The prayers by Christian Scientists have healed and are healing the sick in every part of the civilized world, as Jesus healed twenty centuries ago. No well-informed person will doubt the truth of this statement, for testimonies of healing may be heard at the Wednesday evening testimonial meetings in all Christian Science churches. Remarkable as some of these experiences of healing may seem to the stranger, told as they are with sincerity and gladness, they are, to the Christian Scientist, divinely natural occurrences based upon a right understanding of God. The basic Principle of such reliance and its enforcement with "signs following" is clearly stated in Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy when she comforts the suffering and needy with these assuring words (p. 393): "Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man."

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