It has been my desire for a long time to express my deep...

G. Brinton Campbell

It has been my desire for a long time to express my deep gratitude for my early experiences in Christian Science, to which I was brought through a remarkable circumstance. For some years I had thought of myself as an agnostic, having no use whatever for religion. One morning in 1899, I read a notice in the daily paper containing the words "Christian Science." The word "Christian" associated with "Science" instantly aroused in me a sense of bitter resentment. I began to strive mentally to separate the two words from each other, for to me science was demonstrable and practical, while Christianity seemed useless. The more I tried to separate them, the more firmly united they became, until finally I thought, You have investigated many religions; why not investigate Christian Science? I decided to do so. Immediately a sense of peace came over me, and when I proposed to my partner, who was also an agnostic, that we find a Christian Science church, he courteously consented. His willingness relieved me, for we had usually attended church services only to criticize.

We could find no one to direct us to a Science church, but we boarded a streetcar. Finally we alighted from the car, with a feeling of disappointment on my part on account of our lack of success, and a dread of the return of the mental struggle. To our surprise, the whole carload got off. Impressed by the fine, intelligent appearance of the people, too unusual a type, we thought, for churchgoers, we were curious to learn where they were going. The vanguard of the crowd was already entering a building opposite the car stop. The gentleman at the door replied to our question as to what was going on, "It is a Christian Science service." I could not believe him, for I had expected to find a wholly different type of people. We allowed ourselves to be shown seats, although entirely at sea as to the real nature of the gathering. The mental atmosphere of the place was the most inspiring I had ever felt, full of peace and quietness. The fact that one of the Readers was a woman appealed to my sense of fairness. The solo was Mrs. Eddy's hymn commencing "Shepherd, show me how to go" (Poems, p. 14), and it appealed to me in a way I have never forgotten. I realized that I was healed, in that service, of all my former religious prejudice and hate. Longing to have some of the reading matter, I went the next day to a secondhand bookstore, where I had frequently bought agnostic literature, and purchased a rather worn copy of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. I started reading with avidity, for I realized that it set forth the truth about Truth and the truth about error. My discovery that the author was a woman shocked me greatly, but my sense of fairness overcame the agelong prejudice against a woman's being the author of a work on the subject of religion. My gratitude for possessing such a book, and appreciation of what I had already read, were inexpressible, and led me to say to myself, If my worst enemy had written this book I could take him by the hand and say to him, "You have written the truth, and I thank you."

During the next two years I experienced the healing of smoking, social drinking, and of other worldly habits.

In 1904, after reading Science and Health for some time, I realized the necessity of having a Bible, as it proved impossible to study Christian Science without it. It took me some months to overcome my acquired prejudice against the book, but I finally purchased one. The possession of it gave me a sense of awe and hopeful anticipation of something to be accomplished in the study of Science. I gave thanks to God with tears of repentance and gratitude for the Bible and Science and Health. They became my constant companions from that time. In 1905 I joined The Mother Church. Even at the first reading of Science and Health the realization came to me that Christian Science is in every sense of the word a revealed religion. It gave me God as well as an intelligent understanding of Him and of His idea, man. I deeply appreciate our Leader's gift, and recognize our duty to cherish it. Not only was my first step in Science taken under the compulsion of divine power, but many steps since have been equally impelled. Mrs. Eddy says on page 10 of "No and Yes": "The two largest words in the vocabulary of thought are 'Christian' and 'Science.' The former is the highest style of man; the latter reveals and interprets God and man; it aggregates, amplifies, unfolds, and expresses the All-God." I can well say, Blessed be the one who has given us Christian Science.

G. Brinton Campbell, Los Angeles, California.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit