"There are no greater miracles known to earth than perfection and an unbroken friendship." These words of our beloved Leader Mary Baker Eddy, may be found on page 80 of her book "Retrospection and Introspection." True friendship is one of the priceless gifts of divine Love, and by reason of this fact all may have it. It is as impersonal as the sunshine and far more warming to the heart: and if we give of our friendship as impersonally and freely as the sunbeams give of their reflected light and warmth, we shall receive in like measure. Thus is friendship earned.

The qualities we enjoy and are seeking in others are those we must desire to express ourselves, for we naturally are at home with those whose interests are similar to ours. A false sense of possession, and its boon companions, criticism, domination, insubordination, jealousy, and mental manipulation, are the reverse of the qualities which make for genuine friendship, and must be cast out of consciousness before the true attraction of Spirit can be understood and recognized. Real friendship is governed by intelligence, which knows no self-seeking. Friendship is based not on personalities, but on spiritual qualities Wherever the qualities of divine Mind are consciously manifest, there is friendship.

Mere personal friendship falls short of the true and enduring sense of friendship. Separation is one of its pains. In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy tells us (p. 390), "Truth will at length compel us all to exchange the pleasures and pains of sense for the joys of Soul." Upon learning the freedom and unselfish joy of true friendship we are freed from any sense of separation from good or a sense of attraction to or by evil. Knowing the source of all true friendship to be God, we discover that no mortal holds our happiness in his hands, or has the power to give today and withhold tomorrow, thereby keeping us in an uncertain state of fluctuation between joy and sorrow. Jesus said (John 16:22), "Your joy no man taketh from you;" and also (Matt. 23:9), "Call no man your father upon the earth."

Many of us remember singing the hymn, "What a friend we have in Jesus." Little did we understand of this great friendship until we began the study of Christian Science. This same Christ Jesus said (John 5:30). "I can of mine own self do nothing." and yet he was capable of doing anything through his conscious at-one-ment with God. What a debt of gratitude we owe the Way-shower, whom all know as the friend of man!

But what of the divinely inspired woman Mary Baker Eddy? It was she who revealed the meaning of Jesus' words and works through her book, Science and Health, thus making them of practical use to all mankind. One has only to read the authorized biographies of her life to learn of the struggles, deprivations, and persecutions which she endured to give this revelation to the world. After beholding the fruits of her work, which included countless healings of sin and disease, the establishing of her church and world-wide recognition, she could still humbly say (Message to The Mother Church for 1901, p. 34), "Return blessing for cursing; be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good; be steadfast, abide and abound in faith, understanding, and good works; study the Bible and the textbook of our denomination; obey strictly the laws that be, and follow your Leader only so far as she follows Christ."

It is important for our progress in Christian Science that the passage of years should in no way break the continuity of our gratitude to its Discoverer and Founder. A lack of appreciation of her unselfish life arises only from a misunderstanding of her purpose and works.

In this connection the following experience of a Christian Scientist is both interesting and illuminating. A man who was healed of severe stomach trouble of twelve years' standing became an earnest student of Christian Science. He loved Science for what it had done for him and many others, but it annoyed him very much to hear Mrs. Eddy's name mentioned in connection with this Science. He enjoyed the testimonies at Wednesday evening meetings until our Leader was referred to—something he considered entirely unnecessary and out of place. His irritation increased until it became actual antagonism toward the Discoverer and Founder of the Science which had brought about his healing.

One day he was called to do some work at a large home which was surrounded by beautiful grounds. As he was interested in growing things he decided to spend his lunch hour in exploring the premises. In an out-of-the-way place he came upon a small house He went to a window to see what was inside and found it covered with cobwebs and dust. So he went to the door and opened it enough to look in. The house was empty except for a confused little bird which had evidently come down through the chimney and was flying around in the darkened interior vainly trying to find a way out. Throwing the door wide open and letting in a flood of light, the man stood back out of the way and allowed the bird to fly out the sunshine. Suddenly it occurred to him that this was just what Mrs. Eddy had done for the world. She had opened wide a door and let in the light to struggling human consciousness and then had stood beck out of the way, that all individually might find their freedom from mental darkness, At that moment he awakened to his debt of gratitude to our Leader, and thereafter a sincere love for her filled his heart.

The bird did not know who opened the door for it but we do know who opened the door for us and although Christian Science teaches that all glory belongs to God, we are humbly grateful to this pure woman who loved God enough to reveal His glory to the world. What Mrs. Eddy did for mankind was just as impersonal and joyous as the freeing of the bird. She desired no personal homage. Of her own accord she withdrew from public life after establishing her Church, and lovingly admonished us to study her writings, for there, she said, we would find her.

No one who owns or has access to these books can truthfully say he is friendless, for the understanding of the ideas they present brings our highest nature to light, Through the careful study and application of the truth contained therein we shall find our relationship to God, which will assuredly help us to experience more and more the miracle of "unbroken friendship." Mrs. Eddy's words in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 151) are a wonderful basis for our demonstration: "God is our Father and our Mother, our Minister and the great Physician: He is man's only real relative on earth and in heaven."