Practicing Christian Science

[Of Special Interest to Children]

SIETSKE L. CURRY

Once a little boy, three years old, set out to practice Christian Science. His name was Peter. Peter had attended a Christian Science Sunday School for about a year. One morning, his mother found him straightening up his playroom. When she asked him why he was doing this at that hour of the day, he said, "I'm going to play office."

A few times Peter, with his mother, had visited the office of a Christian Science practitioner. Once he had asked what the practitioner was doing there. Then it was explained to him that people came to that office to be healed. Peter could understand a little bit of what was told him about God's ever-present love for everyone, which made it impossible for error to trouble God's children.

So this morning, after he had put all his toys away, Peter said to his mother: "If God is Love, then God is Love always. And when we say my prayer, then we feel better, 'cause all error goes out."

They said together the children's prayer by Mary Baker Eddy (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 400):

"Father-Mother God,
Loving me,—
Guard me when I sleep;
Guide my little feet
Up to Thee."

Peter knew that healing took place through prayer, through knowing that God is all-power. So when later in the day his father came home and seemed to have some trouble with his leg, Peter invited him to come to his office. He asked his father to sit down; then he closed the door, climbed onto the chair in front of the table and started to talk with a very serious face: "Daddy, God is Truth. Where Truth is there is no error. Error cannot be here, and if it tries to come in, we have to throw it out real quickly. And you have to know all this, and then you are better. Now you help me say the big prayer with Mrs. Eddy's prayer."

They said together the Lord's Prayer with its spiritual interpretation from pages 16 and 17 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy. After that Peter said, "Now I have to know more about God, and God will take care of you." He closed his eyes and sat very still for a few moments. Then he jumped down, and for the next half hour they romped outside on the grass.

Peter's father was entirely free from what had troubled him, and he was very happy that the healing message had come to him through the simple prayer voiced by a three-year-old child.

That evening when his mother kissed him good night Peter said, "When I am bigger, I can know about God for all the people in the world, 'cause I can learn more about God."

We can all help the world and ourselves by putting into practice what we already know about God. We can depend on His loving care for His children. The children of God are made in His likeness, reflecting intelligence. When we turn out thoughts of unhappiness, irritation, and a feeling of inability, then we shall find happiness, joy, and dominion. These are what God originally gave man, and is still giving him. Then we are masters and not servants of the problems that come up in our daily life.

Mrs. Eddy writes in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 113), "A child will demonstrate Christian Science and have a clear perception of it." Let us not think that other things are more important, or that our understanding is too small, but rather let us go to work and practice Christian Science every day of the week, every hour of the day. And let us not start doing it tomorrow, but right now, this very minute.

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