Christian Scientists have reason to be the most grateful people in the world. They are today overcoming physical as well as mental difficulties through spiritual means as Jesus overcame them nearly two thousand years ago. Each proof of Deity's loving provision for man through law is convincing evidence that man has a continuing relationship to the divine Principle of his being, whom we call God.

Christian Scientists cherish gratitude in their hearts. They nourish and protect it so that it may become a part of their lives, a glowing radiance within that provides strength for daily tasks and courage with which to meet the challenge of any claim of a power apart from or opposed to God.

Such gratitude requires wise and generous sharing in appropriate ways and at opportune times. Wednesday testimony meetings in Churches of Christ, Scientist, provide such opportunities under approved and congenial circumstances.

In Article VIII, Section 24, of the Manual of The Mother Church, Mrs. Eddy writes: "Testimony in regard to the healing of the sick is highly important. More than a mere rehearsal of blessings, it scales the pinnacle of praise and illustrates the demonstration of Christ, 'who healeth all thy diseases' (Psalm 103:3)."

A representative of an advertising firm learned that one of his clients always served as an usher at a Wednesday noon testimony meeting in a large city church. Curious as to why a busy man would take time out once each week for this purpose, the salesman attended such a testimony meeting.

He was impressed not only by the large number of men and women at the meeting but also with their appearance. There was a quiet, vital dignity about the meeting that appealed to him. The selections read by the First Reader from the Bible and from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy were interesting and enlightening.

When the Reader announced, "This meeting is now open for experiences, testimonies, and remarks on Christian Science," a man arose and told of his healing of stomach ulcers through Christian Science. Before the meeting was over, two other men testified to having been healed of ulcers. These testimonies were of particular interest to the visitor because he was suffering from that very difficulty.

A short time later he felt the need of making arrangements to go to the hospital for the usual series of medical treatments. However, what he had heard at the testimony meeting encouraged him to try Christian Science instead. He had the help of a Christian Science practitioner, and to his amazement and great gratitude he was quickly and completely healed, not only of ulcers but also of the smoking habit of many years' duration. He became an earnest student of Christian Science.

One day my attention was called to an article in the Christian Science Sentinel on the subject of our Wednesday testimony meetings. Mention was made of the value of testimonies when actuated by unselfed love, stamped with sincerity, and permeated with humility. I found particularly interesting the reference to some of the things that might well be avoided in giving testimonies.

Christ Jesus declared (John 3: 17), "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Like the Master, Christian Science is saving mankind from sin and disease through spiritual means alone, thereby carrying on his work. It is bringing human thought into accord with the divine government, which provides adequately for every need of man.

Although healing the sick was an important part of the Master's ministry, it was to the healing of sin that his primary efforts were directed. And that is true of Christian Science today. This is clearly brought out in a statement by Mrs. Eddy in Science and Health (p. 150), "Now, as then, signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical healing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demonstrate its divine origin,—to attest the reality of the higher mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the world."

Our progress in Christian Science is furthered as we share our helpful experiences with others. When we give a testimony at a Wednesday meeting or contribute one to our periodicals, we acknowledge publicly that in Christian Science we have been given not only an active, living faith in the divine realities of being but one which has been deeply rooted in an understanding of our inseparability from God, who is Spirit.

Man's identity is spiritual, derived from God. He is conscious of the sinless perfection of everything that represents his Maker. He shows forth the unopposed dominion of pure Mind. The man of God's creating—the true selfhood of each one of us—has never fallen from his original perfection. Man never was the sinner false theology accuses him of being. He knows no life separated from or contrary to the one Life, God.

These are some of the truths that are being revealed to us through the teachings of Christian Science. They are freeing us from contrary beliefs regarding man. This is the reason for our deep gratitude. We can express this gratitude in our Wednesday testimony meetings, assured that what we say will have its part in confirming and extending to another the value of bringing his life into agreement with the one Life, God.

Ralph E. Wagers