'I knew my life was changed forever...'

Helen Martin—Los Angeles, California, US

I had a rigorous Christian upbringing that involved harsh and demanding attitudes. I loved God, but I also feared Him. I explored various denominations, but never found one to fully accept.

In 1947, I was first introduced to Christian Science when a man I was dating mentioned it to me. I knew absolutely nothing about it. He was on furlough from a government job and was about to leave to go back to work, but he told me I could find the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy in the library. The book would explain what Christian Science was. I went to the library, found the book, and couldn’t stop reading it. I didn’t get out of my chair all day. I didn’t leave until the library closed at 9:00 p.m.!

I wrote to my boyfriend, telling him that I was delighted and fascinated with the book, and referring to Mary Baker Eddy, asked him, “Who was that woman?” I was in such wonderment that this marvelous book was written by a woman. He told me more about Mrs. Eddy, but he also said that being a Christian Scientist is not all sweetness and light. It’s not just about reading beautiful ideas; it’s about practicing the Science of the Christ and demonstrating spiritual truths.

When my boyfriend later proposed marriage to me, he made it clear he was a dedicated student of Christian Science. And I was fine with that. As soon as I had read Science and Health, I knew my life was changed forever, because I realized spiritual thinking could change whatever material circumstances presented themselves.

I was delighted and fascinated with the book.

I saw proof of this when his mother had an engagement dinner party for us and she served pineapple compote. I had never been able to eat pineapple without a terrible reaction, a distress I’d never disclosed to my boyfriend or his family, but I reasoned to myself that since these Christian Scientists pray about everything and have a way of working out any situation, why not try the compote. In my youthful exuberance, I remember thinking, “I’ll eat it even if it kills me!” But actually, I wasn’t really afraid because I was with Christian Scientists, who I honestly figured could handle whatever happened. I ate the compote and had no reaction whatsoever. I never again had trouble eating pineapple. Years later, I asked my mother-in-law about that engagement dinner. “What did you do?” I asked, wondering if there had been something specific that had prevented a reaction, and she said, “I just loved you, and I felt God’s presence, divine Love, right there in my dining room.”

I joined The Mother Church right away, but my husband and I moved so often because of his work that we hesitated to become members of a branch church. Later, when my mother-in-law came to live with us, we did join a branch church. Being more settled, we attended regularly, and I enjoyed helping out wherever they needed me. I was often asked to be an assistant to the Sunday School teacher of the littlest children, and I loved that. I got to have the Christian Science Sunday School experience I never had as a youngster. I learned so much from the children. I grew with them! And in 1966 I had the privilege of taking Christian Science class instruction.

I am very grateful for Christian Science. From the moment I started studying Christian Science, it was and has continued to be a true experience of emergence for me—out of darkness into light.

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