In the Bible we read, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Ps. 91: 1). For an ever-increasing understanding of God's omnipotence and omnipresence and of man's relation to God, I am humbly grateful.

I was returning home alone from a special church meeting a bit later than usual one evening when I became aware of being followed. This was brought to my attention when a light was flashed into my car. I continued in my usual course and felt somewhat relieved when, at a traffic signal in my favor, I lost sight of the other car. However, as I approached my home, which was another several blocks, this car appeared from a side street just ahead of me, turned, and came directly toward me. There were two persons in the car, and they pulled over to the curb and parked just across the street as I made the turn into our driveway. No one else was at my home at the time. I sat for a few seconds, praying to God for direction as to the next step to take. I felt completely in God's care, and all that came to me to do was to be about my Father's business. It seemed right for me to be in my own home.

I decided to leave the car in the driveway instead of putting it in the garage, and as I came around behind my car to go into the house, I came face to face with an intruder. We both stopped short not more than a few feet apart. Not a word was spoken. After possibly a second or two, the intruder turned and went back to the sidewalk; then walked down in front of the property next door. After this he came back and stopped again, directly opposite me but on the sidewalk, where he remained facing me for several seconds. Then he started out into the street as though to go to the car; but when he was about halfway across the street, he again stopped, turned, and stood facing me.

I remained for another second or so, then turned, crossed the lawn, went up on the porch, unlocked the door, and went into the house. Closing the door behind me, and with my hand still on the doorknob, I said out loud, "Thank You, God, for protecting me from harm, and for protecting them from doing any harm."

This incident occurred in a locality that later was included in a curfew area. At no time did I have any particular sense of courage or of fear. It was as though I were completely out of the situation, watching something wholly apart from me, which indeed was true, for I was abiding in "the secret place," a realm of thought where I was seeing the omnipotence and omnipresence of divine Love in operation. Evil was proved to have no power or presence.

A few years ago I was seized with a very severe pain in my back. This continued for some days. In spite of the severe pain I made daily trips to the Reading Room, where I spent several hours in prayer and study. In searching Mrs. Eddy's writings I found much relief from the discomfort. Shortly thereafter it was uncovered that I was entertaining a deep feeling of injustice that needed to be healed. Work was continued with the help of a practitioner, who gave me the following references for study from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy: "The physical affirmation of disease should always be met with the mental negation. Whatever benefit is produced on the body, must be expressed mentally, and thought should be held fast to this ideal" (p. 392). "Keep distinctly in thought that man is the offspring of God, not of man; that man is spiritual, not material; that Soul is Spirit, outside of matter, never in it, never giving the body life and sensation. It breaks the dream of disease to understand that sickness is formed by the human mind, not by matter nor by the divine Mind" (p. 396). I was soon completely well.

I am grateful for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church and for class instruction. Active church membership provides continuous opportunity for growth and presents challenges that call for clearer, purer, more disciplined thinking, challenges that bring with them infinite rewards.

(Mrs.) Irene Meyers
Los Angeles, California