On this program Mrs. Edith Bailey of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, told of her own experience, as follows:

Many years ago I was suffering from a disease which the doctors said was incurable. Finally I went to a specialist, who said there was no cure known for the condition, which he diagnosed as disintegration of the nerves. He recommended surgery but held out no hope for a cure or even relief. What was more, he very much doubted that I would live through the operations. In fact, I was only given two or three months to live.

In despair I turned to Christian Science, which had been recommended to me by a friend. I secured "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and I found out that Christian Science practitioners help those relying on prayer for healing. I began to study, but I could not understand what I read. I had been an honor student in all of my courses at the university, and here was a book I couldn't understand. I said to myself, "The fault isn't in me; it's in the book." I laid the book aside and called a Christian Science practitioner, who said he would give me a treatment in Christian Science—which I later understood meant prayer. The pain had been extreme, but within an hour I found relief. Still I wasn't even grateful, for I argued that it was impossible for someone blocks away from me to be of any help. A few days later, when the suffering again seemed unbearable and everything began to grow black, I became very much frightened.

I reached the telephone with great difficulty and called the practitioner. He said, "Get your textbook and begin to read, and I will pray." I opened the book at random, and my eyes fell on the statement on page 42 in which Mrs. Eddy says that "in Christian Science the true man is governed by God—by good, not evil—and is therefore not a mortal but an immortal." Mrs. Eddy goes on to say that "Jesus had taught his disciples the Science of this proof." I began to reason that if this is a Science, it means that it has provable rules, and because it is Christian Science it must mean the rules of Christianity. Then I came to see that if the disciples had learned how to prove these divine rules—the disciples who had little or no schooling—then certainly I could do the same.

As I studied and had Christian Science treatment, I gradually grew strong enough to leave my bed. The complete healing required many months because there was much egotism, intellectualism, and fear to be overcome in my thinking. My health was completely restored, and the healing has remained permanent. You can understand that my skepticism entirely disappeared; and later I went into church work actively.

The musical selection on the program was Hymn No. 337 from the Christian Science Hymnal.

The commentary was as follows:

As our musical selection brought out, many previously accepted theories and opinions are being challenged or overthrown today. This raises one of the major questions of modern living, and it's this: What do we consider the most important influence in our lives? Is it changeable human knowledge, or the unchanging power and goodness of God?

It's a revealing question, as Mrs. Bailey discovered. Like so many of us, she had accepted material knowledge and opinions as the final word. No hope was held out for her recovery. She was given only two or three months to live. Even when she turned to God in desperation for healing, she still had her reservations. You see, human intellectualism had chilled her trust in God's power and goodness. But then, through Christian Science, she opened her thought and her heart to the true spiritual knowledge of God. As she did so, her approach to daily living became new, more spiritual, and positive. And she was completely healed.

Now what is it that seems to keep us from investigating the spiritual, healing truths of God? Often it's the suggestion that human, material knowledge alone is practical, and can do what God cannot or will not do. But this is only a false argument of materialism. If we'll only become receptive, childlike, the present beauty, order, and goodness of God's creation will be unfolded to us. It will enrich our whole human experience and bring healing. It's really up to us. Jesus said, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

As our guest learned, it's only our misplaced devotion to material theories that obscures the facts of God's spiritual creation. God is Spirit. Therefore His creation is spiritual. And so God and His creation must be understood spiritually. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, sums it up in her book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" in these words (p. 547): "Inspired thought relinquishes a material, sensual, and mortal theory of the universe, and adopts the spiritual and immortal. It is this spiritual perception of Scripture, which lifts humanity out of disease and death and inspires faith."

Thousands of men and women in all walks of life have experienced, through study of the Bible and Science and Health, this spiritual perception or awakening that brings healing. This awakening comes when thought is turned from material knowledge to the acceptance of true, spiritual knowledge. The resulting awareness of God's power, goodness, and love brings the healing Christ to every discordant condition. It is as if window blinds were suddenly pulled up in a dark room, letting in the sunlight and wiping out the fearful dreams, doubts, and uncertainties of the night.

In view of what's been said, it's plain that Christian Science is not a matter of emotionalism or blind faith, but of understanding divine reality. Mrs. Bailey hadn't thought of religion as warranting systematic study. It's a common tendency to think that material learning alone warrants research and demonstration. But this view is challenged in Science and Health, where Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 127): "If God the All-in-all, be the creator of the spiritual universe, including man, then everything entitled to a classification as truth, or Science, must be comprised in a knowledge or understanding of God, for there can be nothing beyond illimitable divinity."

Whatever the problem, it comes from false knowledge. Through Christian Science we learn to reject false beliefs about God's man. We insist prayerfully that God, divine Mind, is the source of man's intelligence and of his very being, because God is the only cause and creator. This God-inspired, God-directed man is your real selfhood and mine. We must hold firmly to this divine fact. By holding steadfastly to the spiritual truths concerning God's real creation, our guest won the victory over a distressing physical condition. She proved that physical healing follows spiritual awakening as surely as day follows night.

And so, you see, true knowledge reveals that God's mercy, justice, and wisdom are always at hand— and that His goodness is expressed by man in unfailing health, abundance, intelligence, and joy.