Article May 20, 2013 Issue

Keep it simple

Mary Louise Parsons

I left the Christian Science practitioner’s office with this statement ringing in my ears: “Christian Science is simple.” I knew that she meant that Christian Science is straightforward to understand and to practice. As a newcomer to this Science, I was eager to learn more and to demonstrate it.

I’d first found out about Christian Science healing when I was in college, a thousand miles away from home. I received a letter from my dad telling of his wonderful healing of abdominal, back, and leg pain after reading Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (see Stanley A. Smith, The Christian Science Journal, July 1961). Then, after I was married and had a family, I became overwhelmed with fear of disease and death. It would be no stretch to say that I was overwhelmed every second of every day. A friend who was a Christian Scientist, in whom I had confided, suggested that I visit a Christian Science practitioner.

I remember telling this practitioner, “The Bible says that faith can move mountains, but I'm not seeing that.” She responded that faith, coupled with understanding, does move mountains. That was the turning point. For the next hour, she poured out the Truth to me in the most loving way. As I saw that God hadn’t made me to be fearful, my whole attitude changed to one of hope. I walked out of the practitioner’s office almost dancing—I had simply been healed. It was so wonderful to be free, and I can honestly say that this was the end of the fear that had dominated my thinking for so long.