Article November 3, 2014 Issue

Inspired thought invigorates—and heals

Joanne Leedom-Ackerman

We were sitting at a banquet table at an embassy dinner in Washington, DC. As the toasts began, one of the honored guests across the table suddenly slumped in his chair and drifted toward unconsciousness. The ambassador asked that 911 and an ambulance be called. Knowing I was a Christian Scientist, the guest’s wife turned to me for help.

I rose and went around the table. I leaned close to this person and began speaking quietly to him. In Christian Science I’d learned that life is a reflection of God’s being, spiritually derived, not based in matter or a reaction to material conditions. I repeated truths that I knew he, also a Christian Scientist, would know, including “the scientific statement of being” by Mary Baker Eddy, found in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual” (p. 468).

I listened for what other truths to offer. I shared hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal, including Mrs. Eddy’s hymn “Mother’s Evening Prayer,” which begins, “O gentle presence, peace and joy and power” (No. 207). Many guests at the end of the long table were unaware of what was going on and continued their toasts, but those directly across were watching. I focused only on quietly sharing the truth of Life’s uninterrupted expression, affirming that this spiritual fact had power and could communicate even in the midst of other activity and to someone who appeared unconscious.

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