Freedom gained from tobacco habit

Ann Marie Soderstrom Matthews

Let me say with the Psalmist (Ps. 107:1, 2): "O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy." Mrs. Eddy writes in her textbook, Science and Health (p. 225): "Whatever enslaves man is opposed to the divine government. Truth makes man free."

For over a period of fifteen years, until about eight years ago, I was in bondage to cigarette smoking. This caused periodic nausea and sick headaches which would confine me to my bed for several days at a time. I was led to secure the help of a Christian Science practitioner, and I prayed that I might be healed of this false appetite, which caused me much suffering, shame, and embarrassment in my home and among my friends, but the healing did not come. I might add that I tried on many occasions to use will power, but to no avail.

We read in the textbook (p. 1), "Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds." I continued to pray for enlightenment, trusting God with my desires, and turned more earnestly to the consecrated study of our Lesson-Sermons as set forth in the Christian Science Quarterly, together with Mrs. Eddy's other writings. I also subscribed for as many of the periodicals as I felt we could afford at that time.

One morning I awakened with one of the headaches and upon leaving an unfinished breakfast, I automatically reached for a cigarette. As I attempted to smoke it, the following thought came to me death, as if someone had spoken the loving rebuke: "Are you a slave to this piece of paper filled with a few leaves?" Mrs. Eddy writes on page 407 of Science and Health, "Pulling the obnoxious fumes of tobacco, or chewing a leaf naturally attractive to no creature except a loathsome worm, is at least disgusting." I immediately saw the unreality of this claim and was so aroused that I was instantly healed. From that time on I have never had any desire to smoke. It is as if it had never been a part of me. Truth had indeed made me free.

For the healing of a sense of grief and separation at the passing on of a loved one, I am humbly grateful. I have had many other healings, including complete freedom from social drinking and from fear of driving a car, as well as healings of head colds that lasted many weeks, mastoiditis, and sprained ankle; and last but not least, many unlovely traits of character have fallen away as the truth has unfolded in my consciousness, resulting in a more harmonious home.

I wish to thank God, the Giver of all good, for our Way-shower, Christ Jesus, for our beloved Leader, Mrs. Eddy, for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church, for the entire Christian Science movement, and for the joy and the certain sense of peace and harmony that has been mine in the study and application of this pearl of great price. Christian Science.—(Mrs.) Ann Marie Soderstrom Matthews, Pasadena, California.

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