In reviewing my experiences...

Albert P. H. Oke

In reviewing my experiences since I became a student of Christian Science, I realize with much gratitude that I only really commenced to live from the time there dawned in my consciousness the realization of man's at-one-ment with infinite Life.

It was during my initial awakening to this great truth that I experienced a major physical healing. This occurred more than fifteen years ago and resulted from my own study of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy.

A serious stomach disorder which had troubled me for years had not been healed, but had grown worse under medical treatment. I had persevered with allopathy, homeopathy, autosuggestion, rigid dieting, physical exercises, and kindred processes, to the point of exhausting my faith in them. I had become irritable, despondent, and cynical, and the future seemed to hold nothing but chronic ill-health. It was while I was in this frame of mind and ill in body, that a friend lent me a copy of Science and Health.

At first I approached the study of Christian Science with much diffidence, thinking it was one of the numerous small religious sects whose doctrines would not stand the test of reason and logic. I read only small sections of the textbook at a time, for I wanted to understand what I read and examine its logic. Certain passages seemed clear and convincing. Others I could not grasp, they were so fundamentally different from what I had previously believed was true. But I could not find fault with the logic of those portions I was able to assimilate. After persevering for two or three months with comparatively regular and small doses of this mental medicine from Science and Health, I read passages which gave me such a clear realization of the unintelligent nature of matter and, in particular, the impotence of food to disagree with or disturb the condition of my body, that I was able immediately to discontinue a rigid diet and all medicine, and to eat norm ally.

The truth of the Scriptural statement (Prov. 23:7) that as a man "thinketh in his heart, so is he," was borne out in my own experience. I had been thinking inharmoniously, being fearful, irritable, disconsolate, and the result was a discordant body. Throughout the intervening years Mind has been my only medicine, healing me of many physical ailments and greatly minimizing that devil called personal sense.

Devoting time the first thing each morning to the study of the Lesson-Sermon, and to prayerful and affirmative thinking, has paid me handsome dividends for many years. The most noteworthy have been protection from accidents and other discordant conditions, and release from a false sense of responsibility which would otherwise have weighed heavily upon me when duties of unusual importance have had to be undertaken.

By following this rule of "first things first." I have proved the accuracy of our Leader's words (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 210), "Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort." The Psalmist declares (5:3), "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."

Christian Science has given me a logical and satisfactory understanding of God, and of man's relationship to the all-embracing Father-Mother. It has illumined the Scriptures, inspired the conviction that man can exercise his God-given dominion over every form of discord, and so provided me with a demonstrable and practical religion. It is, in fact, the universal panacea for all human problems, and for me, is continuing to "restore . . . the years that the locust hath eaten" (Joel 2:25). I am deeply grateful for the bountiful blessings which have accompanied my assimilation and demonstration of its teachings.—(Lt. Col.) Albert P. H. Oke, Adelaide, South Australia.

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