Article March 5, 1949 Issue

The Starting Point

[From the Field]

Recently a young woman came in to purchase a textbook. She said she knew very little about the book, but had been so impressed by statements made by two friends whom she knew to be students of Christian Science that she had decided to look up our Reading Room and make the purchase. She also asked about church services.

A man who came into our Reading Room said he knew nothing about Christian Science, but had picked up a "pamphlet" in a near-by department store and had been very much impressed with the testimonies of healing it contained. The librarian soon learned the pamphlet was a copy of the Sentinel, and that the visitor had read it thoroughly. He asked several questions about Christian Science, about the periodicals, and about the book Science and Health, which was referred to so frequently in the articles and testimonies he had read. He was told it was the Christian Science textbook and that he was welcome to borrow a copy from the lending library and find out about it for himself. He inquired about our church services and said he would like to hear a Christian Science "preacher." The Explanatory Note in the front of the Quarterly stating that the Bible and Science and Health are our impersonal pastor was read to him, and he was shown a Christian Science Quarterly and told something of the Bible Lesson-Sermons. He borrowed a textbook and purchased a Quarterly. He said he would attend the Sunday service and did so.