Article February 26, 1979 Issue

The joy of God's presence

PATIENCE M. CANHAM

For a long time there was one paragraph in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, that I dodged. It is on page 266, where the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science asks, "Would existence without personal friends be to you a blank?" Whenever this paragraph was included in the Lesson-Sermon, In the Christian Science Quarterly; I would read it quickly, mentally balk, and go on to the next citation.

One day as I was reading through the chapter "Creation," I turned a page, and there was that question again. But this time I thought about it and found myself answering "No." If I was separated from those I love most, it would be hard—very hard—but existence wouldn't be a blank.

What had happened? How was I now able to face the challenge of a question I had been avoiding? The answer: I had grown spiritually. To be specific: For some months I had been praying about spiritual certainty. Several things had happened that had made me search to find what was rock-bottom certainty for me. Of the many Bible verses and passages from Mrs. Eddy's writings that I could so readily quote, which of them was reality to me?

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