On this program Mrs. Eileen White of Brooklyn, New York, told of her own experience. The program was as follows:

Speaker: You know, most of us yearn for happiness, health, and success. And that's quite natural. But it is becoming more and more recognized that true happiness really can't be found in material things. Isn't it true that a spiritual understanding of God is the real pearl of great price? Now our guest is going to tell you how she gained this understanding and found freedom from a troublesome physical condition. Here is Mrs. Eileen White of Brooklyn, New York. Won't you tell us about it, Mrs. White?

Mrs. White: Yes, indeed, I'll be happy to. You see, my employer was a Christian Scientist, and among the magazines in his reception room there was always Christian Science literature. Also, a good many of his business transactions were among Christian Scientists.

I began to read the literature, attend church services, and question my employer. He told me to get the Bible and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Then he showed me how to read daily the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly. At first I found it difficult to understand Science and Health and would often throw the book on the floor greatly discouraged. Then I would think: "What is the matter with me? It's written in English. I have the average intelligence." The I'd pick it up and start all over again. I was determined to know the meaning of Christian Science.

I kept on reading every chance I got, until finally I began to understand some of the things I was reading. I also found that the articles in the Christian Science Sentinel helped me. I would take the copies from the reception room and read them as I went back and forth to work on the bus.

You see, I didn't come to Christian Science for a physical healing, but for a happier life and to find answers to questions I'd always had about life and creation which had never been answered. I knew there must be some explanation. Then early in my study of Christian Science I had proof that this religion is just as effective in healing disease. For some years I used to get severe attacks of sinus trouble. At such times the doctor told me I would always have this condition as long as I lived in a northern climate.

One particular attack was quite serious. My nose and eyes were swollen, and I had completely lost my hearing. The family had to write out what they wanted to say to me. My sister was then a trained surgical nurse, and she said a doctor would recommend an operation, for the canals were all stopped up. I decided to turn completely to prayer for healing, and a Christian Science practitioner was called.

In a very short time I could breathe easier, and in about a day or two I was able to go outdoors. As I was walking along I heard an auto horn blow about a block away, and I realized I was healed. I returned to the house shouting: "I can hear! I can hear!" And my sister was so excited and impressed, she said, "Let's go to the Christian Science Reading Room. I want to get the Bible and Science and Health and study Christian Science." So even though it had begun to rain heavily, we were both so thrilled with this healing that we went right to the Reading Room and bought the Bible and the textbook for my sister.

This happened nearly twenty-five years ago. Since then I have never had a return of this condition, not even a head cold.

Speaker: That was very encouraging experience, Mrs. White. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. It certainly showed the reward of an honest, persistent effort to know God better.

You know, friends, it's interesting and revealing sometimes to quietly ask yourself what you want most in life, what you yearn for above all else. Is it material wealth, popularity, good health, success, alone? No doubt at some time you've thought if you could only have the one thing you wanted most, then nothing else would matter; everything would be fine. But have ever fixed your sights on some such goal and then later found it didn't really bring what you expected after all? It seems pretty clear that lasting happiness and peace are found only when our goals are spiritual, not just material.

The Master, Christ Jesus, gave us the recipe for true happiness in his parable of the pearl of great price. As recorded in Matthew, you'll recall that Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Doesn't this bring out very clearly that we find true happiness, or the kingdom of heaven, only by exchanging that which is of less value and temporary in nature for that which is spiritual and real?

Now our guest's experience bears this out. For years she had searched for greater happiness and for answers to questions about life which had never been answered to her satisfaction. She began to find the happiness and peace for which she was searching in a deeper understanding of God, which she gained through her study of Christian Science. She found, as we all do, that the understanding of God is free to all. We must be willing to change mistaken beliefs concerning man's origin and his relationship to God. In this way we gain the understanding and proof that God is divine Life, Truth, and Love. We are freed from fear, doubt, anxiety, and other thinking that is based on a material outlook on life. This changed concept, this spiritual awakening, brings healing.

As we persist in our determination, our honest efforts, to know God better, we find the pearl of great price. We learn that God is the only real source of good. The more pure our motives, the more willing we are to trust God, and this willingness brings a greater degree of spiritual awakening. It is this awakening that results in healing. We begin to see that no matter what our human need may seem to be, it will be supplied when we make our goal a fuller understanding of God's unfailing power and goodness.

Friends, each one of us can find the understanding of God that heals in proportion to our willingness to seek and to treasure the pearl of great price. The understanding of divine Love, which meets every human need, is available to each one of us. But honest effort is required. As Mrs. Eddy writes in her book Science and Health (p. 462): "Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian Science must abide strictly by its rules, heed every statement, and advance from the rudiments laid down. There is nothing difficult nor toilsome in this task, when the way is pointed out; but self-denial, sincerity, Christianity, and persistence alone win the prize, as they usually do in every department of life."

The musical selection on the program was Hymn No. 391 from the Christian Science Hymnal (Why search the future and the past?).