When a child I was instantaneously...

Louise Buckmier

When a child I was instantaneously healed through Christian Science of an illness that had occurred frequently over a period of several years. The first question I put to the practitioner was, "In this big world, how did God know where I was?" At that time I believed that God was corporeal, seated in His throne in heaven, ready to punish or bless as He saw fit. The wise practitioner, realizing the wide scope of such a question, replied that if I attended the Christian Science Sunday School the following Sunday I would learn about God. This I did, and during the many years that have followed I have been learning more and more about Him.

In Science and Health (p. 587), Mrs. Eddy gives us this definition of God: "The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence." It was indeed a shock to me to find such a definition of God. How could I pray to a God who was intangible? How could I take my problems to Mind, Truth, Love? Many times I found myself praying to a corporeal God and feeling more sure that He would answer my questions than when I endeavored to approach Him as Christian Science taught.

Mrs. Eddy says (ibid., p. 571), "Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil." I was very much afraid of storms, and when away from home and a storm would suddenly appear I used to insist on going home. My husband and I were at a dinner party when such an incident occurred. Not only was my husband embarrassed by my actions, but after the storm had subsided I felt I could never face those friends again. I did some very sound thinking. Why did I feel more free at home? Why did I dread to take a vacation which took me away from home? I had to answer these questions honestly, and found that I was still holding to the belief of a corporeal Father, who could not keep watch over me if I were in different parts of the city or country. I took the Concordance to Science and Health and began an earnest study of the word "God," trying to understand the definition as given on page 587 of the textbook.

Soon after this we began planning a long trip, and I realized that this terrible fear of leaving home had to be met before the trip was made. I continued my study of God, and prayed earnestly to be shown the right way.

We traveled six hundred miles the first day, arriving in a small western city, where we planned to spend the night. During the night I awakened, and this terrible fear overtook me. Then "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me," and in the quietness of the night I heard the "still small voice" say to me, "God is with you wherever you go; your right thinking is with you wherever you go." Immediately I became calm, and the trip, which covered a period of three weeks, was most harmonious.

These words that were revealed to me were verified by Mrs. Eddy's statement as found in "Unity of Good" (p. 24), where she says: "All consciousness is Mind; and Mind is God,—an infinite, and not a finite consciousness. This consciousness is reflected in individual consciousness, or man, whose source is infinite Mind." Now I understand how God knew where I was. The Bible says, "For in him we live, and move, and have our being."

Over a period of twenty-eight years I have had many healings: diseased tonsils have been made normal; chronic constipation of many years' standing has been corrected; blood poisoning in one arm was quickly healed; a severe nervous breakdown has been entirely overcome. These are only a few of the healings that I have had. I can surely say, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

I am grateful to the practitioners who have so kindly helped me; to our Way-shower, Christ Jesus, for showing us the way; and to our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, for giving to the world the "key" to the Scriptures. I am grateful to God for leading me to take class instruction, and my prayer is that I may dwell "in the house [the consciousness] of [LOVE] for ever" (Science and Health, p. 578).—(Mrs.) Louise Buckmier, Huron, South Dakota.

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