The Wondrous Story

EVA STROUD HAYES.

I feel compelled to give to the field some expression of the tender love and gratitude I bear our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy. How sweet are the lessons taught us of her life, and how blessed is the revealed truth as we find it in her writings through the understanding of which we are able to "speak the truth to every form of error" (Science and Health, p. 418).

I came into an understanding of this Science through my healing in the year 1895, and many times since I have wished I might give to the Field some expression of the joy and gladness gained, but words have always seemed inadequate to express the fulness thereof, so I have tried to content myself by reading the testimonies of others; but I can no longer remain silent, for my heart overflows with love, and I know I can express some measure of it.

When about eight years old I attended a Sabbath School where one of the hymns we sang was, "Christians, I am on my journey," one line of which was "I would tell the wondrous story what the Lord has done for me." I wondered at that time just what was meant by "the story," and why was it "wondrous," and would I ever tell it? Later on we changed song books, and in the new one I found the same song but with an addition. On each page was a small cut descriptive of the song thereon, and on this was a picture of the Christian on his journey. He was represented as old and bent, with a bundle on his back which was weighing him down. His was one of the saddest of faces, and I remember how discouraged it made me feel. I turned it all over in my child thought: Why, if his story was so "wondrous," did he not have a radiant face, and why was he so burdened? So I rather lost the desire to tell his story.

As we measure time, it has been a good many years since my childhood desire, but at last it is fulfilled, and now I know that God's children are not weighed down and the story is being told over and over again and the faces are radiant which tell it, for we are coming "into the land of Christian Science, where fetters fall, and the rights of man are fully known and acknowledged" (Science and Health, p. 226).

At the time of my healing I had heard but a very little of Christian Science, and much of that was really overheard. A very ardent little Scientist was visiting our home and was talking to our mother as I was passing in and out of an adjoining room, so I only caught snatches of what was said, but my heart leaped for joy as I realized that he was indeed telling a "wondrous" story. So interested did I become that I stopped my work and went into the room that I might see him, for I felt the love he expressed, and thought his face must be radiant, and so it was. I shall never forget that day. I made up my mind at once to try Christian Science, for I was at that time under a physician's care, being treated for a complication of troubles.

From what I overheard I thought one went for healing just as we would have gone to Jesus; that is, tl at the healing was instantaneous, and so it proved in my case. The thought that troubled me was, how could I reach the home of the practitioner, as it was quite a distance from my own, the weather was stormy, and I was quite poorly? I remember so well thinking. If I can only get to the door I know I shall be healed, for I am sure it is the truth, and Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall made you free."

It was a joy indeed to be free from the bondage of sickness, but how much greater was the spiritual gain; for I was filled with joyfulness when I found that I could "tell the wondrous story." And how gladly I tell it to-day and have told it for eight years, and yet, as the Queen of Sheba said of King Solomon's wisdom, the half has never been told.

I feel that I have awakened from dreaming the dream of materiality and I am coming into a realization that we are now the sons of God," that God is our Life, and that we are rich indeed, not with the riches that take to themselves wings but rich with the abundant blessings of joy, peace, understanding, love. And it is this glad, wondrous story that is building and filling Christian Science churches all over our land and in other lands, and that is being told at the Wednesday evening meetings. It was told first by the meek and lowly Jesus, re-told by our beloved Leader, and echoed by every loyal Scientist. Should not every heart be filled with gratitude for what our faithful Leader has done,—she who has watched each step, cheering us on or rebuking as the need required.

With unnumbered voices repeating "the wondrous story" and unnumbered hearts overflowing with love, error—the king of terrors—is being destroyed and the time is hastening on foretold in Revelation: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall there be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

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Concerning the Lectures

December 5, 1903

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