At the age of about sixteen or...

Charles Willis Pottol

At the age of about sixteen or seventeen I ran away from home twice within a short period of time. It was Christian Science, conscientiously applied by my parents and a loving practitioner, which effected my immediate and voluntary return home each time.

The circumstances surrounding my second venture have been to me a graphic illustration of the way in which false suggestion would enlarge its claims. When I yielded to the suggestion of a schoolmate that we run away together, I also yielded to the suggestion that I would have to separate myself from Christian Science to prevent its effecting another return home. Furthermore, I allowed myself to be tempted into smoking and then into an instance of minor lawbreaking, thinking that the punishment which would come if I were caught would provide the final excuse in rationalizing my running away.

When I arrived at the city which was to be my first stopping point, my stomach was in great distress as a result of several hours of uninterrupted pipe smoking. Determined still to avoid Christian Science, I went to a soda fountain and had a glass of an alkalizer, trying to settle my stomach. This was my first and only resort to medication, since I had been raised in Christian Science, and it brought no benefit. I returned to my hotel room to seek relief in sleep.

Apparently mortal mind had come to the end of its rope at last. As I began to awake a short time later, the first thing of which I became conscious was that I was silently reciting "the scientific statement of being" (Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, p. 468), which I had learned in Sunday School and at home. The suffering was gone, and I knew then that God had turned my thoughts in the right direction. Once again I returned home voluntarily, leaving the tobacco and pipe behind. Truly, Love had restored me to a right sense of things.

This experience has been a landmark of ever-increasing meaning in my growth in the understanding and demonstration of Christian Science. It proved to me that this Science, which is the full revelation of Truth, is inescapable. It also proved God's loving care of His children, for although I had trod very close to extremely deep waters, He lovingly guided me back to harmony. Finally, this experience was a great object lesson in the futility of running away from problems and also in the need to correct consciousness where we are.

I am grateful to our Father-Mother God, through whose love I was redeemed from error, as well as to our Way-shower, Christ Jesus, who demonstrated the at-one-ment of God and man, and to Mrs. Eddy, who shared her discovery with the world. Also, I am grateful to my parents and to the Christian Science Sunday School teachers for the firm foundation which was laid in my consciousness.

My testimony would be incomplete if I did not express my deep gratitude for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church, where I have the privilege of teaching in the Sunday School, and for the joyous blessing of class instruction.—Charles Willis Pottol, Palo Alto, California.

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