A sermon preached by an eminent archbishop to warn...

Beatrice C. Talbot

A sermon preached by an eminent archbishop to warn the public against Christian Science and Mrs. Eddy was the influence that drew me to investigate this religion. Although I knew nothing about the subject or its Discoverer and Founder, the attack was such that all that was just within me sprang up in Mrs. Eddy's defense; and before I left the church I had determined to know something about it.

"Desire is prayer" is one of the statements on the first page of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, and this fact was exemplified in my experience; for on the following day an old friend called on me. I had not seen her for some years, but had heard that she had become a Christian Scientist. I told her of the sermon and asked for an explanation. Her clear, simple words satisfied me; and I arranged to go with her to the next Wednesday evening testimony meeting. Before the meeting was over I knew I had found that for which I had been looking for years. I bought the book that night and read till one o'clock next morning. Never had I experienced such happiness. This was many years ago; and although there have been difficult and sad human struggles, that fundamental joy has never been dislodged.

The vision once revealed has to be established in consciousness through individual proof. The testimonies of these proofs are of incalculable value to our fellow-men for mutual encouragement and enlightenment, as evidenced by the healings at the testimony meetings and through reading the testimonies in the periodicals.

I should like to share the following experience with all those whom it will help. One hot day last summer I was hanging some pictures in an office. I had turned on the ceiling fan, which was running at triple speed. Forgetting the fan, I mounted the desk; in a few minutes I heard a crash, and saw by the results that I had been severely cut on the head. I got down from the desk, and began reasoning spiritually against the mental arguments that immediately presented themselves. A calm, quiet sense of security came to me, also joy in knowing that I was proving in some small measure that God and man, His image, are absolutely separate from matter. Not one particle of pain did I suffer either when the fan hit me or afterwards, proving another of those oft-repeated statements in Science and Health, that sensation is not in matter but in the falsely educated thought, consequently can be ruled out by true thinking.

I found my way to the lavatory. While there I had some sympathetic visitors, one of whom knew something about first aid. She told me I had cut a vein and it would take skillful fingers to stop the bleeding. At her earnest persuasion I went to the doctor's office in the building. One was engaged; the other had not arrived. It did not take me long to decide that I was in the wrong place. I went back to the office and telephoned a Christian Science practitioner to help me, which she most lovingly and efficiently did. In an hour I was on my way home with an added understanding of this great truth that is to set us all free. Such an overwhelming sense of gratitude came to me as I realized that this incident, which promised to be so destructive, under the lens of Truth became instructive and constructive. It was a week later that I discovered that the wing of the fan was split and a piece of the skull chipped.

How can we be too grateful for our beloved Leader's vision, wisdom, and guidance in giving us the textbook, our protective By-laws in the Church Manual, our services, our Publishing Society, together with our periodicals; and how can we help loving her, not only for this but for revealing Christ Jesus to us again as our beloved and practical friend, counselor, teacher, and brother, instead of a remote, unattainable Saviour?

(Mrs.)Beatrice C. Talbot, Dallas, Texas.

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