Finding Christian Science—and a new life

Russell Luerssen

The author describes how he was able to help an unexpected visitor to a Reading Room, and how their friendship transformed both their lives.

Some years ago, while I was serving as a night librarian in a Christian Science Reading Room, a man came in just before closing time and made a startling statement. He announced, "I'm here to keep my promise to God." He then shared the following story. His mother had worked in the home of a Christian Scientist, and one day she was given a Christian Science Sentinel. Even though she couldn't read, she took it home with her and put it on the little coffee table in their living room. But as far as she knew, no one read it all the time it was in the house, even though her son—the young man I was now speaking with—could read.

Some years later, this same son got into a fight with the police, and was shot seven times. At the hospital, as he was being wheeled into the operating room, he heard a surgeon say, "This man has lost too much blood. He won't come out alive." My friend (I call him my friend now, because we became good friends) said a picture came to him of the words Christian Science, which he had seen on the cover of the Sentinel. And then he said he made a promise to God that if he came out of that situation alive, he would look into Christian Science.

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