Article September 1, 2013

“In Science and Health…”

Neal Heely Hayes

Originally published in the 1914 pamphlet “Christian Science: its legal status—a defense of human rights”

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," by Mrs. Eddy, there is a paragraph (p. 462) which commences as follows: "Anatomy, when conceived of spiritually, is mental self-knowledge, and consists in the dissection of thoughts to discover their quality, quantity, and origin. Are thoughts divine or human? That is the important question. This branch of study is indispensable to the excision of error." The truth expressed in this paragraph began for me a mental reconstruction which resulted in two physical changes that may be of interest to others and show the possibilities of Christian Science.

From the time of my birth my feet were imperfect; I did not walk until I was three years old. After I was otherwise full grown my feet were less than half the size they should have been, their structure was abnormal, and I had no use of my toes. This condition continued until I was thirty- five years old, three years after I began to read Christian Science literature. During these three years I received much physical as well as moral benefit from Christian Science, but no change took place with respect to my feet. Indeed I did not expect them ever to be different.

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